You've probably seen the whole house flipping routine on TV. It was all the rage a few years ago when the market was hot. People were buying up ugly houses, giving them a quick (and usually cheap) makeover and then turning them for a quick, yet very significant profit. It was too easy.

We all know that times have changed. However, what you may not know is that there are some people still out there giving new life to the neighborhood eye sores. The profits aren't as glamorous as they once were. The risks are much higher. And yet, they continue on, unfazed by the negativity surrounding the housing market.

The main difference between the house flippers of old and this new breed of craftsman lies in their motives. While the first group was primarily driven by greed and quick profits, this new group is motivated by a passion to build a better community for future generations and preserve the quality of life for current residents. Their margins are slim, but they are confident that what they are doing will have a lasting impact on the neighborhoods they work in.

Part of their confidence is derived from the high level of craftsmanship and quality materials they put in their homes. They know their homes are going to look more appealing to potential buyers than most of their competition. They've thoroughly inspected the homes to make sure their remodel is not just putting a new wrapper on a rotten product. In most cases, the updating includes much more than just new paint and carpet. Often new roofs, new electrical panels, and structural repair are required before they can even think about creating a visually appealing finished product.

Perhaps most importantly, these homes are being refurbished and resold in a price range that is very attractive for first time home buyers. It is a great alternative for those who like the fresh feeling of a new home but hate the idea that you have to sacrifice all sense of privacy and live on a postage stamp. Many of these homes are in established neighborhoods with mature trees, larger lots, and a sense of community that is yet to exist in most new home developments.

If you think a remodeled home in an established neighborhood sounds like a good fit (or you are just addicted to looking at real estate) here are a couple of homes for you to check out:

4736 Lakemont Dr. SE - Updated Rambler with Pattison Lake Views and Private Lake Access for $234,900

7521 6th Ave. SE - Remodeled Tanglewilde Home with 3 bedrooms and 1645 square feet for $199,000

And here are some Before and After photos of one recently finished home in the Tanglewilde neighborhood:

Every dog has a story to tell. Unfortunately for us, we're not able to hear most of those stories. Every once in awhile though, a dog comes into our lives and makes us a part of their story. This is what happened to me, and though I don't know the beginning or end of this dog's story, I was lucky enough to be a big part of the middle. This is the story of Cutter.

Original story can be found on LivinginOlympia.info

Each night, between the hours of 9 and 10, I take my dog Sonny out for a walk. Last night was no different, as we headed out the front door just after 9 pm. Sonny is normally a pretty mellow dog. Sure, he is just as excited about his walks as any other, but he usually plays it cool until we get off our property at least. Last night however, he bolted out the door and down the steps, almost tearing his retractable leash right out of my hands. Assuming there must be a cat in the road I followed along, trying to retract his leash to a reasonable length. But once I got onto the sidewalk I froze. Staring at me from my front lawn was a very surprised looking male pit bull.

My eyes immediately scanned the streets and sidewalks, expecting to see some frantic dog owner chasing after their escaped pup. But the streets were void of any activity and this dog still had its eyes set squarely on me. I gave a quick analysis of the dog and could tell that he was wearing a collar, though he was not well fed. He didn't seem too concerned by my barking pudgy 25 pound Corgi mix (even though Sonny is pretty certain he is a 120 pound stallion). I could tell by his body language that he was not considering attacking me so I knelt down and let out the slack in Sonny's leash to see how the dog would respond. His response said everything I needed to know. He gave an obligatory sniff of Sonny's rear, then got down in a playful stance ready to play a game of pounce and chase. Sonny didn't seem to mind too much so I let them play for a minute, expecting that frantic owner to come running down the street at any moment. But when they didn't show up after 5 minutes or so, I decided we would go about our walk and hope that the dog went on his own way.

However, the dog apparently thought a walk sounded like a splendid idea, so he joined us as we made our way down our usual route. He followed along nicely, deviating only to water a few bushes along the way. The dogs were doing so well together that I let Sonny off his leash in a large grassy area at the outskirts of our neighborhood. They sprinted around happily for awhile until I decided I better go find this dog's home before it became too late at night. I noticed he had a tag on his collar with a phone number so I gave it a try. It was the number to the Tacoma pet shelter and they were closed for the night. So, we went back home and I put Sonny in the house so I could head back out with this dog, hoping I would either run into that frantic owner or the dog would recognize familiar turf.

