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!