class Agent

#first try: define this instance method in here
 def get_sample_listings
    residentials.all(:order => 'RAND()', :limit => 3)
  end
end

# but, this of course gives me 3 residential listings regardless of whether they have
# photos or not (this is for displaying in the homepage so i dont want to display listings
# with a placeholder

#second try and this is where I thought of named_scope but not sure
# how to define it

# this is sort of what you suggested
# does not work because is never really residential_id, it can be
# flat_id or land_id

 def get_sample_listings
    residentials.all(:order => 'RAND()', :limit => 3, :conditions => ["photos_residential_id IS NOT NULL")
  end
end


# then i was trying to define a named scope in residential to be able to do
# something like

class Agent

  def get_sample_listingts
      residentials.with_photos.random
  end

end


# of course, residential is only one part of the class structure, I have 23 classes all up
# so simplifying this as much as i can was in order... only i'm stuck