Up in the clouds.

Big Bear Realtor, lover of Crossfit, healthy eating, wine and the outdoors. Wife, daughter, sister & friend. www.thetimwoodgroup.com Contact: [email protected]

[angsme]

A Few Updates...

There are a few big changes up here in the San Bernardino Mountains. First up: the most recent sale of Big Bear Mountain Resorts. Yes, that's right... we are being bought. Let me clarify... we are in the process of being bought. 

LA Times recently came out with the news that both Bear Mountain and Snow Summit will be acquired by Mammoth Mountain for a mere $38-million. What's to come remains to be seen. For more insight on the topic, visit the article here. Also, for a blurb on how this may affect our market, check out this article.

In other news there are some road closures that may change your plans when heading this way. Highway 18 (from the Big Bear dam to Snow Valley) will be closed until October 30th (Monday-Thursday 8AM-3PM). This means you will not be able to travel to Big Bear up the 330 AKA "the front way" during these times. Alternate route directions can be found here.

Last and definitely not least, please keep in mind that temperatures are beginning to drop. It is time to begin thinking about the winterizing process if you have not already. Our website has two informational entries that may be able to help those unfamiliar. Find part one here and two here.

Pray for snow!

[angsme]

Big Bear Lake Polar Plunge

This Saturday marks another year that Big Bear Lake will host a "Polar Plunge" to help raise funds for the Special Olympics, Inland Empire. 

The Special Olympics helps enrich the lives of those with intellectual disabilities by offering year round athletic training and assists in improving both mental and physical health. 

You can choose to dive in the chilly Big Bear waters or register as a "chicken" if you feel like staying warm. Both ask a minimum $50 donation commitment. Registration begins at 10AM and the plunge takes place at noon. 

If you are interested in participating (or just donating) please visit their website for further details. Hope to see ya there!

[angsme]

Finally.... Snow in Big Bear!

If you too are a Californian, you're probably familiar with the severity of the drought we have been experiencing this winter season. According to a spokesman from the Natural Resources Agency, this is the driest our golden state has been since 1884. Yes... 1884. Without a doubt, this is bad news, but thanks to some recent weather, we might see a bit of a turn around .

Last night Big Bear received about 1-2 inches of snow valley wide and there is still more to come in the forecast. According to noaa.gov, precipitation will be clearing out today and making its way back Sunday night - Tuesday morning. But of course, this could very well change at any moment. 

Fortunately we aren't the only CA residents seeing some wet weather. Areas such as Tahoe and Mammoth received a little more snowy love ranging from 6-14 inches and a few showers are possibly going to visit the so-cal coast later this weekend.

So pack your snow gear and head on up to enjoy the winter we've been anticipating. Nothing beats watching the super bowl after a successful day on the slopes!

[angsme]

Understanding the basics of Fannie Mae and the current Big Bear Market

As of today there are 391 properties available in the Big Bear Valley. For our market, this is extremely low. Generally, desirable properties that are priced appropriately are being sold within the first 30 days. This is good news for a seller. 

Not to worry, there is still good news for all you buyers too. Since the crash, the market is still no where near to where it was 8-9 years ago and although they aren't a plenty, REO sales still exist. 

Fannie Mae (defined as a government sponsored enterprise) buys loans from lenders and sells them to investors in the open market as mortgage-backed securities. This is the most common REO sale today.

Is this a buyer advantage? Well, there is a perk or two when buying a Fannie Mae property. Once qualified you have the opportunity to get financing through Home Path, where you can buy with as little as 5% on a primary residence and 10% for investors (Please visit www.homepath.com for further details).

Fannie Mae hires certain local agents to list these properties for sale. They however, have little to nothing to do with pricing. FM will generate a price and every 30 days there after that it doesn't sell, will get a price drop. Pricing for all properties are different.

As far as getting a "deal" is considered, yes... you may be able to snatch up one of these properties at a good price. But keep in mind... you will most likely be competing against some others if the pricing drops low enough.

If you wish to learn more about Fannie Mae you can visit their web site at www.fanniemae.com and current available listings can be found on the Home Path's web site listed above.

Happy buying and selling in 2014!

[angsme]

This Season's Fun For Everyone!

Whether you're a skier, rider, sledding junkie or exercise enthusiast... Big Bear has it all! Sure... summertime is a bit on the warmer side, but that doesn't mean you have to be stuck inside all winer long. You may be a full-timer or here on vacation, either way there are several ways to get up, get out and breathe some fresh air. Check it out...

Bear Mountain and Snow Summit: Our two local ski resorts offer a wide range of ski/snowboard lessons, terrain for all abilities and a shuttle that will take you to and from (a short 10 min ride) so you can experience both resorts for the price of one. Bear Mountain is now open for the 2013-2014 season and Snow Summit has plans to open this Friday (12/6). Please click here for detailed resort information. 

