Sugarloaf Real Estate Blog

The GOLDEN Days Of Big Bear.

In 1845 Benjamin Davis Wilson rode down from the south ridge through a dense pine forest and came upon a swamp.  The riders were looking for Indians who had been raiding cattle from the Southland Ranchos.  They didn’t find any Indians, but they found the area to be alive with Grizzly Bears.  The young riders made a great sport out of teasing the angry bears.  After they killed eleven of the bears, Ben Benito Wilson named the area “Bear Valley”.

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The Big Bear Private Home Ordinance Will NOT Be On The November Ballot.

Originaly Posted On The Big Bear Real Estate Blog

For years the owners of a Bed and Breakfast in Big Bear have done everything in their power to stop the city of Big Bear Lake from allowing Private Home Rentals.  This group of people have taken the city of Big Bear Lake to both state and federal court arguing that renting out a private home is a business and the homes aren't zoned for this type of activity.  Needless to say, both the state and federal court dismissed the law suites.

The city of Big Bear Lake already has an ordinance in place to govern the private home rental industry.  The existing ordinance was well written and covers all issues come up when you rent out your home in a resort community.  Issues like too many cars parked at the rental are covered, too many people in the rental and most of all, noise and trash issues.  The rental industry has done a good job of policing their industry and it has worked out well in the past.

If anyone thought that this would be the end of problems from this group of Bed & Breakfast owners, then they were living in a bubble.  As they lost on the zoning issue, they chose to write a new ordinance that, id adopted would make it virtually impossible for a private home owner to comply with all of the new regulations.  Just to give you some idea as to what these people wanted, here are just a couple examples.  They proposed in the new ordinance that one in every forty homes comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  This would mean that all doors are wide enough for a wheel chair.  Ramps would be required for access to the homes, bathrooms would be required to have grab handles in the bathtub and near the toilet.  The ordnance would require each home owner to get a conditional use permit.  This ordinance was set to go to a vote this coming November.  If it passed the city would have lost over $1,000,000.00 a year in the bed tax as well.

Needless to say, the Real Estate industry are against this type of ordinance as was the city of Big Bear Lake.  A group of people got together to fight this ordinance and were successful in getting it before a judge.  Below is what was reported on the KBHRNewsWebsite this past friday.

This morning, the issue of the proposed transient private home rental initiative (to add additional restrictions and ADA requirements for PHRs within Big Bear Lake) for the November election, as filed by private lodge owner James McLean and subsequently challenged by Citizens Protecting the Rights of Property Owners (or CPRPro), had its day in court, at the County's Needles courthouse. CPRPro had taken the proposed ballot initiative to court, challenging that, as accepted by the City Clerk, it did not comply with California Election Code 9203 (b), as the petitions circulated and signed did not include the title and initiative summary on each page as required. The CPRPro challenge was heard by the Honorable Judge Brisco, and those in court this morning included Nick Lanza (owner of Big Bear Vacation Rentals and Board member of local coalition CPRPro), CPRPro's consultant Michael Perry and attorney David Blackwell, and, via teleconference, McLean's attorney T. Matthew Phillips, and (on behalf of the City of Big Bear Lake, which was also named in the suit) attorney J. Michael Summerour. Per Michael Perry, who spoke to KBHR from Needles following the judge's ruling, "The judge ruled in our favor, and the City must remove the initiative from the November ballot." Though official documents on today's ruling had not yet been forwarded to the City of Big Bear Lake, the City's Public Information Officer Cheri Haggerty did tell KBHR, "The City of Big Bear Lake is unable to comment on the ruling because it is an issue between two private parties." According to the Registrar of Voters office, the initiative generated by McLean and approved by the City's Clerk had not yet been submitted for the November 4 election. Per Terry Kouba, Chief Deputy Registrar of Voters for San Bernardino County, "We were aware of the ordinance, but it hadn't yet been filed with the Registrar of Voters for the November election. We were expecting it, pending this court case." (Background on this case is on our Archive 2008 page, in stories posted on April 11, February 13, and February 6.)

If people thought that by passing this ordinance, the  private home rentals in Big Bear Lake would come to an end, they were sadly mistaken.  Home owners who wish to rent their homes out will still do so.  With websites like Craig'slist and Backpage, a property owner can easily advertise his rental on that site. The difference is that the city would not see any TOT tax, there would be no way of policing the rental.  If people think that passing this new ordinance is going to help, they are dead wrong. 

