Clematis

Clematis(Clematis viticella)In a previous post I spoke of Clematis, a beautiful flowering vine. This is one vine my husband will let climb on the side of the house. It does not damage the siding or motar like English Ivy or Trumpet vine. Clematis does need to be supported usually by some type of trellising system. I had two clematis growing at our old house. One was transplanted from the

~* Cupboard *~

I have finally managed to finish one of my painting projects and wanted to share the results with all of you. I painted it with three coats of "Buttercup" Delta Creative Home Accents Paint. I lined the cupboard with the wallpaper I found at the thrift store. I just need my dh to hang it up (which hopefully will be soon). Can't wait to show you a picture of the cupboard hung up in our powder room.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thank you all for your very sweet comments about my Show and Tell picture made by my dear Aunt Dora. She is one talented lady who can not only sew, but paints pictures and makes loom rugs as well. I always enjoyed visiting her home when I was a child. It was always so homey!

English Boxwoods

English Boxwoods(Buxus sempervirens)English Boxwoods (Buxus sempervirens) are broad leaf evergreens. These are wonderful, easy to maintain shrubs that add a sense of formality to gardens. They line our laneway creating a welcoming entrance. These shrubs have densely packed light green leaves with a rounded, compact growth habit. They reach about 3 feet high at maturity. We have a lot of

~* Show and Tell Friday *~

When I was a very small child I had a favorite pair of PJ's. When they were too small I was so sad to give them up. My dear Aunt knew how much they meant to me so she decided to make something out of them to cheer me up. This picture of two kitties is what she made for me. The kitty on the right is made out of my old PJ's. Oh how I love and treasure this picture!

For more Show and Tell, please visit Kelli's House for links to other websites!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thank you for all of your sweet comments about my Mini Makeover!

~* A Mini Makeover *~

I am always looking for ways to make our home a little cozier. While I liked the curtains I had in our powder room I felt they were a little stuffy for this time of year so I decided to go on a search for off-white tiers to replace the ones that are in there right now. I found exactly what I was looking for at Big Lots. They were $5.00 a pair, which isn't a bad price at all and the material seems to be pretty good quality, too. I hung pip berry candle rings like wreaths on the curtain rod to dress them up a little bit.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thank you all for your continued visits and lovely comments about my home!

cityofoceanshores.com Update 7.15.07

The weather in the past few weeks has been gorgeous out here on the beach. Numerous days saw some beachgoers in bikinis, folks lying around enjoying the sun, people and dogs playing in the surf and dozens of surfers out enjoying the waves. It truly has been a nice summer so far.

Real Estate Update
* 2nd Quarter Stats for Ocean Shores (Source: NWMLS)
Real Estate Sales in Ocean Shores for second quarter are holding steady. In short terms, the number of sales or transactions is about the same, but the average sold prices are up. Here are some comparisons for 2nd quarter '07 vs. second quarter '06:

* 72 Houses Sold 2nd quarter '06 at an average sales price of $206,665 vs. 69 Houses sold in '07 at an average sales price of $211,986.
* 9 Condos Sold 2nd quarter '06 at an average sales price of $150,187 vs. 15 Condos sold in '07 at an average sales price of $214,160.
* 106 Vacant Lots Sold 2nd quarter '06 at an average sales price of $56,196 vs. 101 Lots sold in '07 at an average sales price of $51,817.* Currently there are 747 Vacant Lots on the market ranging from $19,900 to $1,300,000. The median listing price is $49,000.
* Currently, there are 287 Homes on the market ranging from $44,900 to $1,800,000. The median listing price is $239,900.
* There are 71 Condos on the market ranging from $8,000 (timeshare) to $499,000. The median listing price is $274,900.

