Our Story

Our Inspiration

Big Bear Lake Life was founded by Real Estate Broker, Erika Mlachak Farmer, whose inspiration to serve others as a REALTOR® was born from her parent’s path to Homeownership. As the daughter of a Naval Aviator, by the time she was 9 years old she had moved 6 times to 4 states and 2 Countries. But, through all of her family’s moves, one thing never changed: her parent’s unwavering commitment to one day achieve their goal of Homeownership.

At a young age, she watched her parents faithfully save her Father’s Navy flight bonuses and their loose coins with the sole intent to one day own a home of their own. She vividly remembers helping her parents periodically roll, stack, and count the jars full of loose change. Once rolled and counted, she would excitedly add to the growing tally of the “Home Savings Fund”. Later, as an adult, she realized that by rolling their quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies; her parents had literally “put every penny” they had into the purchase of their first home. We believe that a purchase that means so much, not only financially, but also to the well-being and future of those who make it, deserves to be handled with the utmost care and respect by the guiding Real Estate Professional. We believe in delivering an elevated client experience and strategic proven processes to all who choose to partner with Big Bear Lake Life as their real estate professionals.

This initial home purchase served as the catalyst to Homeownership for Erika’s family for decades to come. Every few years, when her Dad received new orders from the Navy, her parents would sell their current home and purchase another in their next destination. Her family relied heavily on real estate professionals to successfully guide them through each transition. It became evident during each of their moves that the Realtor® with whom her parents worked contributed greatly to their experience and success. Thus, not only did Erika learn the significance of Homeownership at a young age, she also recognized the integral role Real Estate plays in building wealth and securing strong financial futures for so many families, just like hers.

Our Mission

As an adult, Erika fell in love with Big Bear’s peaceful and vibrant mountain setting. Not only is Big Bear beautiful, but it is also an ideal and rewarding locale for investing in Real Estate. During the purchase of her Big Bear home, Erika was frustrated by the lack of easily accessible, timely, and transparent information, specifically about investing in Big Bear Real Estate. Real Estate investing in Big Bear seemed to be a well-kept secret shrouded in mystery. Thus, Big Bear Lake Life was born to bring transparency and valuable resources to those seeking advice about investing in Big Bear Real Estate.

Our Mission is to take the unknown out of Investing in Big Bear Real Estate. So everyone who loves Big Bear can confidently and successfully own and operate an investment home in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Our Promise To You

It’s no secret. The Real Estate Professional with whom you choose to partner will play a crucial role in your success. Your Real Estate transaction deserves to be handled with the utmost care and attention.

These are Big Bear Lake Life’s promises to you:

• We promise to put you, the client, at the center of the transaction. Always.
• We promise to lead with Trust. Not transactions.
• We promise to lead with Compassion. Not contracts.
• We promise to always provide value.
• We promise to deliver an elevated client experience. One you will earnestly remember and excitedly return to time and time again.
• We promise to be present, accountable, and available for you before, during, and after your transaction. Our guidance doesn’t end just because your transaction has closed.
• We promise to be market experts and share our unparalleled expertise with you. We know that in this dynamic industry continuous learning, constant attention to the market, and solid knowledge of the many factors that effect your transaction is paramount to your success.
• We promise to treat everyone you refer to us with the same care and respect you experienced while working with us. We are always grateful for your referrals and continued trust in us.
• We promise to deliver on all of our promises.

Our Hope

The Big Bear Lake Life Team serves Big Bear residents, second home owners, vacation rental owners, aspiring Big Bear home owners, and real estate investors who enjoy building wealth through real estate. As Realtors® who have made this journey ourselves, we have first-hand knowledge of the must-take steps to ensure your journey is a success!

We are committed to consistently providing:

• Up to date community centered and local business event calendars,
• Timely Real Estate market updates,
• Valuable Homeownership tips with an emphasis on the unique needs of mountain homes,
• Comprehensive Big Bear neighborhood data, and
• Vital Vacation Rental and Second Home guidance.

It is our hope that you will find value in our resources and that we contribute to fostering a strong and inviting sense of community among Big Bear Homeowners and Investors. 

Whether you have an eye on Big Bear for full-time relocation, retirement, a second home getaway, or a vacation rental investment opportunity, we arm our clients with unparalleled information and knowledge. Everything we do is firmly rooted in our belief that our clients deserve to have the best information. When you have the best information, you can make the best decisions.

We wish you much success and abundance in your Big Bear Real Estate journey. Let’s connect and start the conversation. Send us a text at 909-255-1110. We’d love to hear from you!