Ponder this...Sure, it might have been easier to rake 2 or 3 extra large piles of leaves, but certainly would not have been as fun to do.This circular pattern ended up being more efficient in the long run, provided a photo op as well!. Using a rake in each hand, I was able to move quickly, then followed the yellow leaf road to the finish line.A new tradition has begun!   12/07/2020

Snow day, or beach day, it's a great day at Advantage Real Estate! Our Wednesday morning meeting was enhanced by a dusting of snow. I may be the only representative of Advantage for the Wednesday Broker's tour today, 9:00 to 12:00. There are a couple of gift card drawings at the Broker open houses, I figure I have a 50 / 50 chance of winning. If there are any buyers out there who want to see houses covered with snow with wonderful views of the ocean, today is your day!  02/27/2019

The vandals struck in the cloak of darkness........Some unnamed person has "vandalized" a water outflow pipe without permission! This particular blue pipe is overflow from a rural water tank, the overflow works similar to an overflow drain inside a bath. If the tank gets too full, water will spray out of the mouth. (I will be sure to take a photograph for you if it happens on my watch.)By the way, this is not the first time the vandals have struck!On previous holidays in 2018, the blue pipe has been outfitted with rabbit ears for Easter, and most recently was seen with a Pilgrim outfit over the Thanksgiving holiday.It all started with a pair of googly eyes. Maybe the pipe was originally shipped from Las Vegas, a member of Blue Man Group!I was able to secure a rare photograph of the most... 12/07/2018

One of my favorite events is at Newport VAC, the annual Pushpin Show where local artists can hang work using only 4 pushpins. This year I created an avant garde style peep box, seen in above photo at far right. My peep box is designed to be interactive, it instructs the viewer to take a photo of the inside with a cellphone to get best effect and take the art home with you. First, here is a photo of the outside of the box, so you may enjoy the pastel layers of recycled shopping bags.Here is what it looks like inside:At different angles and times of day, the light inside changes and can be adjusted, like a changing sunset. I hope you will go in and see it and cast your vote for my entry for the "Mayors show."Happy art viewing! 12/05/2018

I am proud to present my work in progress: A non-edible "Gingerbread" house to be donated and judged in the upcoming Festival of Trees auction to be held at the Chinook Winds casino on Dec. 1st, in Lincoln City, Oregon.Here is your sneak peek at the Advantage Real Estate gingerbread house entry. We are in it to win it!Wall to wall floor coverings installed, however, I still have some finish work to do on the interior drywall and windows, I plan to add a few furnishings, maybe one of my fellow Advantage agents will surprise me with an oak dining room table?We have an armed guard at the door, in case any interloping mice get any ideas.Stay tuned for more photos of "The Build"!    10/29/2018

Searching for a home in Newport, Oregon?  Let me set up a property tour for you in advance of your visit. I specialize in relocation to Lincoln County area, can help you find extactly what you are looking for by showing you all options within your price range prior to making an offer. I offer "concierge service" to my clients, we can stop to have lunch when we are hungry, see the sights and amenities of various neighborhoods, take a fun hike on the nearby trails. Buyers should be aware of the special aspects of each location of available property in a given price range, prior to making a choice. Call me or email me with your needs, allow me to help you find your dream home, condo, commercial building or beach house. I serve all areas of Lincoln County, on the beautiful Central Oregon Co... 10/19/2018

Are you searching for ground floor living, master bedroom, kitchen and living room all on the main floor, a single story house, or a home equipped with a stair chair or elevator?Many of my customers call me with exactly this request! Please allow me to show you the perfect single story dream home, condo or townhouse in Lincoln County on the Central Oregon Coast.To make it easier for all of my clients to meet with me, I have moved my desk to the ground floor of Advantage Real Estate in beautiful Newport, Oregon......look Mom, no stairs!  Comfortably planted on level ground, "The sky's the limit!"     10/06/2018

Change is the only constant in life! Last October, my Principal Broker at S & W Real Estate called a meeting to inform his agents it was time to downsize and see more of his grandchildren. My beloved office of 10+ years would soon be history! I closed the last of my remaining escrows a few weeks ago and promised myself to include plans for some time off while interviewing for a new brokerage to join.During the break, I spent most of my holidays in the orchestra pit as percussionist for the Addams Family Broadway show at the Newport Performing Arts Center in November. I called my friend (and fellow RE agent!) in California and invited her as my guest in the pit for the last 2 shows, then we flew to CA together on the same plane and I spent a fun filled "real estate free" week at her cabi... 01/16/2018

After I build the peep box, it is time to take a photo of it. I find that the perspective can be changed when the light inside the box is increased. This box was fun to make, I used junk mail, foil, a clear glass marble, a stapler and a long skinny box,  contructed while listening to the song "The Look of Love" Burt Bacharach, on a 1954 General Electric portable turntable. We are now ready for whatever our real estate day may bring! 05/17/2017

Here is a photo of my latest peepbox.I made this new peepbox early this morning from a tea box, junk mail, a stapler, tape and plastic bags. Oh yeah - an Abba Zabba wrapper was involved as well! I washed and dried the wrapper before using for my flooring and curtains.Oh look, the Witchita Lineman is outside today! Look! There is even a frozen lake for us to ice skate today! All photos taken of the same box, different cameras and angles were used. Thanks for visiting!    05/09/2017

