Agent Profile

Steve Hirschler

Email: steve@thetimwoodgroup.com

Phone: 909-725-5889


Biography

DRE#01703081 Steve and his wife Shelli have 4 daughters and have been married since 1980. Steve has strong sales ability that he acquired through years of retail management and hundreds of closed Real Estate transactions here in Big Bear. He exemplifies integrity, honesty and tenacity. Steve is committed to total customer satisfaction. He is a strong negotiator for his clients and tackles problems with enthusiasm. Steve will exceed your expectations and out work his competition. Steve's hobbies include mountain biking, water skiing, snow skiing, snow shoeing, and hiking.

Author Archive

What are you looking for in a Big Bear Cabin?

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Categories: Big Bear Buyers, Big Bear Real Estate News
Tags: , ,     

I see more and more clients that are hoping to find the best deal, the one they think will be just sitting out their waiting for them to come along. Some buyers actually are looking for a cabin without the help of a local agent. 

This must be very frustrating.

It reminds me of shopping at a big box retailer. I just wander around until I find what I am looking for. It takes me twice as long, but I know it is a waste of time to ask one of the clerks for help, since they have little knowledge of any of the products they sell.

If you have experienced this with Realtors, I apologize! I think the biggest enemy of a Realtor is the fellow agents that don’t know their inventory or their market. This gives the buyers in the market the idea that Realtors are not an essential piece in the search for a home. If your agent can’t hear what you want and direct you to it, they are wasting your time.

I won’t waste your time. I know the inventory. I listen to what you want, and then I take you to see all of the homes that fit your criteria.

What do you want in a Big Bear Cabin? Is it the bank owned property that is located in a neighborhood setting that reminds you of the home you live in now? Is it the house that they made the movie “The Money Pit” after? Is it stacked against the homes next to you so tight that you hope the neighbors don’t snore? Does the neighborhood look like a parking lot?

Let’s face it, what most buyers have always dreamed of in a mountain cabin is not unique.

They want something that feels like a cabin, but has the functionality of this era. They want seclusion and privacy. They want a quiet space with a view. They want rustic feel, with craftsmanship. They want to be near the ski slopes, but not at the party. They want to be able to take an evening or morning walk without concern. They want to hear the wind blowing in the trees and they want to smell the pines. They want to bring their family and friends to enjoy Big Bear’s four seasons of fun.

Once you find this cabin, place an offer. Hesitation at this point will give you a bad case of remorse. I can’t tell you how many times I have shown a buyer exactly what they want, and the love it, but they think they should wait a couple of weeks and then see what happens. This usually results in the cabin selling to someone who has already made this same mistake in the past.

The best cabins are not the best just because of price per square foot, or the fact that the bank owns them. The best cabins in Big Bear fit the description above. The only way you can buy one of these properties is to put an offer in writing to the seller.

Steve Hirschler

Is Your Big Bear Realtor a Local, or a Tourist?

4 Comments

Categories: Big Bear Buyers, Big Bear Neighborhoods, Big Bear Real Estate News, Big Bear Sellers
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Using a Realtor that lives and works out of the Big Bear area, is like hiring a tourist as a site seeing guide. They can’t tell you about the history of the homes that you are interested in since they have never seen them before. Chances are, they may not even be able to find them to show them to you. They may not know the difference between a raised perimeter foundation and a slab.

They might tell you that all areas of Big Bear are the same. How can they tell you about the recent homes that have sold, when they haven’t seen any of them? They may not understand values of a view property, or lake front homes. Usually they don’t know how to winterize a home in the mountains, or what a stop and waste valve is. They won’t know who the utility companies are, or what insurance companies can insure your mountain home. They won’t be able to refer you to reputable contractors for improvements or repairs.

Do you really want this type of representation during the purchase of your Big Bear home?

Wouldn’t it make more sense to hire a local Realtor that has sold hundreds of homes in the Big Bear area? A Big Bear Realtor that studies the available inventory daily and visits the new listings weekly? A Real Estate agent that understands the values of the different areas of Big Bear.

