http://www.smoca.org

Free tour every Thursday at 1:30

Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for students, Summer hours (May 26 through September 7) Closed Monday and Tuesday; – Wednesday 10am-8pm; Thursday 10am-5pm; Friday, Saturday and Sunday 12 noon – 5pm.

Fall and Winter Hours:  Closed Mondays; Tuesday and Wednesday 10am-8pm; Thursday 10am-5pm; Friday, Saturday and Sunday 12 noon  5pm

This is a must see when visiting Scottsdale, Arizona.  This is not your typical art museum filled with masterpieces from the past.  This is a unique museum displaying and questioning the present and future.  This is a hugh display of contemporary art works, creativity, expression and the world of innovation.  Just what can be done?  Take a look around at what is possible, it is on display here.  View the incredible designs and ideas and challenge your mind.  The museum offers a variety of classes and workshops led by very creative people of our time.  You can also visit the on site shop and purchase some very interesting gifts, art books and jewelry.

The main museum is in downtown phoenix and has 10 individual galleries.

Native People of the Southwest -  Signature Exhibit and ongoing

This exhibit includes Hopi Kachina dolls from both the Senator Barry Goldwater and Fred Harvey Company collections.  There is a video presentation, media room and on site artists demonstrating their abilities and exquisite and unique talent.

3/12/2011 through 5/13/2012 Attitudes of Prayer: Retha Walden Gambaro – An amazing sculptor who started her incredible career at age 52.  She is well known all along the East Coast.  This is her first exhibit in the Southwest.

4/2/2011 through 9/3/2012 The Art of Ceremony: American Indian Paintings of the 20^th Century.   Ceremonies are central to the lives of the American Indian and so well depicted in these vivid paintings.   There is a narrative by Dr. Ann Marshall educating us on the history of ceremonies.

4/2/2011 through 2/12/2012 Something Old, Something New: Nothing Borrowed: New additions acquired  by or donated to the Heard Museum.

7/11/2011 through 3/4/2012 More than Child’s Play – American Indian Dolls: Everyone loves dolls and these tell the amazing story of the Southwest American Indians.  Take your time and enjoy this journey back in time.

On going displays include:

Remembering our Indian School Days: The Boarding School Experience.  Did you know there was a time when  American Indians were required by the federal government to attend boarding schools?  These schools were hundreds of miles away from their homes, families and friends.

We Are!  Arizona’s First People:  Did you know Arizona has 21 federally recognized tribal communities?  All 21 are acknowledged throughout this exhibit and there is an audio presentation recorded by each of the 21 communities explaining their customs, histories and cultures.  There are hands on activities for the little ones to enjoy and participate in different cultures.

Every Picture Tells a Story:  This is an interactive exhibit.  You can participate in making your own hand crafted item or listen and enjoy the exhibit and rich history as discussed by different artists.

Around the World: the Heard Museum Collection:  These are exhibits from around the world including North and South America, and Africa.

History and Collections of the Heard Museum –

Arizona is so fortunate to have such an amazing center to display, memorialize and remember the history of the American Indian Culture with all of its beauty, art and wonderful handcrafts.

For those of you that are interested in reading the official notice that was issued by ADRE here it is. 

Disciplinary Actions-

Cease and Desist Order Issued-

The Arizona Department of Real Estate (ADRE) issued a Cease and Desist Order and a Notice of Right to Request Hearing on August 29, 2011 to L&R Maintenance LLC dba L&R Maintenance and Property Management, an unlicensed entity and Lynda Carol Williams, an unlicensed individual.  The Commissioner finds L&R and Williams are in violation of Arizona Revised Statutes and Arizona Administrative Codes.  L&R and Williams conducted real estate activities in Arizona without holding a license to do so,   in violation of A.R.S. §§32-2122 (B) and 32-2153 (B)(6).  A.R.S. § 32-2165 provides “a person who acts as a broker or salesperson within the meaning of Title 32, Chapter 20, or who advertises in a manner that indicates that the person is licensed as a broker or salesperson, without being licensed as  prescribed by this chapter is guilty of a class 6 felony.”  Pursuant to A.R.S. §32-2154, if it appears that any person has engaged, is engaging or is preparing to engage in any act, practice or transaction that constitutes a violation of Title 32, Chapter 20, the Department may issue an order directing any person to cease and desist from engaging in the act, practice or transaction or doing any act in furtherance of the act, to make restitution or to take appropriate affirmative action to correct the conditions resulting from the act, practice or transaction.

 It is ordered that L&R and Williams immediately cease and desist from engaging in any real estate activity, as defined by A.R.S. § 32-2101 et seq., as an individual, an employee, agent, officer, principal, or in any capacity whatsoever, directly or indirectly, within the State of Arizona, including but not limited to without first complying with all applicable laws and rules.

