When you are planning your next Arizona vacation is it best to use a property management company to secure your Arizona rental home? We think the answer is yes and it’s not just because we are in the business. Once you weigh the pros and cons the decision is easy to make.

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.

My wife and I had a wonderful Easter weekend, which included homemade Fish Tacos and a visit to Scottsdale to dine with our Compadre Spencer. Spencer is the manager at Arizona Lodging Experts, the best property management in Scottsdale, Phoenix and the surrounding area. Spencer offers seasonal rentals in Arizona in premier Arizona Home & Condo rentals, and has for over 12 years now. He is the AZ Expert!

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.

My wife and I went to Arizona Mills this past weekend and enjoyed a day of window shopping and lunch at Johnny Rockets, our favorite burger joint!

As we made our way around the mall, we came upon the Rainforest Café, which is described as a “Wild Place to Shop & Eat”.  We have had lunch at the Rainforest Café twice before and we love the tropical rainforest setting with indigenous creatures all around you, but the best feature in our opinion is the large fish tanks at the entrance and in the dining room. This is a great place to take the kids.

So the next time you are enjoying one of our premier Vacation Rentals in Ph0nix, AZ that you reserved through Arizona Lodging Experts, you can make plans to visit the Rainforest Café and have your own wonderful adventure. If you want to secure your own Scottsdale Arizona vacation, just call the experts at Arizona Lodging Experts at 602-404-2982 and 866-785-2350. They offer premier Arizona home rentals in many areas in the valley of the sun, including Phoenix and Scottsdale.

I love to cook for my beautiful wife Lolis whenever possible, and there are several reasons why. We save money overall by not going out to eat, plus I feel that I can “whip up” a pretty darn good meal when I get the cooking itch! Case in point: This past weekend when I made Spicy Pork Chops with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Coleslaw and Sweet Corn. Total cook time took about 2 ½ hours and everything turned out very, very good.

I started by cooking the pork chops, since they need to cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours at 325. This way they can cook slow and easy and come out tender as can be. In our large casserole dish, I added a little extra virgin olive oil and about a ½ inch layer of beef broth, so the chops don’t dry out during cooking. Then I mixed the spices for the pork chops, which included the following ingredients:

Black pepper
White pepper
Kosher salt
Chipotle powder
Chorizo powder
Garlic salt
Season all
Lawry’s season salt
Mrs. Dash lemon pepper
Ground Coriander seed
California chili powder
Cayenne
Paprika
New Mexico Chili Powder

Nothing too heavy, all in moderation and light on all salty spices, so the perfect balance. Cover every pork chops front and back with the great spice mixture and put in the oven for the first hour. Set the timer. Once the timer goes off, you want to take the chops out of the oven for a moment, grab a spoon and “spoon” some of the juice in the pan over the chops to marinade even more, then put back into the oven for another 30 minutes to an hour. Make sure your chops DO NOT dry out. You can add more beef broth if needed. At this point, you would begin the additional sides you intend to pair with your pork chops so everything it finished at the same time. Here are our finished pork chops that cooked for 2 hours at 325 degrees. Doesn’t that look good…?!

My goal is this. I am hoping that one day, maybe a rental guests who might be staying in a wonderful rental in Arizona provided by Arizona Lodging Experts, the premier property management in Phoenix, AZ, Scottsdale, and many other areas, might see my blog and try one of my meals and give me some feedback. I know my wife Lolis likes my cooking, and so do my sister Acacia, my niece Caitlin and my Papa Rick, but I am dying for some outside feedback, good or bad. That is my wish for 2011.

