About Us
I am a real estate broker and investor. I enjoyed a 30 year career in commercial real estate and asset management.
In 2000, I started my own commercial real estate company, and eventually owned two commercial brokerage and property management companies in San Diego.
When we lived in San Diego, we purchased a French Victorian home in the charming gold rush town of Julian California, about an hour outside San Diego.
We loved it so much that we turned it into a vacation rental so other dog parents could vacation in the mountains with their pups. It was a beloved vacation home, with guests returning year after year. A movie was filmed onsite, and we have many wonderful memories from our time there.
We decided to repeat that great experience when we moved to Oregon in 2013, and have been buying and renovating homes on the Oregon coast since 2015.
I am so lucky to be doing what I love to do.
While the sales process is going on, I haunt my favorite thrift and consignment stores looking for wonderful pieces that I can restore for use in our vacation rentals.
We always buy some items new: mattresses, linens, TVs, appliances, etc., but I love the character and unique personality that a stunning vintage item provides. I also love restoring furniture.
During the renovation process, I live in the house. This is both so I can work on the property, and even more importantly, get a feel for the house and the neighborhood. I get to know my neighbors, the mailman, meet the neighborhood pups and their owners, and see what time each day the sun shines into different rooms. The house and I begin to communicate. Through the renovation and design process, I get a deep sense of the home and the neighborhood.
When we are done, the property gets a name. The names are indicative of both the location and the nature of the home. Yaquina Bay Club is serene and elegant, while Yaquina Surf Camp is fun and funky.
Once the property goes on the vacation rental market, I try to stay at each of my homes at least once a quarter. It is important to see things from a guest's perspective, so that our homes continue to be places where wonderful memories are made.
Since I have lived in and renovated each home, these are definitely more than investments. These are homes I have lived in and love, and I hope this comes through to our guests. It is also fascinating to see the difference in these homes from the time we buy them to what they are today.
Most of the homes that we purchase are foreclosures, estate sales, distressed sales, etc. All of them sat sad, vacant and unloved for a long time. When I first walk through a distressed home, it feels cold and forlorn.
Now the homes are happy, cared for and loved, and you can feel it the moment you walk in the door. Some are calm and serene, some are classic beach family fun, but all are happy and welcoming.
I would live in any of these homes in a heartbeat. I guess that's why I bought them in the first place. But I really love sharing them with our guests and their friends and families.
Welcome!
Lauri Hines, CCIM CPM
President | Principal Oregon Broker