It is further ordered that this Cease and Desist Order shall be recorded in the offices of the Maricopa county Recorder within the State of Arizona.

The Pros.

1. Licensing: Arizona requires that a Property Managers be a Licensed Real Estate Entity with a Licensed Real Estate Broker to oversee the day to day operations of the business. You will come across companies offering homes for rent without proper Real Estate Licensing and without a Broker. These companies will tell you “We are not Property Managers, We are simply advertising the property for By Owner Vacation Properties.”  The Arizona Department of Real Estate Law Book defines that  a “Finger Pointer/Advertiser” must put the consumer in direct contact with the Owner/Landlord and or a Management Company and not act as a intermediary in the discussion or negotiations in price the procuring of a rental home on behalf of the owner. These companies are in violation of Arizona State Law.
2. Trust Account. Licensed Management Companies are required by the Arizona Department of Real Estate to maintain a Trust Account to hold the rental proceeds and security deposits. I would sleep better at night knowing my hard earned money is being held in the Trust Account of a licensed Broker rather then a company operating in the grey or a for Rent By Owner’s personal checking account.
3. Transparency. A Property manager will give you the physical address of the property you have rented and that address should be on your rental agreement. There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t be given this information up front. If anyone ever tells you a story why they don’t give out the address in advance you should be suspicious and proceed with caution. One excuse I’ve heard for not giving out the address is “This policy has become necessary because we have had guests arrive days or weeks before their scheduled arrival date disturbing the privacy and peaceful enjoyment of the current guests.” I’ve been in this business for over 10 years and I’ve never had that happen to me. I seriously doubt that this is such a out of control problem that a policy had to be implemented to cure the problem. The real reason behind this policy is bait and switch. Pay for one home and get another when you arrive.  This way you have no legal recourse for a refund should you not be happy with your “Bait and Switch” Rental.
4. Brand Name:A professionally licensed Property Management company will have spent a lot of time and effort into their Trade Name and the Broker for the company will be tied to that name.  These companies have a reputation to uphold and any official complaint of illegal activity that is found to have any merit will stay with that Broker for the rest of his life.
5. Staff: A Property Manager will have regular office hours with a team of qualified Rental Agents, Managing Broker, On Call Maintenance Staff, Professional Cleaning Staff and an Accounting department to oversee the Trust Account and the Operations Account. A Property Manager will always have an after hours emergency contact number that you can call for assistance.

The Cons:

1. Money: You just gave a large sum of money, months in advance of your reservation to a private owner or unlicensed company offering homes for rent. In this economy with the number of foreclosures on the market, businesses closing their doors every day and not to mention online schemers posing as For Rent By Owners. Who is watching out for you and protecting your best interest? I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night thinking about it.
2. Reputation: It would be very difficult to research a private owner online to see if they have a lot of complaints against them. Good luck trying to find anything about them if their name happens to be a really common name like John Smith. If you are unhappy with your rental what possible reason would a private owner have for trying to come to a favorable conclusion to the problem? They don’t have a trade name to protect, a manager to answer to or any official government licensing division that protects consumers. How could you escalate this to the next level if need be?
3. After Hours Maintenance and Emergencies. Who you gonna call when a pipe breaks at 2:00 am? Is the homeowner/landlord your only means of communication during a maintenance emergency? What if the owner/landlord is traveling or out of the country? Chances are if someone owns a vacation home they are also a busy professional dealing with the day to day demands from their own life’s and families. How fast are they going to respond to your maintenance emergency? Do they have back up accommodations for you should something happen to your rental home? Are you going to spend the day trying to find another property or spend the day trying to find a decent hotel/resort with vacancy?

I hope my Pros and Cons list didn’t come across as to Biased. I welcome any discussion you wish to have on the matter. My qualifications are over 10 years in the Vacation Rental Property Management Business. Chances are if it can happen I’ve been through it already. My email is info @ arizona lodging experts . com (take out all the spaces)

In the interest of full transperancy here are some useful links that you can use to do research on the company or owner of the vacation rental you are planning on renting.

ADRE: http://www.re.state.az.us/ Here you can look up Licensed Realtors, Brokers and Real Estate Entities. If there are any complaints against the Licensee you can find it here.

Arizona Corporation Commission: http://www.cc.state.az.us/ Here you can look up a Corporation or LLC and see if they are currently licensed and in good standing.

Maricopa County Assessor: http://mcassessor.maricopa.gov/assessor// Here you can look up Deeds, Tax Records, and other official Documents pertaining to Residential Real Estate.

