Mark Duncan

One of my pet-peaves is listings with no photos or poor photos. Our MLS has begun enforcing the rule that requires a primary photo within 48 hours (still too long). I believe that in almost every case, a quality real estate agent should have photos uploaded with the first few hours of submitting to the MLS.

The primary photo should be one that grabs attention. Sometimes that is difficult, but sometimes Realtors just take bad pictures. Or they forget what their objective is.

For instance, the photo below was taken at my house two days ago. While I have had several people tell me what a great scene it is, a snow photo tells a buyer nothing about the house...It's all covered in white!

Please. Do your clients a favor: Don't use snow photos unless you are in a location where you have no choice.

Santa Paws is Coming to Town!

Bring your pet for a picture with santa!

Saturday, December 6 and Saturday, December 13, 2008

10am-2pm

Thurston County Animal Services

3120 Martin Way, Olympia, WA

Proceeds benefit the shelter!

Click here for pricing information

We're down to the final week of halloween fun. As you may have noticed from my blog about our outing last week, the pumpkin patch can be a fun family experience. Therefore I have decide to provide this list of the Pumkin Patches I know of in Thurston County.

In alphabetical order:

Hunter's Pumpin Patch 360-456-0466

7401 Yelm Hwy SE, Olympia, Wa 98513

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Lattin's Country Cider Mill & Farm 360-491-7328

9402 Rich Road SE, Olympia, WA 98501

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Rutledge Corn Maze 360-357-3700

302 93rd Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501

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Schilter Family Farm 360-459-4023

141 Nisqually Cutoff Rd SE, Olympia, WA 98513

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Don't miss the Toast For Tails event on Saturday, October 25 at the fairgrounds in Lacey. This is a great event to help raise money for Concern For Animals.

If you love wine and you love animals, this is a can't miss event

2nd Annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction Benefit for Concern For Animals

Saturday, October 25
2 - 8 pm
Thurston County Fair Grounds Expo Center
(21+ only, photo ID required)

http://www.concernforanimals.com/

The animals of our area greatly appreciate it.

Thank you in advance.

I went to the pumpkin patch this morning with the family. We went to Schilter's in Nisqually like we do every year. Of course I was freezing...can't keep warm lately. They have tons of pumpkins, a corn cannon that you shoot an ear of corn into a field ~ if you get it in the trough, you get a free pumkin, a hay maze, corn maze, pony rides, hay rides, petting farm, toddler play area, hay pyramid for climbing. It's always a lot of fun for all of us.

After doing the hay maze and petting farm, we went on the hay ride. My wife and kids got off the wagon at the corn maze (Themed for the presidential election), and I rode back because I have site duty.

I just got a call from my wife (2-1/2 hours later): "You need to have a talk with your girls!" ~ She just found her way out of the corn.

Our oldest daughter, who has asperger's syndrome, of course had to have the map and remembers every turn so she led her little sister right through. A little way in, they took off & ditched my wife.

They came out, went looking for pumpkins, got some cocoa, and went back to the petting farm all while their mother ~it's her birthday, by the way~ was lost in a field of corn with no map and no sense of direction.

Well I have someone coming to relieve me early from my construction site, so I will go home & try not to laugh...I'm sure I will fail miserably.