All Forum Posts by: Henry Ra

@Shannon Ilas the regulation depends where you stay in Big Bear. Big Bear Lake requires face to face key handoff, for whatever reason. But the surrounding areas like Big Bear City and Sugarloaf do not require this. 

Thanks @Mark Miles. There have to be service providers for this sort of thing. My Googling didn't reveal much so I'll try Facebook.

@John Underwood Where I am looking to purchase, the majority of the homes are already vacation rentals, so asking a neighbor gets tough. If I am going to rely on an individual, I'd prefer there be a contract in place so I can keep the guest experience consistent. 

Big Bear Lake requires "face-to-face" key handoff for STR owners, implying the Host (or a proxy) physically hand the keys to a Guest at the beginning of their stay.

I am strongly considering purchasing a property within the boundaries of Big Bear Lake and managing it remotely. Local property managers offer this face-to-face service as part of their management package which is ~30%. But this monstrous cut would invalidate potential profit on the property. Hence my question...

Does anyone rent a property in Big Bear Lake and are currently using a creative solution for this face-to-face requirement?

I’m imagining: Video calls at the time of check-in; a local service provider at a reasonable rate, etc

Thank you Bryant - this is the type of overview I was hoping for. Much appreciated.  

Given the housing market is stronger than ever in the greater Joshua Tree area, the ROI/CoC for a newcomer like me seems quite poor. It may still be a great buy for those looking to cover some of their costs just to retain a vacation property, but I'm looking for something that is financially self-sustaining via STR.

If you have suggestions of other places within 2 hours drive of Los Angeles where the STR market is appealing, I'm all ears!

Hello all,

I am scouting locations in the Los Angeles area to purchase my first vacation property with the intent to list it as a Short Term Rental (STR). The greater Joshua Tree area (including Yucca Valley, etc) is appealing to our personal vacation interests, and that has made it a target area.

If you are familiar with STRs in this area, I'm hoping you can help share your thoughts. 

1. What are your thoughts on the recent regulation "crackdowns" in the area?
2. What area/s do you believe are best for STRs?
3. What are your general thoughts on STRs in the greater Joshua Tree area?

Thank you in advance!