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 Scott Mickeleit calls the development he has created on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean near Newport, Oregon, a boutique RV estate, and it is unique, with just six RV sites, all with spectacular views—ideal for enjoying the sunset or whale watching. No need for a clubhouse, says Mickeleit, “We have the Pacific Ocean and four miles of sandy beach for beachcombing.”
What is even more unusual about Mickeleit’s Pacific Surf RV Estate is the offer of oceanfront property at an affordable price. You can buy a third fractional ownership interest in an RV site, entitling you to become an owner/member and use the property for one-third of the year (three periods of about six weeks each) for as little as $75,000 (and in one case $65,000). Four of the sites are for late model motorcoaches only; the other two are open to late model luxury fifth wheels.
Pacific Surf sits on a bluff 45 feet above the beach, five minutes north of Newport. Views stretch from Yaquina Head Lighthouse northward six miles to Otter Rock. A stairway leads down to a long stretch of secluded sandy beach with ever-changing beachcombing opportunities, fossils and tide pools.
 The RV sites have 50-amp/110v connections, water, cable, Wi-Fi, security cameras, lights and sewer/holding tank service. There is an outdoor kitchen and entertainment center, where owners can enjoy fresh-caught crab, razor clams, salmon, tuna and rock cod brought in by fisherman at Newport or caught by themselves.
A large well-manicured grass area is used for bocce ball, or on selected occasions, a pet social hour. A fire pit that is set amid natural sand dunes and grass provides a good place to enjoy the sunset and an evening fire. When the tide is out, a golf flag/hole is sometimes placed on the beach and a grass mat is put on the bluff, and owners who golf can bring out their wedges and test their chipping skills! The entire property is fenced, gated and protected by a sophisticated security system.
Mickeleit, a developer and licensed real estate broker, discovered the property more than a decade ago on a coastal bike ride. The incredible ocean view caught his eye, but the site was occupied by a motel that had been damaged by fire and fallen into disrepair. The property was for sale at a very high price—more than $2 million for 2.4 acres. Mickeleit made several lower offers for the property to no avail, but after it fell into the hands of a lender, he was able to work out a deal that made this oceanfront development for RVs possible.
Then came the difficult part. Planning, civil and geological studies were undertaken, and approvals were needed from seven city, county and state agencies, which took several years. Finally, he was able to secure an excellent general contractor and began to create his dream RV estate.
 The RV sites were sited with a required 75-foot setback from the bluff to avert any problems that might arise from natural erosion over the next 50 years. Mickeleit said painstaking hours were spent configuring RV sites to maximize views, address site conditions and best utilize the property.
While developing Pacific Surf, Mickeleit parked his motorhome there and he and his wife, Kristen; daughter, Morgan, and black lab, Max, enjoyed the RV lifestyle in a world-class setting. It was an exhilarating time, he said. “The ocean was visible from all windows of the RV, and you could be on the beach in a few minutes. The sunsets are unbelievable.” When he wasn’t working on the project, Mickeleit said, he enjoyed whale watching, clamming, crabbing, fishing and watching winter storms.
Mickeleit said that after completing the development, he thought it would be easy to find six highline motorcoach owners who would want to share the property since oceanfront sites are rare and usually cost at least $250,000. But the timing was bad, with rising gas prices, the Great Recession coming along and RV manufacturers and dealers shutting down or downsizing. RVers who visited the property loved it, he said, but there was resistance to purchasing a full RV site, particularly when people factored in how often they would use the property. So Mickeleit created the third fractional ownership plan to achieve affordability and flexibility, by spreading the cost among 18 owners instead of six and rotating the use.
Mickeleit said zoning restrictions prohibited him from subdividing the property and selling deeded RV sites, so he created a limited liability company that owns title to the entire property. Buyers obtain an interest in the company and a right to use their site and rotation in perpetuity along with their percentage ownership in the entire property that they can keep, transfer or pass on to heirs.
Under the fractional ownership plan, use of each RV site is divided into thirds so each owner gets use of the property at some time during every season. The usage is in blocks of about six weeks three times a year. The third fractional interests, depending on the site selected, range from $75,000 to $89,000. Financing and cash discounts are available.
Pacific Surf RV Estate is in an area of sparsely populated beaches, but is not only near the historic bay and oceanfront city of Newport, but also near Agate Beach Golf Course, Salishan Golf and Spa Resort and Chinook Winds Casino. The Oregon Coast Aquarium, one of Oregon’s top attractions, is within a ten-minute drive.
You can find more information at www.thepacificsurf.com.
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