Looking at homes around the holidays is a little different than during other times of the year, especially in a resprt community such as Big Bear. It is only fair to forewarn all parties of some of the particular challenges that may come with the holiday season. If you have been planning on visiting this holiday season to look at homes for sale in Big Bear, if at all possible, it is best to visit before the holiday business begins.
If you are a potential homebuyer and plan to visit Big Bear between the week before Christmas and the week after New Years, be aware that many of the homes listed for sale during that time will be unable to be shown. A large portion of our listings are vacation rentals. And being that the winter holidays are by far the busiest for visitors to the valley, it is almost a guarantee that any Big Bear home for sale that is on a vacation rental program will be occupied during those weeks, thus making it unable to be shown. Furthermore, there is a smaller but still significant segment of listings that are "by appointment only" or "owner occupied". Oftentimes these sellers will be using their homes over these holiday weeks and not want to be disturbed as they enjoy the season with their family and guests.
Another hurdle to the holiday season is the difficulty in finding time to do business. Many sellers and buyers have busy schedules during the holidays. Coordinating everyone's needs can be difficult, especially is a transaction is taking place. It is not unusual for the sale of one's home to take a back seat to the immediate attention that the holiday season places on family and logistcal matters. In short, getting a seller to respond quickly to a counter offer when they are travelling to relatives on Christmas Eve can be not only a challenge but an imposition. It has been my experience that during the holidays, it is prudent and understandable to expect people to have delayed responses and longer time frames for responses to inquiries.
Another frustration around the end of each year is the dwindling inventory of homes for sale. Annually. December through February marks the time of year when we have the fewest homes for sale in Big Bear. Currently, there are only 414 homes for sale in Big Bear. In July, we had almost 700 listings. (Keep in mind that we had over 1400 homes for sale in the summer of 2009!) With fewer homes on the market, there is less of a selection to choose from. With fewer homes for sale and fewer able to be seen due to holiday occupancy, finding the right property can be difficult and frustrating.
Lastly, when our little hamlet of Big Bear with only 20,000 residents swells to over 100,000 visitors during the holiday weeks, things can get congested. Getting from point A to point B can take a little longer and patience becomes a virtue.
Considering all of the above, if you plan to look at homes over the next few months, if it all possible, come before Christmas or after New Years. The further from this time period, the better. But I dont want to scare you! If you absolutely, positively can only look at properties during this busy holiday window, just be prepared for a few extra challenges. And so long as you are patient and can enjoy your time driving around our winter wonderland, you will make the saying "Any day in Big Bear is a great day!" a reality.