At this point in the story I should mention that I live in a master plan community with over 1000 homes. There was no chance I could make it to all those homes, or even all those streets, before midnight. But I gave it a solid effort. With this new companion strutting confidently off-leash next to me we hit the streets. We came across several people, but none claimed to recognize the dog. We began to head back toward home when I noticed a woman with 2 children walking toward me. For a moment I thought this might be that frantic owner, then quickly my hope dissipated as I could tell they were just out for an evening stroll. I asked them if they recognized the dog, to which they of course said no, but the dog must have thought they looked familiar because he took off after them (much to the horror of the mother). Figuring I was off the hook I continued toward home. But as I turned onto my block, the dog came flying around the corner, tongue waving, and proceeded to jump on me and give me ferocious kisses across my face.

If you are a dog lover like me then you know that this is where I realized I was going to be keeping this dog overnight. I took him through the side gate and let him roam the back yard while I slipped inside to let my wife know what was going on. She snuck a peak at him through the window and commented on how cute he was, then turned around and apparently sensing my strange bond with this beast said "you can't bring him in the house, you know". I did know, so the dog remained out back as we sat down and turned on the TV. But before we could even find a show to watch, the dog began howling. Not a cute, whimpery howl either. No, this was a full-on howl at the moon wolf cry. With neighbors close by at all sides, and the clock now reading 11:00 pm I decided that this would not be acceptable. I went out back and led the dog around to the front yard. I didn't want to release this poor dog to the wild where he could be hit by a car or be scared and attack someone, but I also didn't want to wake the neighbors or invite him in for a sleep over. So, I sat on the front porch with him for a few minutes and gave him a good ear scratch. The appreciative snorting sound was quickly followed by closed eyes and the next thing I knew the dog was fast asleep on my welcome mat.

I snuck inside, thinking I was home free. But soon the howling began again. We ignored him for 5-10 minutes and he eventually gave up. I didn't check to see if he had run off for fear that I would just make him start up the howling again. Instead I just went to bed.

I woke up this morning, assuming that since I hadn't been woken up to howling during the night that the dog had gone on its way. I went to the front door to check, and was both shocked and somewhat relieved that the dog was right where I had left him, curled up on the welcome mat. He immediately perked up, looking for more of the ear scratching that I had left him with the previous night. I laughed and gave him a quick scratch. Then I sat with him, drinking my coffee, until 8:00 rolled around so I could call back to the Tacoma Pet Shelter.

I reached the shelter and gave them the license number from the tag on his leash. They gave me the owner's name and number, and told me the dog's name was Cutter. I repeated the name and his ears perked up. I quickly hung up and dialed the number I'd been given. I reached a generic voice mailbox so I began leaving a message. Halfway through my message I noticed that I had an incoming call from that same number so I quickly finished my message and switched over. I answered and said hello several times, but all I could hear was some muffled noise and background voices. It was a pocket dial. I sent a text message to the same number, thinking maybe that would get their attention. Then I waited.

Several hours passed by. I sat anxiously in the back yard with Cutter, wondering what to do. Not wanting to turn him in to the local shelter, I decided to at least call down there to see if they could offer any suggestions. I got through to a man (whose name I wish I could remember because he really went the extra mile to help) and told him the story. He looked up the phone number I had been given for the owner but said they had no record of that number in their system. Then he decided to search online for the number and buried amid all the usual reverse phone lookup websites he found a business website with the number attached to it. He said there was one other person listed as a contact on the website and he gave me that number. That extra little bit of research changed Cutter's story dramatically.

I was now hot on the trail. The woman who answered when I called the new number was naturally confused and caught off guard by my rambling story, but when I mentioned the name of the registered owner and said I had her dog, she jumped to life. She remarked at how strange it was that the dog had gotten out since the owner had a fenced back yard. I asked her if she knew whether the woman lived in my neighborhood. She replied that she didn't really know the neighborhoods that well as she had just moved to Tacoma recently. I said, "well I'm not in Tacoma, I'm in Lacey." She said "Oh my!" then told me she would call the owner right away and give her my number.