A slight change in your perspective can change your day for the better. If the day has become less than ideal, remember to stop, take a deep breath, think about standing at the beach, waves are crashing, fishing boats are off shore, they're hauling in a fresh catch of Dungeness, and you are enjoying a craft beer while awaiting your fresh crab dinner at a fine restaurant in Nye Beach, Oregon.Buying a home and relocating to Newport Oregon is easier than you think! Call or email me for more details about property in Lincoln County.These photos are my newest "peep box", easy to make, using a cardbord box, a photo from junk mail, curve it around the back of the box, cut a hole in the front, and you get a 3D effect if you get the lighting just right.  04/19/2017

Thinking outside of the box too!.... All you need is an empty tea box, a full cuppa tea, a stapler, plastic bag and some junk mail.This is one of the smallest boxes in my collection. Yes, there's more! Although my daily passion is real estate, this fun craft activity is perfect to fill a blustery April evening in Newport, on the beautiful Oregon Coast!  04/19/2017

    Here is a photo of my latest peep box creation, constructed from junk mail, a small tea box and a stapler. This morning I had a difficult real estate problem to solve, which included a phone call which required concentration. I paced back and forth a couple of times,  finished my tea, found the scissors and put together a miniature peep box diarama, created from the empty tea box and a pile of junk mail which needed recycling. Ahhhhh, that's better! I can think again. Welcome to my little world!     The rest of my day included a repair addendum, two showings, CMA, and a lock box delivery to a door knob...tomorrow is an action packed day for me as well, starts with a Realtor meeting and ends with a dance concert (I play vibraphone in a 24 piece big band orchestra).  Real estate and a... 04/19/2017

Circular stairs can be great to maximize sleeping spaces for kids, or perhaps lead to a small attic room with a fantastic view.  This set of circular stairs is in a beach house in Waldport, about a half hour south of Newport, Oregon. I find them charming, however, they should be used with care.This photo shows how narrow the inside portion of the stair landings can be, with barely enough space for the inside foot.Going up the stairs is easy, however, it is going down that can be tricky if the heel slips, the left foot goes straight down the middle of the column, for a sudden drop.When navigating circular stairs, step away from the middle and hold on to the rails!  03/30/2017

Feast your eyes upon this very nice ocean front view...however, it comes with a price. "The M word!" When a vacation home is left unattended, the wind and rain can wreak havoc with the roof and siding. Here is an example of what happens when you combine a damaged roof with the awesome power of Mother Nature. Even though there is a new roof, the interior will need extensive repairs in order to save the structure. The amount of visible mold seen here can be dangerous to sensitive people. Needless to say, I snapped some quick photos, held my breath and got out of there fast. That first step was a doozy!  The lot is nothing short of amazing. High atop a basalt rock cliff, the home overlooks a majestic outcropping with a little path to the tidepools. Any amount of labor will be worth the eff... 03/17/2017

 To make a wall hanging, all you need is a collection of plastic bags, rinse clean of debris, cut them open and use the colors you find appealing. My translucent window hanging was made of various bags and netting used to hold onions and potatoes. Use a stapler to attach the loose pieces to one main bag.  At the top of the bag I made some hanging tabs for a dowl stick. The twine is made of plastic bags twisted in to a "yarn" which can also be used for making crocheted items.Newport Oregon is a unique area which values artists, musicians, poets, writers, quilters, photographers, thespians and the like. In December 2017, I plan to enter one of my recycled art projects to be featured in the "Pushpin Show" at the Newport Visual Arts Center.  03/17/2017

 Welcome to the orchestra pit! This weekend, I will be your percussionist for the stage production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! at Newport Perfoming Arts Center in Nye Beach, Oregon.  I am delighted by the musical score, which includes numerous parts for the xylophone and glockenspiel. My favorite dance number is a song called "The Bombie Samba" which employs a drum called a "Cuica" or talking drum. The drum head has a thin stick attached to it which is played by pinching the stick between the fingers and pressing the drum head simultaneously. I bought the Cuica especially for this show and learned how to play it by watching youtube instructional videos on the subject. Gotta love the internet!The 'Cuica' is the metal drum laying sideways, to the right of the bongos, with the towel in it ... 01/19/2017

Go ahead, take a look inside!!! I have found that making 3 dimensional art inside of a shoebox is a great way to relax after a long day of showing homes, managing transaction paperwork.  All you need is a shoe box, old magazines and tape, perhaps some cotton and aluminum foil too.  I use a small LED battery operated string of lights to illuminate my little world, however, you can simply punch holes in the top and hold under a lamp for a light source. These boxes come in handy for entertaining children of all ages. One day I hope to enter my collection of boxes in a formal art show, at the Newport Visual Arts Center in Nye Beach, Newport Oregon.....Ahh, one can dream, yes?....Wishing all of you an enjoyable real estate day.  01/18/2017

12/21/2016

198 NE 71st St, Newport, OR 97365-9400MLS #16-1451 Spacious 3488 sq. ft. home, redwood floors, ICF construction, radiant heat, Trex deck overlooking forest, 624 sq.ft. ocean view attic apartment/kitchenette & separate entrance. Filtered water feeds entire house. Handicapped accessible walk-in shower on main floor, open floor plan. Included: SS dual convection stove-gas range and electric oven. Contract Information Approved by MLS Yes Listing Member Barbara Le Pine, Brokercell: 541-270-6758fax: 541-265-9581Office Phone: 541-265-2251http://sw-realestate.com Listing Office S & W REAL ESTATE 710500019Office: 541-265-2251Fax: 541-265-9581Toll Free: 800-676-7710http://www.sw-realestate.com Days On Market 34 Cumulative DOM 34 List Price 415,000 Original List Price 419,000 Begin Date 05/12/201... 06/15/2016