What Should I Do If My House Doesn’t Sell Within 30 Days?

San Bernardino Mountains Home Not Sold Yet? 6 Fast Fixes

By Theresa Grant, Real Estate Broker | Team Owner | Theresa Grant & Associates Real Estate Partners

If your San Bernardino Mountains home hasn’t sold in 30 days, don’t panic—but do pivot. In our mountain markets (Lake Arrowhead, Crestline, Running Springs, Big Bear, Twin Peaks), a thoughtful mid-course correction can revive buyer interest fast.

Snippet Answer: Start with price and presentation, then fix access and marketing gaps specific to mountain homes. Within a week, you should have a refreshed plan: price tune-up, sharper visuals, easier showings, and clear solutions for insurance, lake rights, and winter readiness.

1) Recheck Pricing for the Micro-Market

• Compare to active, pending, and closed listings within your cabin’s micro-neighborhood, lake-rights status, and road access.

• If showings are steady but offers are quiet, consider a strategic price improvement (not a tiny cut).

• Offer buyer incentives: interest-rate buydown, closing-cost credit, or a home insurance credit—a big deal in the mountains.

2) Elevate Presentation: Cozy, Safe, “Mountain-Ready”

• Staging: Lean into mountain-cozy—layered textures, warm lighting, and a fire-safe ambiance.

• Condition: Deck and railing safety, roof/snow-load readiness, chimney/wood stove documentation, and defensible space completed.

• Pre-list reports: Septic, termite, and local permits (e.g., additions, decks) ready for buyers.

3) Fix Access & Showing Friction

• Clear directions (and winter notes), gate codes, and easy keypad access.

• Ensure utilities are on and the home is comfortable (heat on in cold spells).

• If tenant-occupied or used as a STR, create blocked showing windows—buyers tour the mountains on tight schedules.

4) Upgrade Media & Marketing—Locally

• Replace average photos with golden-hour photography, drone views of tree lines and lake proximity, and a quick video/3D tour.

• Highlight local must-knows: lake rights (Lake Arrowhead), road maintenance districts, HOA amenities, snow-plow routes, and commute times.

• Refresh listing copy with searchable phrases like “Lake Arrowhead homes for sale,” “Crestline cabin with views,” and “San Bernardino Mountains real estate.”

5) Remove Buyer Unknowns Upfront

• Spell out fire insurance options and quotes, propane details, recent maintenance, and any STR rules or transfer fees.

• Provide a simple one-page features & costs sheet: average utilities, snow removal, HOA dues, and lake/club fees where applicable.

6) Timing & Strategy Tweaks

• If you launched on a slow week, stack a price improvement + new imagery before a prime weekend.

• Consider a short temp-off-market to re-enter with momentum (where appropriate).

Final Takeaway: In these mountains, small fixes make big differences. As a long-time local broker, I help sellers diagnose the “why” quickly and relaunch with precision—so your home doesn’t just get views, it gets offers.

Theresa Grant is a Real Estate Broker in the San Bernardino Mountain Communities and the Real Estate Columnist for the Alpine Mountaineer Newspaper. She can be reached at (909) 442-1345.

Theresa Grant & Associates Real Estate Partners | 27177 CA-Hwy 189, Suite D, Blue Jay CA 92317
www.HomesInLakeArrowhead.com | www.CaliforniaMountainHomes.com | www.MoveMeToTheMountains.com | Theresa@HomesInLakeArrowhead.com | @TheresaGrantRealtor on Instagram & YouTube