Recently I have had agents from out of the area call me and want me to show their clients my listings. They don’t want to spend the time driving up to Big Bear, but they want to represent you. If you want proper representation shouldn’t your agent be with you to look at the home and give you the benefit of their experience (or lack of..) ?

Buying a Big Bear home without a Realtor can cost you thousands of dollars, but using an agent that can’t represent you correctly can be just as costly.

Steve Hirschler
DRE#01703081

Big Bear Short Sales? Don’t Waste Your Time!

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Categories: Big Bear Buyers, Big Bear Foreclosures, Big Bear Market Conditions, Big Bear Real Estate News, Real Estate Video
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If you don’t see the embedded video, click here.

If you are looking for a deal in Big Bear, focus on the homes that can be sold.

  • In 2009, 80 short sale homes actually closed escrow.
  • That is 9% of the 893 homes that closed in the Big Bear MLS.
  • Currently there are 66 short sale listings that are in Pending, Active Contingent, or Contingent Status.
  • That’s 39% of the total Pending, Active Contingent, or Contingent Status (170).
  • Anyone want to guess what percentage of these will actually get accepted by the bank and close escrow?
  • Don’t assume that a short sale home can be sold for the listed price, many are listed well below the true market value.

Steve Hirschler

Improve Your Price, and Improve Your Selling Opportunities.

0 Comments

Categories: Big Bear Market Conditions, Big Bear Real Estate News, Big Bear Sellers
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iStock_000010428861XSmallThe Big Bear Real Estate Market is not unlike any other market – Price is still the best indication of value.

The most important piece of information your Realtor will provide is the market price. Get ahead of it, and you will be on your way to your next Real Estate destination.

Spending time or money on improvements that a buyer may or may not want will cost a seller big money in a market that is falling. Get the home clean, remove the clutter from the yard and interior, paint with neutral colors if needed, replace worn flooring, make the home easy to show, and PRICE IT ACCORDING TO MARKET CONDITIONS.

If your home is on the market for longer than 60 days, and has not received an offer, it’s overpriced. It works every time, once a home is priced as the best value it gets offers. No big secret, but a very simple answer to why your home hasn’t sold.

The Bank owned / foreclosure properties that are selling are setting the bar for pricing. Most of these homes are in less than desirable condition, and many of them are not in the best locations.

Make your listing stand out as the best value by carefully considering the active listings in your price range. Watch the market closely and be ready to react quickly if a listing or sale change the playing field.

Don’t be afraid to ask your Realtor to take you to the competitive homes so that you can see the competition through a buyer’s eyes.

Steve Hirschler

Previewing Homes Online Is Less Than Effective

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Categories: Big Bear Buyers, Big Bear Real Estate News
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Finding homes online is not the most effective use of time for a buyer.

Yes it’s interesting, yes it’s entertaining, but it is a less than effective way to really shop for a home.

By far the most valuable time you can spend looking at homes is to actually have all of the information and physically visiting each home and neighborhood.

Doing this with an experienced Realtor will even be better. Most buyers will understand this very well once they are able to look with an agent that really knows the inventory and market that they work in.

Don’t get me wrong, the Internet is great, but I guarantee you that you will know more once you look at homes in person.

With all of the places that an agent can post information on a property offered for sale, and the never ending shelf life of a website, accuracy is a problem. Don’t assume that sites like Trulia, Zillow, Realty Trac, or even Realtor.com are accurate and up to date. They will only be as accurate as the feed that supplies them. Things like price changes, status, and even agency are often incorrect.

Almost weekly I get a call from a buyer that loves a home that they see online. This is great, especially since they called me! The problem is that homes look different online than they do in person. I don’t know a real estate agent that takes photos of any of the negative things that might not be attractive to a buyer and posts them on the Internet intentionally.

Looking online at homes will give you a good idea of what is available, but once you’re serious, you need to see the homes in person with a local Realtor that knows the inventory.

Steve Hirschler