Spicey Pork Chops

Cooked To Perfection

Pork Chops, Coleslaw, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Corn

My wife and I had lunch with our good friend Spencer at the Thai House Restaurant in Mesa, Arizona, located on the N/E corner of Power & Southern. Spencer and Lolis have had Thai food before, so I was the “Thai Virgin” I guess. I know I can speak for all three of us when I say we have a wonderful meal and we would definitely recommend the Thai House to everyone we know. The portions were very generous, the taste was authentic Thai and the service was very good as well. The Mesa location was rather small with 5-6 tables and a small bar, but well worth the stop. You can have a sweet and savory meal made with coconut milk, or try a spicy meal from level 1 to 5 with some amazing Thai spices, “if you have the guts”.

For dessert, we do recommend that you try the delicious Fried Bananas, which we all found to be unique and tasty treat.

Below is a short video we made, so you could see how delicious everything was.

Thai House YouTube Video

If you find yourself staying in a wonderful rental home in Mesa, Arizona, you might want to try the Thai House during your stay. It will be a wonderful experience for your taste buds. The Thai House has 3 valley locations, so there might even be a Thai House close to you..!

If you need assistance finding lodging from experienced Scottsdale or Phoenix property management, contact Spencer, Susan and Shea at Arizona Lodging Experts at 602-404-2982 and 866-785-2350. They have over 20 years of personal experience combined offering premier Arizona Home Rentals and they are ready to assist you today!

The Barrett Jackson Collector Car Event takes place January 17-23, 2011 and

 takes place at West World in Scottsdale, AZ

You can watch live auction coverage on the SPEED Channel.

 Schedule of Events:  

Monday January 17, 2011  

8am         – Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

8am-3pm -  Cox Communications hosts Family Values Day

8am-3pm -  Entertainment provided by Radio Disney

10am       – The Tilted Kilt Patio opens

12pm-3pm – Appearance by Cox Communications on digital

7pm-11pm – Event Opener Gala *This Event Requires an Invitation

9pm-10:30pm – Fashion Show hosted by Dillards and makeup artist from CHANEL

 Tuesday January 18th, 2011  

8am-close -Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

10am – The Tilted Kilt Patio opens

9am-2pm Automobile Memorabilia Auction

2pm-close – Barrett Jackson Auto Auction

5pm – Auction for Twilight

5pm-10pm – Auction is live on the SPEED channel

7pm-9pm – Celebrity Fashion Walk Show

 Wednesday January 19th, 2011  

8am-close -Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

8:45-10am – Automobile Memorabilia Auction

10am-Close – Barrett – Jackson Car Auction

10am-12pm – Women who are into Speed panel

5pm – Twilight hours Auction

5pm-10pm Auction is shown live on the SPEED Channel

 Thursday January 20th, 2011  

8am-close -Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

10am – Tilted Kilt opens their patio

10am-11am – Corvette Seminar for the Sports Car market

8:45am-10am – Automobile memorabilia auction

10am-close – Barrett – Jackson Car auction

5pm – Twilight hours auction

5pm-10pm – Barrett Jackson Auto Auction shown live on SPEED channel

 Friday January 21st, 2011  

8am-close -Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

8:45am-10am – Automobile Memorabilia Auction

10am – Tilted Kilt opens their patio

10am-close – Barrett – Jackson Car auction

10am – Car polishing Seminar

11:30am – tips on restoring your classic car seminar

2pm – Dynacone wheel polishing seminar

3:30 – How to remove polishing swirls seminar

5pm – Twilight hours auction

12pm-11pm – Barrett Jackson Auto Auction shown live on SPEED channel

 Saturday January 22nd, 2011  

8am-close -Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

8:45am-10am – Automobile Memorabilia Auction

10am – Tilted Kilt opens their patio

10am-close – Barrett – Jackson Car auction

10am – Car polishing Seminar

11:30 am – How to restore headlights seminar

2pm – Dynacone wheel polishing seminar

3:30 – How to remove polishing swirls seminar

5pm – Twilight hours auction

12pm-11pm – Barrett Jackson Auto Auction shown live on SPEED channel

 Sunday January 23rd, 2011  

8am-close -Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

8:45am-10am – Automobile Memorabilia Auction

10am – Tilted Kilt opens their patio

10am-close – Barrett – Jackson Car auction

10am – How to remove polishing swirls seminar

12pm-4pm Barrett Jackson Auto Auction shown live on SPEED channel

If you like moderately priced Mexican food with a very family friendly atmosphere you should check out the Ajo Al’s which has four locations throughout the valley of the sun. “Ajo” in Spanish means garlic and that is what you will taste when eating at any of their restaurants. The salsas are blended with lots of garlic as well as chilies and cilantro.

