Buyers Information

WHY BUY IN BIG BEAR?

Most people come to Big Bear for the obvious reason: it is Southern California’s only four season mountain resort town! It is hard not to be attracted by the beautiful alpine surroundings and proximate location of the Big Bear Valley. Where else can you find 10,000 ft. peaks less than two hours from the beaches, desert and major cities?

But in a time when most real estate markets in Southern California have flattened, and in some instances even depreciated, why invest in real estate anywhere – let alone Big Bear?

Other than the obvious reasons, (having an investment you can use with family and friends, the tax benefits of owning a second home, the fact that buying a home allows you to leverage your investment, etc. etc.) there are a few specific reasons why Big Bear is still a great place to invest in.

VALUES
First off, before the latest real estate boom, Big Bear’s market was “behind” the rest of Southern California with respect to home values. Although Big Bear has seen significant appreciation these last few years, many people not only believe you get “a lot for your money” when buying a second home in Big Bear, but there is a long way to go before prices “top out”.

“DISCOVERED” POPULARITY
Next, Big Bear’s popularity has grown impressively over the last few years. As a result of the increased interest to invest in second homes during this last real estate boom, many Southern Californian’s “discovered” Big Bear for the first time. The typical reaction was, “I never knew beautiful mountains existed like this so close to home!” As more and more people bought second homes, they in turn brought more and more friends and family who got “hooked” on Big Bear too. Coupled with the increased popularity in outdoor sports such as snowboarding and mountain biking, Big Bear is seeing more and more visitors and as a result home buyers each year.

BABY BOOMERS
As well, Big Bear is seeing the long predicted influx of buyers from the “Baby Boom” generation. More and more people are looking for a retirement or semi-retirement home in a more relaxed, laidback environment. Within the next few years, many are predicting this influx to continue increasing significantly as more “Baby Boomers” approach retirement age. Because of the increase in retirees and semi-retirees, (as well as vacationers) there has been a need for more permanent residents to support the valley’s infrastructure.

SO. CAL. POPULATION INCREASE
The increasing population in Southern California makes a strong case for investing in real estate in Big Bear. Although there are hundreds of communities in which to live in the Southland, there is still only one four season resort - Big Bear! A certain percentage of people will always want a mountain get-away, and when the population goes up, so will those who want to vacation in a place like Big Bear!

SUPPLY AND DEMAND
Big Bear is a finite place. The valley is surrounded by protected national forest. Most of the valley has been “built out” with few vacant parcels left on which to expand. With a limited supply of homes and an increasing demand for properties, logically prices will rise.

CONCLUSION
The bottom line is that Big Bear is a growing place; growing both in respect to permanent residents and vacation visitors. With more and more people wanting a part of Big Bear, and a limited amount of land on which to build, and relatively good values, one would expect prices to continue appreciating ahead of most other areas in Southern California.

2006 APPRECIATION
The latest sales figures support these assumptions, areas of the valley showed an impressive 8 - 11% increase in average sales price in 2006 when most Southern California real estate markets saw little or no appreciation at all.