A few minutes later my phone rang. When I answered, an excited voice identified herself and expressed how happy she was that I had found her dog. She explained to me that she and her two kids had adopted Cutter as a tiny puppy and bottle fed him. He was the family pet. Then, about 5 months ago Cutter was stolen from their back yard in Tacoma. She said her kids have been devastated ever since and that they were all convinced they would never see him again. I bit my lip, choked back a tear and asked her when she would like to meet to get him back. She said she couldn't meet me until after 5 when she was done with work but that she was so excited to bring him home.

In an odd way I was relieved to get to spend a few more hours with this dog. For whatever reason we had bonded and he had found safety in my presence. I loaded him in the car and headed out to get a stronger leash. He didn't mind the ride at all and sat alertly as my copilot. Part way through the ride he got fidgety though and decided the back seat had better views. I could hear him rustling around and when I turned to look back I saw him perched happily in my daughter's car seat. It was a fitting move for this gentle giant.

We made a brief stop at my office, where he layed on the floor and had a nap. Meanwhile, his owner called me back and said she was free to meet me now. We made arrangements to meet at 7:00. An hour quickly passed and I had to run out to show several condos to an interested buyer. I got Cutter out to the parking lot at my office and opened the passenger door for him. He hopped right in, but when I went around to the driver side he decided to jump over to my seat before I could get in. I opened the door and tried to bribe him into moving but apparently he felt like driving. I couldn't get him to budge. I decided to try the back door, thinking maybe he wanted to cruise in the car seat again. No luck. Finally, a client leaving my office came over and helped me coax him into the passenger seat long enough for me to hop in.

When I arrived at the condos for my showing appointment I barely was able to squeeze through my door without him joining me. I hadn't even made it to the lobby doors when the howling began. I apologized to the man I was meeting and explained to him the circumstances. He found it amusing, so we went about our tour of the building. When I came back out the howling had subsided but Cutter was now firmly planted in the driver seat. I got him out and took a stroll around the building, hoping to build enough trust that I could get him in the car without him thinking I was going to leave again. That didn't work too well as he refused to move beyond the driver seat again. Knowing I couldn't move him I decided to close the door. He looked perplexed at the swift change in the balance of power. I moved around to the passenger side and he took the bait, jumping clumsily into the back seat. While he struggled to regain his footing I rushed back around to the driver side and jumped into my seat. Acknowledging defeat, he perched his front paws on the center console and gave me a big wet kiss on my ear. I told him it was time to go home.

We headed to our meeting place and I found myself visualizing this storybook ending where Cutter comes running across a field, ears flapping, tongue and tail waving into the outstretched arms of his long lost family. While reality wasn't quite so romantic, it was clear that Cutter knew he was home. When we arrived at the meeting place and I opened the door, he quickly bounded out to greet his owner. After a big hug around the neck and some kind words from the owner he ran over and jumped into the back seat of her car, where I can only assume he promptly fell asleep and enjoyed his first happy dreams in quite some time.

While this chapter of Cutter's story has a happy ending, there are hundreds of pets each day that find themselves wandering down a strange road, not sure where home is. If one of them finds their way to your front porch, don't just ignore them and hope they go away. Take the time to help them find a safe place. You never know the circumstances of another's life so treat everyone with the kindness and respect they deserve. And perhaps most importantly, don't settle for being a passenger in life, take a play out of Cutter's book and insist on driving.

Don't let the late start to summer weather in Lacey WA fool you, summer events are right around the corner. In fact, Lacey Parks and Recreation Department kicks off their FREE summer entertainment schedule tomorrow night at Huntamer Park. So bring the blanket, the umbrella, the flip-flops, and sunglasses and come out to enjoy the opening night of the Children's Entertainment Series.

Singer/storyteller, Tim Noah, will be on stage at 6:30 p.m. ready to take the crowd on an adventure. His will be the opening performance of an ongoing series of children's entertainment at 6:30 on Tuesday nights. Also on the calendar for summer entertainment is the Lacey In Tune Summer Concert Series. Come hear the sounds of some of the finest bands the Northwest has to offer.

Then, starting in July, the park will transform into a movie theater for the Outdoor Cinema Series. Enjoy family classics like Toy Story 3, The Karate Kid, and Grease.