     The atmosphere inside the restaurant is very warm and inviting without being obnoxious. You can choose from a comfy booth or a high top table in the bar area. The chips here are homemade and are very light and not too greasy. If you would like you can also sip on freshly made mango margaritas or choose from a large selection of Mexican beers. If you go to the Ajo Al’s located on 16th Street you even have the option of eating in the outdoor patio.

     Once you take your seat you will be greeted by a very friendly waiter or waitress that will treat you with the utmost respect and importance. If you are watching your carb intake the Salad Carbon is a wonderful option and it goes for around $9.00. What makes this salad so tasty is the ranch dressing with a jalapeno zip to it. If you are more in the mood for a spicy soup you would be very happy trying “Miguels Papa Chowder.” The soup is a mix of corn and potato that has been topped off with onions and jalapenos. This soup makes for a wonderful comfort food on those few chilly days we see in Phoenix. If you are really hungry you should try the “ugly enchilada” which features a mole sauce made with black beans and mixed up well with cheese and chicken and then smothered with a red sauce. It is not the prettiest presentation hence the name but the taste is out of this world. If you like coleslaw make sure you try the cilantro slaw which is a must have for those who love cilantro.

     The lunch menu has items ranging between $6-$10. They also have a kid’s menu that features many kids’ favorites like fries and burgers. As far as desserts there are not many but the ones they do have are delicious to the last bite. By far the best dessert option is the flan and the price is under $4. Be sure to order your own flan though because you will not want to share this yummy treat. Ajo Al’s also does delicious to-go platters for parties or events.

Locations:

7458 W. Bell Road., Glendale, AZ 85308 (623) 334-9899

5101 N. 16^th Street., Phoenix AZ 85016 (602) 222-9902

6990 E Shea Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85254 (480-998-1734

9393 N 90^th Street., Scottsdale, AZ 85258 (480) 860-2611 

I think there are many of us who are happy to put 2010 behind us. It was quite a year indeed. I have a good feeling about 2011 already, especially with such a strong start at work as our phone are ringing off the hook with calls from people who want to enjoy a vacation rental in Scottsdale, Arizona. That’s where we come in! We are Arizona Lodging Experts, and we manage over 50 premier properties in Arizona in all the top areas, like Phoenix, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Cave Creek. We have an experienced, knowledgeable staff ready to help you plan a wonderful Scottsdale Arizona vacation. We have been involved in Arizona home rentals for over 10 years now, so don’t waste time looking on your own, just call the experts today. If you want one of our Scottsdale rentals, or any other area in the valley that we might offer, we will do our best to find a great place for you to stay. “It’s what we do”!

We would like to remind all of our winter visitors that there are a ton of great activities and events to enjoy in town during your stay in a relaxing home rental in Arizona. Many people visit Arizona year-round due to the great weather, and many of these activities go hand in hand. You can enjoy the Insight Bowl and Fiesta Bowl, Barrett Jackson and the Arabian Horse Show, concerts and plays and so much more! They predict a warm winter for us, so we recommend you come and take full advantage of it. To begin, you need to contact the experts at Arizona Lodging Experts and find yourself a great property to rent. ALE (for short) offers Phoenix Arizona property management, rentals in Scottsdale, Phoenix, Goodyear, Anthem, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Mesa, Paradise Valley and Carefree. They excel in customer service and attention to detail to ensure you find a great property to rent. Call the experts today at 602-404-2982 and 866-785-2350.