Big Bear Vacation Rental....Thoughts?

[Lindsi Rohland]

Hey guys, 

I'm looking at buying an rental property in Big Bear, California to be used as an Airbnb rental. I've lived in Big Bear as a kid and loved the area. Does anyone have experience with Big Bear rentals that wouldn't mind giving me advice/tips? 

What are the vacancy rates for the area? What are some hurdles you've come up against? Do they cash flow well? Utility prices? Has the Covids hurt your rental at all? Would totally appreciate some help, thanks everyone! 

Linz

[Melissa Bovee]

I would recommend purchasing some data.  The two companies I used in my market were AirDNA and Mashvisor. You can get a sense for rents, month-by-month revenues, etc. and then plug that into your investment model.  

As for Big Bear, my grandmother was an original owner at Snow Summit. I have fond memories of winter and summer vacations there as a kid. I love the area and I imagine it is great for STR with the entire LA metro as your drive-to market. My family in San Diego goes to Big Bear all the time... so maybe all of So-Cal is your drive-to market.