Time to Winterize Your Home

by MITCH DIETZ

Fall is definitely upon us and now is a great time to think about winterizing your home! From removing the outdoor hose, covering the spigots to having your furnace serviced, MSN has shared some great tips on what areas of your home to focus on in preparation for the colder months.

Visit their list of tips here at: http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13107899

Fall Back – Sunday, November 3rd

by MITCH DIETZ

Days are getting colder and our daylight is definitely growing shorter!

We have 4 more days until we have to set our clocks back one hour losing even more light. But look at it this way, we are now able to catch up on the hour of sleep we lost in March!

Don’t forget to Fall Back, Sunday, November 3^rd.

Halloween Decor Ideas

by MITCH DIETZ

Halloween is today! Whether you plan on spooky or fun decor, you can gather some great ideas from HGTV. The additional fun with some of these ideas is that they can carry beyond the trick or treating holiday into great fall decorations.

See the great suggestions for fun and easy Halloween decor  here at: http://www.hgtv.com/handmade/our-favorite-indoor-and-outdoor-halloween-decorating-ideas/pictures/index.html

Coldwell Banker National Video Contest Winner Announced

by MITCH DIETZ

Recently we shared that Coldwell Banker was hosting a video contest with a grand prize of $25,000. The contest was open to the public with either their children or pets giving a tour of their home or sharing what makes their home so great!

Here’s the creative video from the grand prize winner!

Local Pumpkin Patches

by MITCH DIETZ

With fall comes the fun of visiting local pumpkin patches! Thurston County has a great array of places to check out each with something a little different than the next. So round up those rubber boots and head out and enjoy our beautiful Pacific Northwest fall landscape, sip cider, ride some fun slides and take home the perfect pumpkin!

Here’s a sampling some of our local pumpkin patches:

Hunter Family Farm – 7413 Yelm Highway SE, Olympia, WA 98513

Hours: Daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through October 31st

360.456.0466

Schilter Family Farm – 141 Nisqually Cutoff Road SE, Olympia, WA 98513

Hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. through October 30th (Open on October 31st from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)

360.459.4023

Lattin’s Country Cider Mill and Farm – 9402 Rich Road SE, Olympia, WA 98501

Hours: Monday through Saturday – 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. / Sunday  9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

360.491.7328

Pigman’s Organic Produce Patch – 10633 Steilacoom Road SE, Olympia, WA 98513

Hours: Monday through Saturday – 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. / Sunday 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.

360.491.3276

Rutledge Corn Maze and Produce – 302 93rd Avenue SE, Tumwater, WA 98501

Hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. through October 31st

360.357.3700

Thinking of a Remodel? 10 Tips for Picking the Right Contractor

by MITCH DIETZ

We have been talking a lot about remodeling lately and the great loan program available to help you turn the “almost perfect” home into that which fits your needs. When you find the perfect location and the home that just needs your own personal stamp, remodeling could be the perfect way to achieve your goals.

If a remodel is on your horizon, the next step is finding the perfect contractor fit to perform the work. Our friends at Houzz.com shared a great article about the top “10 Questions to Ask Potential Contractors” providing some great guidance in finding the right contractor for your plans! Check out their tips below:

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/17538796/w/sid=1/list/10-Questions-to-Ask-Potential-Contractors

Contemporary Exterior

Boston Harbor Area History

by MITCH DIETZ

This past summer we held our company picnic at the Boston Harbor Marina. This spot is just perfect for enjoying the beauty of the outdoors of the Pacific Northwest.

The history of the conception of the Boston Harbor area is quite interesting. Dating back to their beginnings in 1860’s Boston Harbor was and has always been a popular, tight knit community with a rural feel, yet just minutes from downtown Olympia.

Our friends at Thurston Talk shared the in depth history of the Boston Harbor area. The rich story is full of interesting information about the backstory of how Boston Harbor came to be.

For the entire neighborhood story, you can read it here at:http://www.thurstontalk.com/2013/05/24/neighborhood-notes-boston-harbor-a-close-knit-community-with-a-long-storied-past/

Olympia Arts Walk this Weekend – October 4th and 5th

by MITCH DIETZ

Fall has arrived! Along with it comes a lot of great local activities. This weekend you can enjoy the Fall Arts Walk starting tomorrow, Friday October 4th and running through Saturday, October 5th.

“Come and celebrate the arts in our community! Experience visual and performing arts in over 100 businesses by hundreds of artists.”

Special features include hands-on family activities, demonstrations and street performances.

“For artists, art lovers and the art curious, this event is a wonderful opportunity to embrace the arts in all forms!”

For more information and to see the map for all the artists and performers check out the information at: http://olympiawa.gov/city-services/parks/community-events/artswalk.aspx and for great information from our friends at Thurston Talk visit: http://www.thurstontalk.com/2013/10/02/olympia-fall-arts-walk/.