For a full schedule of the Children's Entertainment Series, Lacey In Tune Summer Concerts, and Movies in the Park please visit: Lacey Free Summer Entertainment Schedule

Park Lane in Lacey WA - A Community of New Homes

Park Lane in Lacey WA is a new community being built by Western Washington home builder, OakRidge Homes. Featuring beautifully landscaped grounds, sidewalks, nature trails and parks, Park Lane offers great amenities for an active lifestyle.

Located minutes from I-5 in the growing Hawks Prairie area, Park Lane in Lacey WA makes a convenient location for commuting to JBLM. It is also just far enough from the busy commercial district to offer peace, quiet, and an abundance of opportunities to enjoy nature. Park Lane is tucked in among the Hawks Prairie Golf Courses, saltwater beaches, and retirement community Jubilee.

Photos from Park Lane in Lacey WA

Quality Construction by OakRidge Homes

The homes at Park Lane in Lacey WA are built using high quality materials and an eye for detail. Large bedrooms, open concept living areas, and kitchens perfect for entertaining are among the features that have residents falling in love with these homes. The standard features here are enough to impress, but there are also some very attractive upgrades that can be easily and inexpensively added to make your new home look just the way you want it to.

Homes at Park Lane range in size from 1700-2400 square feet, with 3-4 bedrooms plus dens and bonus rooms in some models. All the models at Park Lane come with 2 full baths and a powder room half bath. Park Lane floor plans

Prices range from the low to mid $200,000's with buyer incentives being offered monthly. Check out the current inventory at Park Lane and get up-to-date pricing.

More information about Park Lane in Lacey WA

Easter Weekend in Olympia WA

Spring is in the air, and Olympia is coming to life! It has been a long and strange winter, with unpredictable weather, economic uncertainties, and a host of global crises dominating the headlines. But none of that matters this Easter weekend in Olympia WA.

This weekend, the focus around Olympia is on several wildly popular community events as well as a certain fuzzy-tailed character spreading candy filled eggs all over town.

Spring Arts Walk in Downtown Olympia

Spring Arts Walk in Olympia WA is a celebration of all forms of art. Local businesses in Downtown Olympia play host to some of finest local painters, musicians, sculptors, and more.

The Spring Arts Walk in Olympia is free to attend and there are over 100 participating venues along with countless impromptu street performances. There are performances, events, and displays open to the public from Friday night through Sunday afternoon (4/22-4/24).

Procession of the Species in Olympia WA

This one of a kind parade is a celebration of life and culture. People from all walks of life come together on the streets of downtown Olympia and dance their way through town wearing a colorful array of costumes. Everything from the sun, to earthworms, to aliens are represented in this hugely popular Olympia event. The Procession of the Species in Olympia kicks off Friday night with the luminary Procession at 9:30 p.m. then resumes on Saturday at 4:30 for the big Procession of the Species parade.

Easter Egg Hunts in Olympia WA

Lucky for the kids around town, Olympia has no shortage of Easter Egg Hunts to choose from. In fact, there is even one for the adults!

All over town both Saturday and Sunday, kids will be picking through lawns with their heads down and their baskets spilling over. There are a bunch of big Easter Egg hunts, but several local favorites draw the big crowds. Candy, toys, and prizes are at stake! Check out my list of the top Easter Egg Hunts in Olympia

Between these great events and the recent opening of the Olympia Farmers Market, it is a great weekend to live in Olympia! Get out and support local business and enjoy the festivities! I hope to see you out around town.

McAllister Park in Lacey WA - Real Estate Report

McAllister Park in Lacey WA offers some of the finest homes in the Lacey area. The neighborhood is perched atop a hill, offering beautiful territorial views. The homes of McAllister Park were built with the highest degree of craftsmanship and sit on comfortable lot sizes of 1/2 acre or more. Located minutes from the growing Hawks Prairie commercial district and I-5 access, McAllister Park strikes a perfect balance of convenience and comfort.

In 2009 and 2010, there were a combined 23 homes sold in McAllister Park. Prices for those sales ranged from $318,000 to $875,000. In terms of averages, the typical McAllister Park home sold for $450,952 and featured 3182 square feet of living space, a price per square foot of $144.72. As is the case in many higher end neighborhoods, the average time on the market for these home sales was slightly above normal market times for the area, coming in at 214 days.