Big Bear Snow Play and Alpine Slides: Who doesn't love a little snow tubing?! Big Bear has two locations that offers this and more. If you need a break from the slopes, this is always a good alternative! Information for Alpine Slides can be found here and for Big Bear Snow Play, click here. 

Snow Shoeing and Cross Country Skiing: Lucky for us (and you), there are some great trails and designated areas for this sort of thing. This is a great way to explore Big Bear at your own pace. Several locations such as Bear Valley Bikes, Goldsmith's and Blauer's have rentals and trail maps to help point you in the right direction. 

Big Bear Crossfit: The great thing about the Crossfit movement is you can workout wherever you may be (for the most part). I personally have visited several "boxes" other than my own and find it always to be a positive experience. This is not just a winter sport, Big Bear Crossfit offers classes 6 days a week and welcomes walk ins with open arms. If you aren't from around here, come crash a class next time you're in town. And for all you local first timers... check out the 60 day challenge. Great way to get in shape at no cost to you (as long as you commit). The current schedule can be found here. 

These are just a few of the most popular activities offered during the winter season. If you want to explore some more (indoor ones too), check out this website. If you didn't already, you're sure to find some fun for the whole family!

[angsme]

Winterizing in Big Bear!

December is here and you know what that means... time to winterize!

This is not something you want to mess with... trust me. Frozen pipes could result in a lot of wasted vacation time, money and damages that could have long term effects on your home. 

Most Big Bear homes will have a stop and waste valves. These are easy to use and will save you the risk of a huge headache. The local water department explains that most valves are located on your service line on your side of the meter, or near the house. It would be in your very best interest to get familiar with where your's is located and how to operate it.

This article is an excellent way to jump start the winterization process. The Big Bear Community Services District also provides contact information, should you have any questions our concerns.

Happy Holidays!... and winterizing!

[angsme]

Want to EARN your Thanksgiving dinner? Here's how...

It's almost that time. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie... yep, it's Thanksgiving! A day we all look forward to, especially when it comes to food. That being said, maybe a little jog would make you feel a bit better about indulging? If so, this year Big Bear has officially hopped on the Turkey Trot train and will be hosting its first annual run this Thanksgiving Day. Open Air Big Bear offers 3, 6, and 9 milers ranging from $35 - $45 (see course map below). 

Good news is they start bright and early so you still have time to fit in all of your usual family traditions. Check-in at Meadow Park (41220 Park Ave Big Bear Lake, CA 92315) from 7 - 8:30AM and the trots get underway between 9 - 9:30AM. If you wish to participate, please register here before Tuesday (11/26) at midnight.

Open Air Big Bear encourages the whole family to join in on the fun. Walkers, joggers, trotters and sprinters are all welcome. There will be a costume contest (specifically bears and turkeys) and pie eating contest (after the run of course). Hope to see ya'll there!

[angsme]

To stage or not to stage?....Stage!

Once you've made the decision to put your home on the market, it is (in my opinion) extremely important to take the necessary steps to get it into showing condition. Whether you live in the home full time or not. 

I can not emphasize this enough. Nothing dampens enthusiasm more than seeing a home with potential (E.G. Good layout, location, setting, etc.) that is cluttered with STUFF. I get it... you love your collectables, picture frames and eclectic style. Problem is... all that stuff takes away from the important part... the house. 

I'm not saying you need to run out and spend a grip of cash on new furniture. Chances are you may be able to work with what you already have. If you don't think your stuff will make the cut, places like IKEA, Living Spaces and Ashley Furniture have simple and inexpensive options and you can generally (depending on buyer preference) make the items part of the deal.

If you are stuck on where to start.... read this: 

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/home-staging-guide.htm.

My suggestion: Keep it simple. Keep it clean.

[angsme]

SNOW!... Well, kinda....

The beginning of... well actually the WHOLE winter season is always my favorite. Mainly for predictions and assumptions. It’s a huge misconception up here in our neck of the woods (Big Bear Lake, CA). When it comes to the snow forecast, we generally will get the opposite, or close to that.

Perfect example: Monday’s weather forecast read (in a nutshell) that we should be expecting about 1.5 - 2 feet by Friday. Well Friday has come and gone all we have to show for it is a slight dusting and dry pavement. It did snow on Thursday and Friday. It came and went and came again, but it wasn't much to write home about (I’ll post photo below…).

Good news is it is beginning to get colder so snow making operations have began (photo below). According to Bear Mountain, all they need is two more cold days of snowmaking and they will be open for business... ya hoo! Stay tuned for updates....