 

If things change on the Private Home Rental situation in Big Bear Lake, I will post a new blog with the update.

Does your Big Bear Realtor REALLY Know The Inventory?

Originally Posted on Big Bear Valley Real Estate Blog

It seams that you can't watch the evening news without hearing about the housing market.  Yes, it's true that many people have lost their homes because of poor choices when it came to picking their mortgage.  But their loss is your gain.  With all of the foreclosed (REO) property's for sale and the sellers who are trying to sell their homes as a short sale, there are some real bargains in Big Bear.

For years, Big Bear has had it's own Real Estate Board and if a Realtor from down the hill wants to get into one of the Big Bear listings, he or she would have to make arrangments with every listing agent for access to the property.  This has made it difficult for the clients who choose to bring their Realtor to Big Bear. 

One of the biggest problems with bringing your agent with you is that in most cases, the Realtor doesn't have a clue where to start.  He or she normally doesn't know the areas, doesn't know what's a value and what's over priced.  They don't know the difference between Big Bear Lake, Central and Erwin Lake.  Some Realtors actually thing that there is a lake out in Erwin! This is why a Realtor down the hill needs to set his or her ego aside, contact a local agent and refer the client.  By doing this, the clients will have an expert in the Big Bear area working with them find the right house at the right price.

Like everything else, things change.  There was a time when all but a hand full of properties being sold in Big Bear were listed in our local Multiple Listings.  With the change in the market, we are finding that more and more foreclosed (REO) properties are being listed in a down the hill MLS and not  the MLS in Big Bear. 

I'm sure that I'm not the only Realtor in Big Bear who has taken a phone call from a client asking about a home that is listed for sale and I don't recognize the MLS number that they have given me.  That was because it wasn't in the Big Bear MLS.

I take pride in knowing my inventory.  When I tell a client that I've shown them everything that's on the market that fits their needs, I had better be sure that I'm telling the truth.  There is nothing that will ruin your credibility quicker than to tell a client that he has seen everything that fits his needs, when there are other properties out there that you don't know about.   They get home, jump on the computer and find something that you didn't show them and you get a phone call from him that night, asking questions about homes you know nothing about. 

Most of my clients drive a minimum of two hours to come to Big Bear.  Once they arrive, they expect me to show them EVERYTHINGthat fits their needs while they are here.  They don't want to make mutiple trips to see one or two homes.  As I mentioned, things change and as a Realtor, I needed to make some changes so that I can provide my client with the very best service.  So now, instead of being a member of just one Real Estate board, I have joined another board.  With the change that I've made, I now know about every Foreclosure (REO) in Big Bear.  I now know about those homes that have been listed by Realtors down the hill who don't list locally in Big Bear.  When I take a client out to look at property, and I tell him or her that they have seen everything that fits their needs, I know that they have.  I don't worry about those late night calls that start off with.  Tony, what about this property!

Who Needs A Realtor?

Originally Posted on Big Bear Real Estate Blog

Who needs a Realtor?  That is a question that I hear when I speak to FSBO's as well as buyers who plan to represent themselves.  There was a time, long before the internet that you had NO CHOICE but to speak with a Real Estate agent if you wanted information on a property.  Agents would put a sign on the property that was for sale and nothing else.  Real Estate offices were on almost every corner and you had to walk through the door and speak to the agent if you wanted any information regarding a specific property.

The internet has forced the Real Estate industry to make some drastic changes.  People go to the internet for information and they normally walk in the door with a list of homes that they want to see.  So, other than opening the doors of the homes that they have picked out and want to see, what good am I as a Realtor?

I want to share this story with you as an example of the value that I bring to the table as your local Big Bear Real Estate agent.  I had a call from a broker a couple of weeks ago who wanted to come up and look at three of my listings.  In talking to her, she made it very clear that she planned to represent herself and had limited time as she was planning on meeting with another agent later that day.

As we spoke on the phone, I asked her what she was looking for in a Big Bear property.  After she explained to me what she wants, it was very clear to me that the properties that she had picked out were not even close to what she wanted.  I didn't want to risk losing a potential client or deal, but I also felt I had an obligation to be honest with her.  So, I told her that while I was happy to show her the list of homes that she had picked out, none of them are going to fit; based off of what she told me she is looking for.

