As long as I've been selling Real Estate in the Big Bear Valley, we've had out of area agent's call us for help.  For starters, unless an agent is a member of the local Multiple listing Service, his or her lock box key won't work in our lock boxes.  I often wonder what their clients think of their competence when they arrive in Big Bear only to find out that their real estate agent can't open the properties that they came to see.

This morning we had a call from an out of area agent who wanted keys to one of our listings.  As is our practice, we tell them to come by the office, leave us a business card and pick up a key.  From where he told us he was, he should have been at the office in less than 3 minutes.  About ten minutes later the phone rang and it was this agent who we were waiting for.  He couldn't find the office and ended up at the airport!  Now let me say this.  Our office is not some hole in the wall office that if you blink, you'll miss.  Our office is a two story Tudor style building with a rather large Coldwell Banker sign out front.  The office is not tucked away on some side street.  The Coldwell Banker Building sits on the main road and is very hard to miss.

This little episode, while somewhat insignificant, got me thinking about the competency of these out of area agents.  Whenever I'm out showing property I get asked a lot of questions about the area.  This is only natural for a potential buyer. As they want to learn as much about Big Bear as they can. 

I'm just curious, if you are an out of area agent and you aren't familiar with the Big Bear Valley, How are you going to answer these questions?

SNOW ISSUES

1. How much snow does Big Bear get?
2. What part of the Big Bear valley gets the most snow,  East, or West?
3. Where can the kids go to play in the snow with their snow sleds?
4. I see these snow play areas.  Can we bring our own snow toys?
5. I have a 4 wheel drive vehicle.  Do I need to carry chains?
6. When should I install my chains
7. What wheels should I be installing my chains on?
8. When I go to buy chains, how do I know what size to buy?
9. I see the lake has frozen over.  Can we play on the ice?
10. What is the difference between Snow Summit and Bear Mountain?

LAKE ISSUES

1. How deep is Big Bear Lake?
2. Can you swim in Big Bear Lake?
3. Do I have to own lakefront property in order to use the Big Bear Lake
4. How much does a dock cost to buy?
5. Do you have to buy a permit if I own a dock?
6. Do you need a permit to use a boat on Big Bear Lake?
7. What is the fee to launch my boat into Big Bear Lake?
8. Can I rent or buy a dock?  If so, where?
9. Can I leave my boat in Big Bear Lake year round?

SCHOOL QUESTIONS

1. How are the schools in the Big Bear Valley?
2. Where is the High School?
3. How many children attend Big Bear High School?
4. How many elementary schools does the school district have in Big Bear?
5. Where is the middle School?
6. How do they determine if there will be school after a good snow storm?
7. Does Big Bear have a pre-school?

GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIG BEAR VALLEY

1. Are there any areas in the Big Bear Valley that do better with Vacation Rentals?
2. Does the city of Big Bear Lake regulate the Vacation Rental industry?
3. Are there any good hiking trails?
4. Do I need an adventure pass if I drive around on the forest roads?
5. Can I go into the forest and collect firewood?
6. How many roads enter and exit Big Bear?
7. Are there lakes in Baldwin Lake and Erwin Lake?
8. Are there any areas that are still on septic systems?
9. Can I drill my own well?
10. What are the setbacks on the land that I'm looking at?
11. Is the county building dept. easier to work with than the city of Big Bear Lake?
12. Where does the city limits end and what parts of the valley or in the county?

In my opinion, an agent who doesn't have  enough knowledge of the Big Bear Valley and is unable to  answer these basic questions, has no business representing a buyer in Big Bear.  How can you represent your client's best interests when you don't know anything about the area.  If you really care about your clients interests, you would seek out a qualified Realtor in Big Bear and refer the client out.