* Dreamscape Condos Almost Sold Out!
Located at the Southern tip of Ocean Shores, these units include two or three bedrooms, 2 baths, kitchens featuring maple cabinets, tile floors and granite counters, living rooms with a fireplace and separate dining area with private decks. Perfect for a company retreat or multi-family uses. Watch ships, whales, and fishing boats from the comforts of your own private getaway. All units have fantastic views! Seconds from pristine beaches and beach combing. Prices range from $259,000 to $399,000. Don't wait until they're all sold out! Dreamscape Condos are being offered at these low prices from the builder direct. More info HERE.

* Two New Condo Projects Underway!
Two different developers are investing tens of millions of dollars in Ocean Shores. The first development is located off of Marine View Drive in the southern end of town featuring 650 condos which are exclusive to individuals 55 years and older. This project will included a private clubhouse, retail store, swimming pools and a putting green. The buildings are four stories high and will feature elevators. The other new development being planned is a 190 unit development near the downtown core of Ocean Shores called "The Cottages at Ocean Shores" and will feature it's own clubhouse and swimming pool as well. Units start at $104,900 and they're being sold now before construction begins. Units can be reserved with a $500 refundable deposit. Click "HERE" for more info.

* Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties Top Office on the Beach! (Source: NWMLS)
Congratulations to all the agents, the owners and employees at Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties for moving into first position as the top office in Ocean Shores for 2nd quarter 2007. Coldwell Banker leads all brokerages in town with the most listings (359), the most office listings sold (53 - total sales was 102 sales for 2nd quarter compared to 50 for 1st quarter), the most current pending transaction (21) and the most agents (24). Happy me!

Upcoming Events
* Sun & Surf Run
July 27-29th
Over 2000 motorcycles gathering at the Convention Center. Enjoy bonfires, fireworks, live music, raffles, barbecues, motorcycle parades, stunt riders, vendors and more. This is a crazy weekend for Ocean Shores and a must see! http://sunandsurfevent.com/

News
* This past 4th of July on the beach was as exciting as ever. Some individuals lacking common sense launched some of their personal fireworks into the grass dunes setting off multiple fires burning nearly 20 acres. The Ocean Shores Fire Department responded in preventing any personal property loss or damage. They did a great job. Not to worry, the dune grass should be back to green within the year.

* If you haven't been down to the southern part of town near the Jetty, you need to visit soon and check out the new roads. It's a real treat to be able to drive down there without driving through multiple potholes, etc. On a quick note, it's my observation that vacant lot values in the jetty area are creeping up higher because of the new asphalt. When property buyers see the community reinvesting in its infrastructure, they know things are on the rise and the community is moving forward. New roads are great and worth every penny.

* The Ocean Shores Parks Board is currently developing a new master plan for the renovation of the North Bay Park to include changes to the baseball/soccer fields, a new restroom facility, relocating the playground area and the creation of a new skate park. The master plan should be completed by September.

Jeff Daniel

Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties

749 Point Brown Ave NW, Ocean Shores, WA 985691.

360.581.9020 (cell) - 1.888.469.3100 (toll free)

1.360.289.3111 (fax) - 1.360.289.3100 (office)

PROPERTY SEARCH: http://homepages.com/JeffDaniel/AgentHome.aspx
OCEAN SHORES INFO: http://www.cityofoceanshores.com/
AGENT INFO: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/for/jeffdaniel

BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com/

~* Wallpaper and a Pillow *~

My friend Josie and I were out and about yesterday. We went to several thrift stores and also to Big Lots. We didn't find a lot at all...that's the fun of it though...it's hit or miss. I did find this roll of unopened wallpaper for .25 cents at Salvation Army. It's very heavy and will work nicely to line the small cupboard I'm working on at the moment. Can't wait to get it done!

I found this great little green pillow at Big Lots on clearance for $2.50! I think it's so sweet and for now it's on our bed. Wish I could have found more because I also tried it on my settee and it's looks pretty good there, too!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I appreciate all of the nice comments you left about the bench my dear husband made. For many years it sat unfinished until I finally stained it green several years ago. Then it weathered and has the look I just love!

