By: Melissa McCue

As is to be expected, I am continually asked questions about the health of the local real estate market. Rather than just giving the static, “The market is great!” response, I prefer to have concrete information to share because it gives my clients a clear and accurate picture of the market rather than just a vague idea or “feeling”. Many times the information that I compile is time consuming because most systems that offer automated market statistics just don’t pinpoint the exact information that I’m after. So I find myself exporting information from the local multiple listing service and diving into spreadsheets until I reach a point of clarity.

Every time that I sit down to begin that task, I wonder whether the outcome will be favorable to the market. Fortunately, of late, the outcome has consistently and increasingly been good, and the 1st Quarter of 2013 is no exception. The most striking result in this short term look at the numbers is that compared to the 1st quarter of 2012, our median price is up close to double digits,  at 9.68%. Just a few months ago when I gathered the 2012 year end numbers, the median price was up just 3.63%.

Equally interesting, is that the number of sales in Q1 of 2013 are up 16.06% as compared to Q1 of 2012. One could look at this a slow in demand from the 2012 year end numbers, which showed a year over year increase of 28.6% in the number of sales.  If I had to make an educated guess about the reasons for that, it would be two fold; first, short term numbers can show temporary increases and decreases that change over the longer term. Secondly, our inventory continues to be dismally low. There are many buyers that are well qualified and serious about buying but just cannot find a home to purchase. It is not uncommon for buyers to schedule showings on multiple properties and then have one or more of the top picks go into escrow before they actually make it up here. This shows that the good houses are selling quickly! 
Melissa McCue (909) 855-4898.          

By: Melissa McCue

There are many wonderful hiking and biking trails in the Big Bear valley and I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to enjoy many of them. No matter how often I have visited these various trails, I find that I am continually struck with their beauty.  Since last fall, it has been my great pleasure to become involved, in a small way, with an effort to build a brand new trail, one that I count amongst the most beautiful that our valley has to offer. 

The new Skyline Trail runs parallel to the upper portion of forest road 2N10. It is fairly close to the road but maintains a distance adequate to feel the quite comfort of being away from it all. What is remarkable about this trail is the sheer beauty of the view.

The scene that unfolds before the eyes overtakes the mind in all its pull towards continual forward momentum and practically wills the viewer to simply stop, and take it all in. The bright blue sky and fresh air, the miles upon miles of trees,  the snow capped San Gorgonio mountains and a forest teeming with life and vitality that it imbues into the viewer. 

As you can tell, I am completely taken in by this wonderful new trail. My only complaint is that my experience of the trail has been limited by its incomplete state. Of the 15 miles that will eventually comprise the trail, there are a mere 3 miles that have been fully completed. The  Big Bear Trails Foundation, the organization responsible for this beautiful trail, has worked hard to obtain funding as well as a volunteer work force to put in much needed “sweat equity”.  

Please consider joining in on the effort to work towards completing this trail by lending your time to it. The Big Bear Trails Foundation has scheduled trail build days twice a month on the 3rd Sunday and the Wednesday that proceeds it. The work is light and the company is top notch! For more information visit www.trailsfoundation.org