As of this writing (3/25/11), there has only been 1 sale in McAllister Park in 2011. A 4,850 square foot beauty sold for a price of $595,000. However, there are some beautiful homes currently on the market to choose from!

Check out this list of currently available homes for sale in McAllister Park, Lacey WA

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Contact a real estate agent for McAllister Park in Lacey WA

Do people really read all those comments at the end of your blog post? In a word....ABSOLUTELY! That is half the fun of a good blog post. Think about your own web browsing behavior. If you read a well crafted, thought provoking article do you find your eyes being drawn to the comments to see how other people have responded to it? It seems only natural to want to see how other people have interpreted and reacted to the information being presented.

Our virtual world of today is driven by our social desires. We crave transparency and we are drawn to platforms that provide it. Facebook is built around comments and interaction. Twitter draws you in with the @mention feature. The blogging world of today is no different. Sure, we all have strong opinions about a variety of issues and it is fun just to have a platform to write down those thoughts. But the real attraction of blogging is to solicit a response from our reader and start a conversation.

The art of commenting is no less important than creating the content in the first place. By leaving a thought provoking comment, you have created an opportunity for yourself. You have shown your personality and character, opening the possibility of further interaction. You don't have to be a skilled writer to have success in the blogging world. People love to know they are being heard, and a thoughtful comment can flip the blog on its head. Instead of the blog post being a method of attracting new contacts for the blogger, it becomes a way for you, the commenter, to have people interested in you.

But what about negative comments? There will always be people who disagree with you, or who just like to be argumentative or negative. Rather than fight it by moderating comments or getting into a public slugfest on a comment thread, try taking the high road. Use that negative comment as an opportunity to let your true professionalism shine through. Each online interaction we have is a chance to show our character in an otherwise anonymous virtual world.

So, now that you have taken the time to read my thoughts on blog comments I'm curious to know your thoughts on a few things....

• What makes a good comment?

• Is there a place for moderation in comment threads or should you leave it totally open?

• Does a blog have to provide great content for you to want to read the comments and/or comment yourself?

Facebook Etiquette for Page Owners

Now that Facebook page owners have been granted the freedom to use Facebook as their page identity, I think it is a perfect time to have a quick discussion about Facebook etiquette for page owners. Since the changes were rolled out I've watched as my Facebook page turned from a fun social forum into a bulletin board style free-for-all. Page owners seem to be giddy over their new power and eager to spread their brand to other people's audiences. For some, the temptation to promote their brand on other pages is simply irresistable. Its just too easy to pass up.

Time to excercise some restraint people! Remember all that talk way back when Facebook was a new concept, about how you should treat it like a cocktail party? If you wouldn't walk into the room and say "I'm Joe Schmoe and I sell houses, do you or anyone you know plan on buying a house in the next 60-90 days?" then you shouldn't say it on Facebook. Especially not on someone else's page. Spam is a stinky meat (?) and you better believe people can smell it a mile away. Unless, of course, you are one of the gifted few that can get people to believe you are Nigerian Royalty looking for a modest American to look after your riches.

Some may argue that you can avoid having spammers on your page by changing the wall settings to only display posts by you. I don't feel good about that though, as I like to encourage interaction from my page's fans. If you share my philosophy then you may just have to deal with the fact that spammers will try to spread their stink on your page. So, rather than worry about how to moderate them, lets talk about a few tips to avoid becoming a spammer yourself:

DON'T: Post a link and tell people to come 'Like' your page on someone else's page.

DO: Post a link relevant to the conversation or focus of that page's audience.

DON'T: Attempt to sell your goods or services directly on someone else's page.

DO: Share your positive feedback about the goods or services offered by that page's owner.

DON'T: Leave irrelevant comments on posts on someone else's page just to promote your brand.

DO: Add value to the conversations unfolding on other pages.

DON'T: Ridicule, insult, or otherwise instigate drama on someone else's page.

DO: If you have something nice to say, say it. Otherwise remove fingers from keyboard and walk away. There are some arguments worth having, but when they are publicly visible remember to use discretion.

DON'T: Hijack a comment thread on someone else's page.

DO: Let the page owner moderate the comments on their own page.