She came up on the Friday that we had set aside and I intentionally took her to one of the homes that she had on her list.  She immediately told me that this was NOT what she was looking for.  I told her that I had a feeling that she wasn't going to like the property and then asked her if she would like to see 2-3 homes that I feel will fit her needs.  I showed her three different homes that were in three different areas.  Each home fit her needs based off of what she told me her requirements were and she loved every home I showed her.  She admitted to me that she would never have known about these homes and she was so thankful that we met.

Being a Realtor in Big Bear is much more than being the guy with access to the homes.  As a Realtor, I bring value to the table.  I have local knowledge of all of the different areas of the Big Bear Valley.  I can tell you what parts of Big Bear City are nice areas to live in and what areas you want to stay away from.  I know that Big Bear Lake is a real lake and that there is no water in Lake Williams, Baldwin Lake or Erwin Lake.  I know what lake fronts have deep water and what lake fronts are in shallow water.  If you're looking for a Lake Front property, these are things you want to know.    I can show you properties that are deals and steer you away from the overpriced properties.  Local knowledge is invaluable and can be a real asset when looking for a home in an area that you don't know.

Do People Actually Read My Big Bear Blog?

I was somewhat reluctant to start blogging when it was originally brought up as the latest and greatest way of online advertisement.  To me, the website was the way to go and no one read these blogs.  But I soon learned that the pay per click was very expensive.  But, if you wanted to be at the top of the page, then paying for each time your website was viewed was the way to go, but  very expensive way.

So, I chose to take the advice and suggestions of my broker and start blogging.  But before I could start blogging, I needed to know a lot more about it.  After all, my thought when it came to a blog was a lonely housewife sitting at her computer and rambling on about how her day has been going.  I thought to myself, How in the world is THAT going to help me find clients for my Real Estate business.  Before I ever read a book or looked into it, the one thing I knew was that there had to be a lot more to this blog thing than  just rambling on.

I've written many blog articles and posted them both here and on sugarloaf.typepad.com.  In all the articles I've written, I've tried to write about issues that my listing clients as well as buyers have asked me over the course of my Real Estate career.  But living in Big Bear Lake, CA. I have been given a lot of other topics to choose from and to write about.

The Move a Million Miles For Ryan Hall is one topic that I've tried to keep everyone up to date on.  For those of you that don't know, Ryan Hall grew up in the Big Bear Valley and has been selected to represent the United States of America in the 2008 Summer Olympics in China as a marathon runner.  As a small resort community, Big Bear is very proud of him. In an effort to show our support, we as a community have pledged to walk, run, or pedal a million miles for Ryan Hall before he leaves for China in August.

I've blogged about the fact that Big Bear is a four seasons resort.  We have two world class ski resorts that provide great winter activities from Thanksgiving to whenever the snow melts.  We have an awesome lake that is stocked with trout and catfish.  The lake is open to the public, unlike other nearby lakes, so you can water ski, Jet Ski, fish, or just cruise around the lake for relaxation and enjoyment. 

There are some fantastic hiking trails throughout the Big Bear Valley, which includes the Pacific Crest Trail.  Zigzagging its way from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) boasts the greatest elevation changes of any of America's National Scenic Trails, allowing it to pass through six out of seven of North America's ecozones including high and low desert, old-growth forest and arctic-alpine country. Indeed, the PCT is a trail of diversity and extremes. From scorching desert valleys in Southern California to rain forests in the Pacific Northwest, the PCT offers hikers and equestrians a unique, varied experience.  Around June, the hikers who walk the PCT are coming through Big Bear.  They normally stop in town, get some much needed rest, a shower and use the postal service to mail some of their snow gear forward as it won't be needed for a while.

The question that I ask myself so many times is this.  Is anyone reading any of this?  That question was answered last week when I had an email from someone who tells me that he reads my blog often.  I know I'm not the best writer out there.  I know other blogs look much better than mine, but if people are reading my blog and realize that I'm the one to turn too when you have questions about Big Bear Real Estate, then I'm doing my job!

Do you have questions about Real Estate in Big Bear,  Would you like an updated list of homes that are for sale in Big Bear that fit within your budget, Would you like a list of bank owned properties that are listed for sale in Big Bear, Would you like to know the value of your Big Bear property?  Then please get in touch with me.  I can help you out with any and all of your Big Bear Real Estate needs.

Tony@tonycard.com

Tony Card, Big Bear Real Estate

REO Properties In The Big Bear Valley

Originally Posted on Active Rain

No matter where you go, you hear all the talk about the bank foreclosure rate.  It seems that you can't pick up a newspaper, watch the news on TV, or read an article on the internet without someone discussing the (REO) Bank Owned Properties. 