Gnomes & Garden Lighting

The majority of the work in our new gardens has been the removal of an over planting of shrubs and other plants. Most of these have been under large shade trees. Some like an overgrowth of low growing evergreens were removed not only to enlarge the usable greenspace but for mosquito control. Others like English Ivy and Trumpet Vine growing on the brick of the house were trimmed back and

Preapproved or Prequalified: What's the Difference?

Preapproved or Prequalified: What's the Difference?

Confusing prequalification with preapproval can mean disappointment for both a home seller and a buyer. Real estate experts say it's smart to urge buyers to become preapproved by their lender – not just prequalified.

For a buyer to obtain a bona fide preapproval, he must submit a loan application with the necessary documentation and fee. After the lender verifies and analyzes the application, it will notify the applicant of how much money he can afford to borrow. Armed with that information, the buyer can confidently go home shopping.

Prequalifications are simply an estimate of what a buyer can afford. A buyer who assumes that this estimate is accurate and chooses a home based on the information may, in fact, be denied a loan when he actually applies, a situation that wastes his time and can put a seller in an a bad position if they've already turned away a qualified buyer. And, of course it wastes the real estate practitioner's time as well.

Source: Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine (08/01/2007)

~* Our Bench *~

We had an area on our front porch that was rather bare so I decided to move this bench (which was made by my dear husband when he was in high school) to that spot. It gives the porch a more finished look.*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thank you for your nice comments regarding our new birdhouse. I want to get the roof painted soon, but I have several painting projects in the works or lined up so I don't know when it will be finished. I'm currently working on a picture frame for my dear daughter's room and a small cupboard for the powder room. I haven't started the side table that I bought at a yard sale so the birdhouse is 4th in line....so many projects so little time!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thanks for stopping by!

Purple Martin House

Purple Martin HouseThe Purple Martin (Progne subis) is a member of the swallow family. It is a medium sized, migratory song bird much desired in gardens. The male is entirely a glossy dark, purplish black sheen while the female is purplish black with a duller sheen and lighter underpants. Several Purple Martins will nest in a multi-compartmented birdhouse much like a bird condo building. They

Our New Birdhouse

I went to the Wow Outlet this weekend and found the birdhouse I've been wanting. I had seen this same birdhouse for around $99.00 (I paid $36.00) on The Country House website. The only thing I need to change is the color of the roof...I want it to be green to match our roof. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Glad you all enjoyed looking at my latest yard sale finds...thank you for your comments regarding them. I've redone the picture frames on the embroidered pictures. They look so much better being black. I wanted them to have a weathered look finish, but they didn't turn out that way for some reason...stay tuned for pictures!

Yard Sale Finds

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to go to several yard sales. Here is what I found at my first stop: two embroidered pictures (one says dill the other says chives - I'm going to paint the picture frames black), table runner, Mary Emmerling book, Flea Market Style book, 1947 Nancy Drew book, french book, and a side table (which I'm also going to paint a pale green to match the stripe in my swing cushion). I got all of these items for $10.00! At another yard sale I got a box full of pip berry garland (one of my favorite things) for $2.00. At my last stop I picked up two old rug beaters for $15.00. I'm going to hang them in my laundry room. It was a good day!!!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments about the quilt my dear friend Josie made for me. She is one of the most unselfish people I know...she volunteers to teach adults to read and she is in charge of the American Cancer Society Relay for Life in her home town. I'm so blessed to have Josie in my life!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Again, I appreciate the time you all take to visit my blog and I can't thank you enough for the sweet comments that you continue to leave me!

Last Thursday was moving day. It was an extremely long and tiring day yet I was up at the crack of dawn to explore our new surroundings. I did a walk about the gardens with the camera noting some of the plants that I haven't grown before or have very little experience with.GreenspaceOur property is on a deadend road. A greenspace dotted with a stand of trees separates our road from the main

Happy Canada DayHappy Gardening!Garden Gnome©2007