Is Lake Arrowhead a good place to live?
I think so! For years Lake Arrowhead has been known as a primarily resort community. However, over recent years many people have begun to consider it for full-time living. The temperate yet variable weather allows one to experience all 4 seasons with snow in the winter and beautiful sunny skies in summer (though fall is actually my favorite). This, combined with easy commuting up & down Highway 18 (about 25-30 minutes to the bottom of the hill from Arrowhead) makes it possible to live in the mountains and work off-mountain. Rising and already much higher, real estate prices in Orange & LA Counties have also contributed to Lake Arrowhead’s popularity among full-time home seekers.
Noting the afore mentioned, Lake Arrowhead is still, for the most part a vacation area with two main seasons: Winter & Summer (that’s one reason I prefer the fall up here, less people around :). Winter’s draw, I’d say, is the novelty of snow in Southern California. Summer though, is the big season. Maintaining a much cooler temperature than the valleys below and ample opportunity for swimming, water skiing, fishing, hiking, and even rock climbing there is no shortage of things to do up here.
In summation, after having been born & raised in Lake Arrowhead I can say that our mountain community is truly a good place to live, part-time or full. I hope you get the chance to come to the same conclusion.
What are Lake Rights?
In short, Lake Rights are rights to use Lake Arrowhead. Which might include any number of water activities as well as access to Lake Arrowhead’s many trails.
Lake Arrowhead is a private lake that is operated by the Arrowhead Lake Association (ALA). In order to become a member of this association you must be a deeded property owner within a defined part of Lake Arrowhead called the “Arrowhead Woods”. Homes & vacant parcels inside of the ‘Woods’ tracts have what we call Lake Rights.
There are several types of membership open to Arrowhead Woods property owners, including: general membership, beach club membership, and dock-slip membership. For more information on ALA operation & membership fees please visit the ALA website.
Do all Lake Arrowhead Communities Have Lake Rights?
Unfortunately not all neighborhoods in Lake Arrowhead have Lake Rights, even though they might fall within the same zip code. For quick reference, these areas are: Arrowhead Villas, Crest Estates, Crest Park, & Deer Lodge Park.
How Do You Buy a Dock-Slip?
For starters, you must own a home in the Arrowhead Woods in order to own a dock-slip. There are a few exceptions to this in some older lakefront tracts but this is by large the case for dock ownership.
Dock-slips are transferred much the same way as other real estate. They have an APN (Assessor’s Parcel Number) and are assessed and taxed by San Bernardino County. The escrows function much the same way as well. There is generally an inspection period, during which time a UCC (Uniform search is done in place of a preliminary title report to make sure that their are no liens attached to do the dock-slip owner that could incumber the slip. Dock-slips are in a sort-of middle ground between real estate and personal property, for this reason they cannot be traditionally financed and tile insurance companies will not issue title insurance on them, this is where the UCC search comes in. The transfers are done both through an escrow company as well as through the ALA’s dock transfer department. Upon close, the transfer is recorded with the county and funds disbursed to the seller.
What Kind of Wildlife Is There?
Lake Arrowhead is home to all kinds of little critters, as well as some bigger ones too. Gray squirrels, ground squirrels, deer, gophers, mice, crows, hawks, skunks, snakes & much more make up the wildlife that is common in many parts of Southern California. In addition to these we also have, bears, coyotes, bobcats & mountain lions.
While the above might sound a little scary especially if you’re used to city life, most issues with wildlife can be avoided by simply disposing of trash property and keeping your pets in safe places. For some safety tips while enjoying the outdoors, visit the San Bernardino County National Forest Website or Recreaction.gov.