The banks are in the business of lending money and not in the business of owning property.  That being said, the banks are listing their homes at very competitive prices in Big Bear.  The banks are offering the homes at prices that are so low that they are getting multiple offers. 

In the Big Bear Valley, there are  39 properties listed as bank owned (REO) in our Multiple Listing Service.  Below is a list of the bank owned (REO) properties listed in the Big Bear Valley.  Besides just providing an updated list for you on a weekly basis, I offer a foreclosure tour of all of the Big Bear bank owned (REO) properties every Saturday at 10:00 A.M.  If you would like me to take you out and show you the bank owned (REO) properties, please give me a call or email me. 

Price	Address	Area	Bedrooms	Bathrooms	Square Footage
$119,900.00	45375 4TH ST	Baldwin Lake	2	1	768
$119,900.00	45385 3RD AVE	Baldwin Lake	2	1	816
$259,900.00	1463 MADRONA	Baldwin Lake	3	2.5	1510
$128,155.00	121 E COUNTRY CLUB	Big Bear City	2	1.75	648
$150,000.00	421 ELYSIAN BLVD	Big Bear City	2	1	900
$164,900.00	104 W MOJAVE	Big Bear City	4	3	1556
$164,900.00	1040 GREENWAY DRIVE	Big Bear City	2	1	1040
$194,500.00	1305 MALABAR	Big Bear City	2	1	912
$199,900.00	909 SEQUOIA DRIVE	Big Bear City	3	2	1540
$209,900.00	637 SUGARLOAF	Big Bear City	3	2.5	1310
$245,000.00	122 W SHERWOOD BLVD.	Big Bear City	4	3	3156
$249,900.00	1113 NANA	Big Bear City	3	1.5	1152
$250,000.00	1001 AEROPLANE BLVD	Big Bear City	4	2	1690
$319,900.00	1477 E BIG BEAR BLVD	Big Bear City	2	2	1552
$319,900.00	901 E MOUNTAIN VIEW BLVD	Big Bear City	3	2	1507
$399,900.00	266 LOFTY VIEW DR	Big Bear City	4	3	2249
$164,000.00	479 TENNESSEE	Big Bear Lake	1	1	612
$300,000.00	41558 MCWHINNEY LN.	Big Bear Lake	3	2	1873
$109,900.00	941 HEMLOCK	Erwin Lake	2	1	800
$138,000.00	940 WILLOW LANE	Erwin Lake	2	2	954
$144,000.00	2332 STATE LANE	Erwin Lake	2	1	1189
$149,900.00	2092 MANZANITA	Erwin Lake	0	1	480
$168,000.00	960 HEMLOCK	Erwin Lake	2	1	976
$180,000.00	901 E LANE	Erwin Lake	2	2	891
$185,900.00	851 CYPRESS LANE	Erwin Lake	3	2	1120
$329,900.00	39164 MOHAWK	Fawnskin	3	2	1854
$795,000.00	39107 NORTHSHORE	Fawnskin	2	2	1418
$899,900.00	39737 FLICKER	Fawnskin	4	3.5	3528
$449,900.00	435 SALEM	Fox Farm	5	3.5	3204
$198,000.00	42707 LA CERENA	Moonridge	1	0.75	634
$239,900.00	725 VILLA GROVE	Moonridge	2	1	864
$89,910.00	390 KERN	Sugarloaf	1	1	580
$109,900.00	328 SAN BERNARDINO	Sugarloaf	2	1	798
$169,900.00	319 LOS ANGELES	Sugarloaf	2	1	920
$169,900.00	392 SPRUCE LANE	Sugarloaf	3	2	1140
$169,900.00	643 KERN	Sugarloaf	3	1.75	1388
$185,000.00	873 HOLMES	Sugarloaf	2	1.5	885

 Feel free to email me at tony@tonycard.com or call me.  My cell phone number is (909) 229-5326

Tony Card  Big Bear Foreclosures (REO)

 

Big Bear Lake Foreclosure Tour, Make Your Reservations Now!

You read about them in the newspapers, you hear about them every day on the news, but where are all of those bank owned properties that are supposed to be such a great deal.  Starting this Saturday, June 5, 2008 and every Saturday after that, I have put together a tour of all of the Foreclosed (Bank Owned) properties throughout the Big Bear Valley.  We will be leaving the office at 10:00 A.M. every Saturday morning and the tour will cover all areas of the Big Bear Valley that have bank owned properties.  We can stop and looks at every one of them if you want.

