Six years after the pandemic turned Big Bear into one of Airbnb’s top destinations globally, the short-term rental market here has shifted.
A May 2026 feature in the L.A. Daily News — also published in the San Bernardino Sun and affiliated papers — took a close look at how Big Bear’s vacation rental landscape has evolved since the COVID-19 pandemic boom.
Sky High Cabins founder Leanne Flashberg was among the local property managers featured in the piece.
What the data shows
The pandemic created an enormous surge in Big Bear short-term rentals. According to AirDNA data cited in the article, there were just over 6,000 STR units in Big Bear before January 2020. That number climbed to more than 8,100 by January 2024 — before pulling back to just under 7,000 by April 2026.
At the same time, nightly rates rose 20% between 2019 and 2025 as the inventory grew. The result: a significantly more competitive market, where standing out has become harder and more important than ever.
AirDNA economist Bram Gallagher put it plainly in the article: because Big Bear’s seasonal market leads to higher year-round vacancy rates, there’s a clear incentive to upscale.
“Much of your revenue could be generated in a 60-day time period,” Gallagher said. “It’s a difficult market to stay in.”
What “luxury” actually looks like in Big Bear
The article describes what the shift looks like on the ground: warm-toned log cabins now finished in black and white, two-car garages converted into game rooms with pool tables and pinball machines, 9-foot ceilings with antler chandeliers, outdoor hot tubs alongside original stone fireplaces.
About 24,000 of Big Bear’s roughly 27,000 properties have had renovations done in recent years.
At the top of the market, one property managed by a local company listed at $9 million and rents for around $3,000 per night depending on the season. But luxury in Big Bear isn’t limited to estate-scale properties. It’s increasingly the expectation across price points.
Two Sky High properties that reflect where the market is heading:
- Lakefront Modern A-Frame: featured in Sunset Magazine, wall of windows, sunken hot tub, lakefront views
- Lakefront Luxe Lodge: uninterrupted lake and mountain views, sleeps 16, estate-scale amenities
- Pine & Paw: one-of-a-kind luxury Moonridge retreat, sleeps 12, four bedrooms
Sky High Cabins’ perspective
Leanne Flashberg, who founded Sky High Cabins before the pandemic-era surge and has grown it through the correction that followed, was direct about what the current environment requires:
“It’s very competitive now. There’s huge supply and not so much demand. So, if your design and your amenities stand out, you will continuously be booked.” (San Bernardino Sun, May 2026)
The article noted that Flashberg works with properties ranging from one-bedroom cabins to five-bedroom estates — finding ways to position each for a higher-end clientele through staging, photography, design guidance, and hands-on management. That approach reflects what the market is now demanding from owners who want consistent occupancy.
What this means if you own a Big Bear cabin
The window of “list it and they’ll come” has closed. The owners seeing strong returns in 2026 are the ones who have invested in their properties — as well as in a vacation rental management company that knows how to present and market them to the right guests.
If you’re a cabin owner evaluating your options in this market, Sky High Cabins offers a free property management consultation — including staging advice, platform strategy, and an honest look at what your property could generate with the right positioning.
Browse our current luxury cabin listings to see the standard we hold our properties to.
