Big Bear Lake, CA
LA's mountain escape - ski, lake, and year-round cabin demand
Big Bear Lake is a 2-hour drive from LA and the primary mountain escape for 20 million Southern California residents. Two ski resorts (Bear Mountain and Snow Summit), the lake, and a charming village create genuine dual-season demand. CA STR regulations vary by jurisdiction - the City of Big Bear Lake and San Bernardino County each have their own permit requirements.
Across 88 active STR-viable listings analyzed this month, Big Bear Lake shows a 2.2% median cap rate at a $549K median list price, 27% occupancy, and $284/night. That ranks #44 of 57 markets in STRROI's live ranking. At typical prices, cash flow is tight: most listings only pencil out with a large down payment, a below-list purchase, or above-market nightly rates.
Big Bear Lake real estate market right now
As of October 15, 2026, STRROI is tracking 88 homes for sale in Big Bear Lake that could run as short-term rentals, at a median list price of $549,250. The middle half are priced between $407K and $881K. That works out to a median of $368 per square foot for a typical 1,515 square foot home. Homes here have been on the market 137 days on average, longer than the 101 days typical across the 56 markets in STRROI's ranking, which usually leaves more room to negotiate on price. 17 of them were listed in the last 30 days.
These numbers cover the homes for sale STRROI analyzes as potential short-term rentals in Big Bear Lake, mainly ZIP 92315. They are not every home sale in the area, so they can differ from MLS-wide figures. Month-by-month price history starts Oct 2026 and fills in as the market is re-checked each month.
What's for sale in Big Bear Lake right now
Of the 88 homes for sale we analyzed in Big Bear Lake, 1 (1%) project positive monthly cash flow with 20% down at a 7.5% rate, and none rate Buy or better on STRROI's 1-10 scale. 3-bedroom homes are the most common (33 for sale, median $550K). Returns are strongest in 5+ bedroom homes at a 2.5% median cap rate, and weakest in 4-bedroom homes at 1.9%. By property type, manufactured homes lead at a 5.2% median cap rate across 3 listings.
- Moderate Buy: 1
- Weak: 6
- Avoid: 81
| Beds | For sale | Median price | Cap rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 27 | $400K | 2.2% |
| 3 | 33 | $550K | 2.0% |
| 4 | 9 | $775K | 1.9% |
| 5+ | 18 | $1.2M | 2.5% |
| Type | For sale | Median price | Cap rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family homes | 41 | $600K | 2.1% |
| Condos | 26 | $430K | 2.2% |
| Multi-family | 14 | $975K | 2.9% |
| Townhouses | 4 | $600K | 2.1% |
| Manufactured homes | 3 | $99K | 5.2% |
Top-ranked homes for sale in Big Bear Lake this month
Scored 1-10 against real Airbnb comps. Addresses, photos and the full underwriting are in the app.
- #1Moderate Buy · 6/1030 bd · 11 ba multi-family propertyZIP 92315 · listed at $1.2M
- Cap rate
- 7.1%
- Cash flow
- +$406/mo
- Nightly
- $761 at 27%
- #2Weak · 4/102 bd · 2 ba manufactured homeZIP 92315 · listed at $69K
- Cap rate
- 5.6%
- Cash flow
- -$64/mo
- Nightly
- $146 at 27%
- #3Weak · 4/103 bd · 2 ba manufactured homeZIP 92315 · listed at $125K
- Cap rate
- 5.2%
- Cash flow
- -$154/mo
- Nightly
- $179 at 27%
How Big Bear Lake compares
Big Bear Lake ranks #4 of 6 West Coast markets in STRROI's live ranking; Napa Valley leads the region with a median cap rate of 5.4%. Its 2.2% cap rate is 0.7 points below the 2.9% median across all 57 ranked markets, and its $549K typical list price is cheaper than the West Coast median of $667K.
| Rank | Market | Cap rate | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| #8 | Napa Valley, CA | 5.4% | $695K |
| #18 | Lake Tahoe, CA | 4.0% | $640K |
| #22 | Palm Springs, CA | 3.6% | $575K |
| #44 | Big Bear Lake, CA | 2.2% | $549K |
| #52 | Mammoth Lakes, CA | 1.6% | $999K |
| #54 | San Diego, CA | 1.2% | $2.0M |
Rank is national, by median cap rate across active STR-viable listings. Cash flow uses STRROI's default financing assumptions. See the full ranking
Estimated Annual Performance
* Estimates based on market averages. Individual property performance varies. Always run a full underwriting analysis.
Why Investors Choose Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake STR investing, answered
Is Big Bear Lake, CA a good short-term rental market?
Big Bear Lake is a West Coast STR market with a 2.2% median cap rate, 27% annual occupancy, and $284/night across STR-viable listings, based on 88 active listings. It ranks #44 of 57 markets by median cap rate in STRROI's live ranking. This month none of its 88 homes for sale rate Buy or better.
What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate in Big Bear Lake?
STR-viable properties in Big Bear Lake average about 27% occupancy across the year. Peak season is Dec - Mar (ski), June - Aug (lake). Occupancy here reflects availability-adjusted booking performance, not raw calendar occupancy, so it represents what a full-time operated rental can realistically achieve.
How much do short-term rentals earn in Big Bear Lake?
At $284/night and 27% occupancy, a typical Big Bear Lake STR grosses roughly $28,092 per year before expenses, leaving an estimated $16,855 in net operating income. Across analyzed listings the median cap rate is 2.2%. Individual results depend on property, amenities, and management.
What types of properties work best for STR in Big Bear Lake?
Among homes for sale right now, 5+ bedroom homes post the strongest median cap rate by size (2.5%), and manufactured homes lead by property type (5.2%). With guests, the best-performing STR types here are Cabin, Chalet, Single Family, A-Frame. Matching the local guest profile and the amenities that drive bookings matters more than raw square footage.
How many homes for sale in Big Bear Lake cash flow as an Airbnb?
1 of 88 STR-viable listings (1%) project positive monthly cash flow after the mortgage, assuming 20% down at a 7.5% rate on a 30-year loan. The top-ranked listing this month is a 30-bedroom multi-family property in ZIP 92315 listed at $1.2M, projecting a 7.1% cap rate and +$406 a month.
What is the median home price in Big Bear Lake, CA right now?
The median list price of the 88 homes for sale STRROI tracks in Big Bear Lake is $549,250, and the middle half are priced between $407K and $881K. The median price per square foot is $368. These are homes that could run as short-term rentals, mainly ZIP 92315, not every sale in the area. Against a 2.2% median cap rate, that price level sets the return baseline you'd underwrite against.
How long do homes stay on the market in Big Bear Lake?
Homes for sale in Big Bear Lake have been listed 137 days on average, longer than the 101 days typical across the 56 markets in STRROI's ranking, which usually leaves more room to negotiate on price. 17 of them were listed in the last 30 days.
Market averages, not guarantees. Cap rates, occupancy, and nightly rates are market-wide averages based on active STR listings and historical data. Individual property performance depends on location, amenities, management, and listing quality. Always run a full underwriting analysis before purchasing.Stats sourced from 88 active listings · last updated Oct 15, 2026
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