Why Investors Are Suddenly Calling Me About Big Bear STRs Again

by Julia Pickslay

Written by Big Bear Realtor Eva Gniadek

Why Investors Are Suddenly Calling Me About Big Bear STRs Again

(…And What the “Big Beautiful Bill” Has to Do With It)

Lately, my phone has been lighting up — not because everyone suddenly wants to buy a cabin in the snow (although, let’s be honest… that’s always a good idea), but because investors are hearing whispers about something called the Big Beautiful Bill and the return of bonus depreciation for short-term rentals.

And let me tell you… the curiosity is real.

I’ve had multiple buyers reach out specifically because of this bill. I’m currently in escrow with a client using a DSCR loan solely because of the tax incentives. This isn’t hypothetical investor theory — it’s happening right now in Big Bear.

So let’s talk about it in plain English.

🚀 What’s Going On & Why It Matters

The recent tax legislation (nicknamed the Big Beautiful Bill) brought back something investors LOVE:
➡ 100% bonus depreciation on short-term rentals (STRs) again — if they qualify as a business.

That means if you buy a Big Bear Airbnb or Big Bear STR, you may be able to write off the entire cost of the property + furnishings in year one instead of depreciating it over 27.5 years like a traditional rental.

Think:
🪑 Furniture
🛏 Appliances
🛠 Renovations
💡 Lighting
🏡 Even the building itself

That’s why people are suddenly fired up.

But There’s a Catch (and You Need to Know This)

You only get these benefits if the STR is considered non-passive, meaning:

You materially participate in running it
OR you meet the STR loophole hours
OR you actively manage and it qualifies as a business

This isn’t “buy a cabin, hand keys to a property manager, and deduct $200K” territory.

This is: you’re running a short-term rental business.

And yes — always, always, always talk with a CPA.

(Seriously, I’m fun but I am not your tax attorney.)

What About ADUs? (AKA… Do I Benefit From This Too?)

You’re going to laugh — I don’t know yet if there’s depreciation magic available for my own garage-to-ADU conversion that I’ll eventually use as an STR.

But I do know:
ADUs count as separate structures and sometimes can be depreciated themselves. Whether that qualifies under bonus depreciation depends on how yours is financed, permitted, used, and structured.

So if you (or I) are turning a garage into an Airbnb or vacation rental, there might be an opportunity there — and I’ll share what I learn the moment I confirm it.

Why Big Bear Is Suddenly Back on Investor Radar

Aside from the views, the lake, the skiing, the mountain town vibe (and the fact that we have more pine trees than people), Big Bear has something else going for it:

✔ Tourist-driven economy → high demand for nightly rentals
✔ Affordable entry price compared to other CA markets
✔ STR laws already established
✔ A huge pool of homeowners using STR income to offset costs
✔ Now… restored tax incentives make the math even better

And when you layer this tax strategy over a DSCR loan, you’ve just unlocked an investing world that feels a little too good to be true (but currently is not).

That’s why I’m seeing a wave of people buying their first real estate investment because of the tax benefits, not just because it’s fun to have a cabin in the woods.