There are a lot of agents offering to send you a list out there.    But then you have got to go and find them yourself.  Are you familiar with the areas?  Are the REO's still on the market?  Are there any offers on them?  Are any of them screaming deals?  How are you going to know any of this from a list! 

Currently, the Big Bear Valley has bank owned (REO's) starting as low as $85,000.00 and going up from there.  From small one bedroom 1 bath cabins to large scale homes in a gated community, Big Bear Bank Owned REO's has it all. 

Big Bear Lake, a four seasons resort is centrally located in the San Bernardino Mountains.  Whether you're in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, or Ventura, you're only about 3 hours away from clear blue skies, fresh air and a breath taking lake.  Big Bear Lake is open to the public.  You don't have to own lake rights in order to use the lake.  Unload your boat or jet ski from the either of the two public launch ramps and enjoy all that Big Bear has to offer.

Currently, space is limited, so please contact me to make a reservation. 

Tony Card Big Bear Bank Owned Properties

250,000 miles down 750,000 to go for Ryan Hall

I've blogged about this subject twice before and it's time for an update on the Move A Million Miles for Ryan Hall.  It's June 2nd and we just hit the 250,000 mile mark today!  Congratulations and a big thank you to everyone who has participated in the challange to date. 

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, Ryan Hall, a local, here in Big Bear Lake, CA is a member of the U.S. Olympic Team and is going to represent the USA in China this coming August.  The Lighthouse Project of Big Bear came up with the idea that there would be NO better way to send Ryan Hall off to China than to have the community walk, run, or pedal a million miles in support of Ryan before he left for China.

On December 23, 2007 the challenge officially started and it has taken us almost 6 months to move 250,000 miles for Ryan Hall.  You don't have to be a resident of Big Bear Lake to participate.  Anyone can join in.  You might think that you don't have the time or energy to walk, ride or run after work.  How many miles do you walk during the day doing your day to day activities?  I started wearing a pedometer and was amazed at how many miles I'm walking before or after my exercise.

We need more people to join in and walk, run, or pedal, and most important, log their miles.  You can go to the Move A Million Miles For Ryan Hall web site and log your miles on line.  That's right, no papers to fill out, no faxes to send, just log in once a day and write down how many miles you have moved for Ryan Hall.  He may be a local boy to us in Big Bear, but when he goes to China, he will represents ALL of us!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, either by phone or email.  This cause is very near and dear to my heart and if everyone who reads this joins in, we will meet our goal in time.  Once you have decided to join in, then please ask "JUST ONE" person to log their miles and get them to ask someone to log their miles.  We will hit the goal of moving a million miles for Ryan Hall with time to spare!

 

Memorial Day Weekend Snow, 2008!

Date:  May 22, 2008. 

Place: Big Bear Lake, CA

Event: Memorial Day Weekend

Weather:  80 degrees, Clear Blue Sky, Picture Perfect Weather

Wow, doesn't that sound nice?  In 2000, I moved to Big Bear Lake, CA over the Memorial Day weekend and that was what kind of weather I was welcomed to.  Blue Sky, warm weather, and the smell of pine in the air.  It's been like that every Memorial Day weekend since then, that is until this morning.

I awoke at 4:00 A.M. as is my usual habit, exercised on my treadmill, relaxed in my hot tub and finally walked outside at about 5:45 A.M.  I noticed something white fall rather close to where I was standing but didn't think anything of it.  It wasn't but a second later that I noticed more of these white flakes falling.  I looked up, scratched my head and kind of questioned myself about what I was seeing.  Is it really snowing the day before the Memorial Day Weekend was supposed to start?  Sure enough, it was!  While none of it is sticking, it is still snowing as I sit here and type this blog.  Folks that have been here for years don't look surprised as this has happened in the past, but not since I've lived in Big Bear.

Let's all hope that it blows out later on today and we get back to the wonderful weather that we've had here in Big Bear the past week or so.

Tony Card Big Bear Real Estate

Why Should You Use A Realtor To Sell My Big Bear Home

Let's face it, there are For Sale By Owner signs every where you look.  I can't help but wonder why a home owner would try to sell, what is his or her largest investment without professional help.  It just doesn't make sense, does it?