I've lived on my little dirt road in Idyllwild for many years. There are about 17 homes along the road, each with a respectable amount of space between them. We have our privacy, but over the years, I've come to realize just how fortunate I am to be surrounded by such good people.

A recent experience with a beautiful bobcat reminded me of that.

After more than 25 years in real estate, I've come to believe that representing someone is about much more than buying or selling property.

If you’re considering buying, selling, or operating a short-term rental here, I’ve put the current rules, permit information, fees, fines, and helpful County resources all in one place. Visit my short-term rental page for important information.

In Riverside County, subdivision and development can involve much more than simply having enough acreage. Zoning and the General Plan designation have to support the proposed density and parcel sizes, and many additional issues can affect whether a subdivision is actually feasible.

With El Niño strengthening in the Pacific and predictions pointing toward a potentially very strong event this fall and winter, I’ve been thinking a lot about rain lately. Not because El Niño guarantees that Idyllwild will have a wild, wet winter. It doesn’t.

But living on this mountain for more than 25 years has taught me that it’s worth paying attention.

Every so often, the idea comes up that Idyllwild should incorporate and become its own city.

I understand the appeal.

The argument usually sounds something like this: Idyllwild generates a lot of money through tourism, lodging, property taxes and local businesses. If we incorporated, more of that money could stay here instead of going to Riverside County. We would have more local control. Decisions affecting Idyllwild could be made by people who actually live here.

On the surface, all of that sounds pretty good.

Dolly purchased the cabin because Idyllwild reminded her of the mountains of her native Tennessee. It was close enough to Los Angeles that she could visit when she wanted to get away and have a little taste of the mountain life she had known as a child.

If you have mature pines or oaks on your property, keep an eye out for changes in the canopy, thinning or discolored foliage, dying branches, or other signs of decline. Catching a problem early may give you more options for protecting the tree and surrounding trees.

“Old house” can mean a lot of different things in Idyllwild.

We have homes built in nearly every decade since the turn of the last century. Some are tiny early cabins that were built when Idyllwild was still very much a mountain outpost. Others came along in the decades that followed, with a particularly big building boom in the 1960s. So when you're looking at homes here, you might walk through a cabin that's more than 100 years old in the morning and a relatively modern home that afternoon.

Every once in a while, I have the privilege of selling a home that's about so much more than real estate.

I've always felt a deep connection to the people who came before us. I wonder who sat by the fire, who watched the first snowfall from the porch, who planted the trees, and who welcomed friends through the front door.

If you own an older home in Idyllwild, there’s a decent chance you’ve heard the word “Zinsco” at some point, especially if you’ve bought or sold a home here.

Zinsco electrical panels were commonly installed in homes from the 1950s through the 1970s, which happens to overlap with the construction dates of a lot of homes on our mountain.

This week's heatwave has me thinking about all of the creatures that call these mountains home.

When we're thirsty, we walk into the kitchen and pour ourselves a glass of water. Wildlife doesn't have that luxury.

One of the most important inspections performed during a mountain real estate transaction isn't always the one people expect.

It's the septic inspection.

A few weeks ago, a local agent showed one of my listings. Her client loved the home.

Great news, right?

Well, maybe.

The buyer hadn't expected to find a home she loved on her first trip to Idyllwild. She wasn't fully prepared to purchase and wasn't entirely sure she was ready to make such a big decision.

I was looking through a few listings today that didn't sell.

One stood out. A small studio cabin on an acre. Very cute. Great setting. The kind of place that should attract attention. But in the photos, you could see things that told a different story.

I've been seeing a pattern with sellers lately.

A lot of current homeowners purchased during the pandemic surge, when short-term rentals were performing extremely well. At the time, low interest rates . . .

One of the most common things I hear from buyers when they first start looking in Idyllwild is that they want a small cabin on a large, private lot with no nearby neighbors.

Those properties do exist, but they're not the norm.

The answer is almost always the same: price.

Condition matters, of course. So does location, layout, and how a home shows. But those things don't create days on market on their own. Price does.