Arizona Lodging Experts has the best and largest selection of homes, condos, and apartments throughout the valley. We have rentals in Scottsdale, Phoenix, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, and other locations. It is quick and easy for us to find exactly what you are looking for so you can enjoy your next rental in Arizona. We have an inventory from 1 bedroom condos to 6 bedroom estates and everything in between. You can find amenities like heated pools, hot tubs, golf course and mountain views, and much more. It really is easy to find a rental by calling Arizona Lodging Experts.

Arizona Lodging Experts is the premier Phoenix Rental Property Management company in Arizona. We value ourselves in having the best customer service and finest inventory of Arizona Vacation Rentals in the valley. We can update you on all the great activities and current events for you to enjoy in Arizona during your stay. Our staff is knowledgeable about the homes and we make it very easy for you to find the ideal rental vacation spot for you.

What many people don’t know is that in less than an hour from the Sonoran desert you can be in the mountains. Four Peaks can often times be seen from the Phoenix area with snow on its peaks since it stands over 8,000 feet above sea level.

Arizona is a diverse landscape with many lakes and streams.  It is partial home to one of the largest deserts in the world, but it also is home to one of the largest single stands of Ponderosa pine trees in North America.

Arizona is the home of the largest Indian reservation in the world, a lake with more coastline than California,

and a desert that sits below sea level. Arizona has 14 different tribes of Indians on 26 different reservations and 27 percent of its land is Native American reservation land. Arizona is the only state in the US where the tall Saguaro cactus grow.

Arizona has a forest of trees that were turned to stone.

When I go to Arizona I stay with Arizona Lodging Experts. With Arizona Lodging Experts, I can stay in a private, single family home that I select personally to fit my specific needs. They represent properties throughout the Valley of the Sun or within most of the 17 cities that make up the Phoenix metropolitan area. There just aren’t enough Phoenix Property Management Companies with the diversity of properties like Arizona Lodging Experts.

FYI: It is 85 today and windy, absolutely perfect….!

Call Spencer, Susan and Shea at Arizona Lodging Experts today.
602-404-2982
866-785-2350

The 6^th annual ASU Film Festival was going on April 24- April 26^th in Downtown Tempe. It was at the Harkins Valley Art Theatre and it was sold out for both nights. The event showcased the best short films by the students in the film department at ASU. There was a mix of dramas, comedies, and documentaries. The films were so creative and so professionally done. I attend the show every year because my son is a film student at the University. He won 1^st Place last year and 2^nd Place this year. I love seeing him and his friends winning all the awards at the festival. This is a group of young talented people who work hard and truly enjoy their craft.

It is always fun to go to Tempe for the event because the streets are overflowing with people everywhere and it is such a lively event. There are so many great restaurants on Mill Ave. to visit before and after the show. If you are enjoying a Vacation Rental in Scottsdale Arizona, you should certainly visit Tempe in the evening. It is such a bustling town with a lot of nightlife. The daytime is also packed with fun activities around Tempe Town Lake. It is a short drive from Scottsdale and a great addition to your Arizona vacation.

The weekend really started to shape up when my lovely wife Lolis came up with the idea to make homemade Fish Tacos on Saturday, so off we went to the grocery stores to get the ingredients we would need. We decide to go with 2 different types of fish, Tilapia and Cod, and we also decide to make our homemade Cole Slaw, which only seems to get better and better each time we make it.

In addition, Lolis made delicious homemade Chips, Salsa and Guacamole, and a Chipotle Mayonnaise, which wasn’t too spicy “even for a wimp like me”. My wife Lolis and Spencer both swear up and down that the tacos were pretty darn good, and they even told me we MUST add the recipe to our monthly gathering.

On Sunday, we headed off to Scottsdale to help our Compadre Spencer move his Tv stand from his old apartment to his new Pimp Bachelor Pad, then we had lunch at Zipps Bar & Grill on Camelback. It was a really nice weekend from beginning to end, if I do say so myself.

I was at a photo shoot recently for one of our newest  Scottsdale, Arizona Vacation Rentals. It was a beautiful evening at dusk and the home was on the Grayhawk Golf Course with fabulous views of the McDowell Mountains. The photographers were busy setting up their camera equipment in front on a nice residential street when a bobcat casually strolled by. He did not seem to care that there were people and homes all around. When you visit Arizona for a Scottsdale Arizona vacation keep in mind that there is wildlife all around, even in residential areas. I have seen many coyotes and Javelinas also. If you have small pets you will need to take precautions and make sure they are not outside alone. The Arizona wildlife is everywhere so we need to remember that they live here in our deserts with us and they were here long before us.