Any Do's & Don'ts to add? Or perhaps some foreign investments you want me to hold in my account?

Today Facebook rolled out a new look for Pages that matches the recent changes to user profiles. However, for page owners the changes include some awesome new tools for your marketing toolbelt! Here is a look at the new Pages, with a few of the important changes highlighted:

The changes will fully go into effect on March 1st, but page owners can choose to upgrade to the new layout starting today. I highlighted several of the key features in the screenshot above, but I would encourage you to sign on and take the tour of the new features to see how you can put them to use in your business! Here is a look at the changes I highlighted in my screenshot:

Use Facebook as your Page

This is by far the most exciting change with the new Pages. This option allows you to navigate Facebook as your page, rather than your personal profile. This is a huge opportunity to earn "sweat equity" on Facebook. You can now visit other pages and comment on their posts as your page. Why is this important? You can gain easy exposure to your brand simply by participating on other relevant pages. You can imagine the added exposure you can earn for your page by adding this to your Facebook strategy! Be careful not to be too spammy though, or you will do more harm than good...

Customize your Photo Display

Like your profile, your page now features 5 photos at the top of the page. You can control which photos are featured by tagging your page in photos. I can see the potential for an easy "featured listings" display! I upgraded to the new page layout today and I'm running a contest for my fans to submit their best photos of the area, then I will hold a round of voting and feature the winning photos at the top of my page. This is yet another opportunity to engage your fans or promote your brand.

Feature Pages 'Liked' by your Page

If you are a Facebook addict and have multiple pages tied to your business or community, this is a great way to cross market your efforts. You can select which pages are featured on the side of your page so they experience a boost in exposure...for FREE! To do this, click on 'Edit Page', then select 'Featured' from the side menu, then choose the first option to 'Add Featured Likes'. You can feature any 3 pages that your page has 'Liked'.

Change the Category of your Page

You are still locked in to your page name, but now you can at least change the category your page fits in. The new Pages make it easy to do this when you click 'Edit Page'. Try out several categories until you find the one that best captures the information you want to share about your page.

The only thing I'm not as excited about is that any custom tabs are now not as prominently displayed. They are still easily accessible right under your profile photo, but they aren't quite as eye-catching as the old tabs above your wall.

Do you like the new layout to Facebook Pages?

Do you have any thoughts on how the changes will impact your Facebook strategy?

How to Expand Shortened URL's and Avoid Viruses and Scams

Have you ever noticed how most pickpockets hang out in busy urban areas? Well our Social Networks are the new urban areas, with scam artists lurking around every corner waiting to catch you distracted so they can rip you off. If you are savvy about your privacy online you can avoid a lot of these headaches. But for real estate agents and other professionals who rely on building new relationships we often have a tough time ignoring the scam artists because we fear we may be losing a possible lead. Sure, that mindset is a recipe for disaster, but that is a topic for another day.

For now we'll focus on how to determine if you should follow the link that someone just sent you, or if you should avoid it like the plague. If you're on Twitter you are probably familiar with strange URL's that look like jibberish. There are a number of services available to shorten your URLs for linking on Twitter, like bit.ly, tinyurl, and now even ActiveRain will shorten your blog post URL. Here is an example from my Twitter page of a shortened URL:

This was an automated tweet, generated by my Facebook page wall. The Facebook application for Twitter automatically shortens the link URL so you end up with the link above, http://fb.me/QNY8vtys . Now, if you are already a fan of my Facebook page or a follower of my Twitter page you probably wouldn't worry much about following the link. But if that same URL came to you in a direct message or an @mention from someone you don't really know, or just in the results of your search on Twitter then you might be hesitant to follow it.

Follow the wrong link and you can open yourself up to the worst scam artists the internet has to offer. Do yourself (and your computer) a favor and take steps to protect yourself from these malicious attacks disguised as harmless shortened URL's. Next time you are unsure about a shortened URL, try out a free service from LongURL.org . Just type or paste in the shortened URL, click expand, and see what that link is really all about.

You'll be able to see the full URL, the page title, site redirects, meta description, content type, and in some cases a screenshot. So the next time someone posts that irresistible message saying "hey Mike, is this really you in this video?" you can find out if the link will lead you to a good laugh or a nightmare of identity theft!