Saturday 13 September 2014

HGTV show seeks local ‘Beach House Bargain’


The Ocean Shores real estate market is about to get national and international exposure thanks to some fortunate timing for Mike and Cindy Thuirer of North Beach Realty.


Having started their own firm last March, the couple recently heard about a cable-TV show on HGTV called “Beach House Bargain Hunt.”


The idea for the show is based on the following description: “Each week we follow a family making their beachfront living dreams come true — on a budget! We’ll follow them on the house hunt as we discover some of the most surprisingly affordable beachfront locales that prove you don’t need to be a millionaire to live right on the beach.”


Cindy said she has heard from another real estate broker featured on the show.


“She now gets calls from all over the world, and since that aired, her sales are now up tremendously,” Cindy said.


The Thuirers say the show wants to see beach homes in the range of between $250,000 and $300,000, and the couple will include several of their listings, including a Harbor-view two-story home on Ocean Crest near the jetty, which features an elevator to get to the sweeping view living space on the second floor.


The television network sent its crew to Ocean Shores for four days of filming, from Sept. 9-12.


“We have a high inventory, but our prices are really good,” Cindy said of the Ocean Shores market for beach homes.


Mike said he got a lead from the website Zillow.com about a client interested in a home in Grayland that already had sold. He fired off an email to the prospective client and said, “‘Have you ever thought about Ocean Shores? We have beautiful beaches’ ... and I just sold Ocean Shores.”


The reply stunned him a bit. The client said she was actually a television producer for a show on HGTV.


“She said she was with ‘Beach House Bargain Hunt’ and was looking for agents who just sold a home within the last three months that is under $300,000, and the clients are under the age of 45,” Mike said.


He and Cindy had recently sold a condo that fit the criteria, and those buyers also agreed to do the show.


They did a Skype interview that was seen by the New York production office at HGTV, and got a message shortly after: “Congratulations, you have been chosen to be on one of our upcoming episodes.”


The Thuirers then had to come up with four homes to be featured. One of those is the home at 1476 Ocean Crest Ave. SW. It is advertised as “beautiful jetty, ocean and Mount Rainier views,” and is listed at $289,900.


It has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a grand entry with Italian tile, and an open-concept living area where the dining room, living room and kitchen are surrounded by “wall-to-wall windows.” There are also stainless steel appliances and hardwood flooring, one of the requirements of the “bargain” house.


“The first two days will be the filming of the homes, and then the next two days will be around Ocean Shores,” Mike said of what the production crew has planned. “We’re going to do the Electric Boat Co., possibly some mopeds, and other scenic areas of Ocean Shores.”


He’s not sure when it will air, but you might see the crew filming around town this week.


“We’re excited about this,” said Mike, who also serves with the Ocean Shores Fire Department as a captain. “This might get Ocean Shores back on the map with some advertising for the city.”


Oyhut Bay update


Jim Donahoe of Ocean Shores Windermere Real Estate has been conducting open houses in the updated condo units as part of the existing building that will remain in the new Oyhut Bay vacation home development at the south end of the city. He reported over 30 people dropped by and signed up for information about the project, which now will begin construction of some of the model cottage units and retail.


The condo building, which was the only building completed under the former plans for what was previously called The Villages, is now being marketed at The Outlook at Oyhut Bay.


There are 3-, 2- and 1-bedroom units for sale, with the upper floors having views, and all have been updated with stainless steel appliances,wood flooring, new carpeting, double-insulated vinyl windows and individual storage units. The large 3-bedroom condos include about 1,500 square feet of living space, along with 2 1/2 bathrooms; the one-bedroom units are 950 square feel and include a cozy den area at the entry way, along with 1 1/2 bathrooms.


For more information, visit the condos at 235 Marine View Dr. SW, or online visit www.oyhytcondos.com.



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