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	<title>The Phoenix Real Estate Guy &#187; Reviews</title>
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		<title>The Best Bar in Scottsdale: Dirty Dogg Saloon</title>
		<link>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/the-best-bar-in-scottsdale-dirty-dogg-saloon/</link>
		<comments>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/the-best-bar-in-scottsdale-dirty-dogg-saloon/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:21:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jay Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Phoenix Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Scottsdale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things to do]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/?p=8394</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>The phone rings. Well, actually it is a text message. “We’re at the Dirty Dogg Saloon. You should be here, you’d love it. Best bar in Scottsdale.” What the heck, I don’t have anything better to do at 9:30pm. But when I think “Scottsdale bar” I think 50 year old women dressed like they wish [...]</p><p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a title="Dirty Dogg Saloon. The best bar in Scottsdale!" href="http://www.dirtydoggsaloon.com/" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Dirty-Dogg-Saloon" border="0" alt="Dirty-Dogg-Saloon" align="right" src="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Dirty-Dogg-Saloon.jpg" width="244" height="183" /></a>The phone rings. Well, actually it is a text message. “We’re at the <a title="A biker friendly, rock and roll bar in Scottsdale. The best bar in Scottsdale!" href="http://www.dirtydoggsaloon.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Dirty Dogg Saloon</strong></a>. You should be here, you’d love it. Best bar in Scottsdale.”</p>
<p>What the heck, I don’t have anything better to do at 9:30pm. But when I think “Scottsdale bar” I think 50 year old women dressed like they wish they were 25, high priced drinks and just general snobbery.&#160; Yeah I know that’s a stereotypical reaction, shame on me, but have you been to many Scottsdale bars lately?</p>
<p>As I pull into the parking lot, I’m looking at four Harley’s. Nice, “I want that bike!” Harley’s. So apparently this is not your typical Scottsdale bar.</p>
<p>Then I hear the rock and roll music.</p>
<p>A biker friendly rock and roll bar, in Scottsdale?</p>
<p>With poker on Monday nights, live music on Thursday and Sunday nights, and a good old fashioned wet t-shirt contest on Wednesdays? Seriously?</p>
<p>Maybe we aren’t really in Scottsdale any more. Perhaps somewhere along the drive up the 101 I was teleported to Nirvana?</p>
<p>Thinking the drink prices will snap me back to reality, I belly up to the bar. I’ve missed the <em>five hour long</em> daily happy hour with its ridiculously low prices, but am pleased as punch to see that the regular prices are very un-Scottsdale like.</p>
<p>Reasonable and affordable in other words.</p>
<p>Now I would be remiss if I didn’t report that the bartender was a rather attractive young lady wearing an outfit that were it priced based on the amount of material involved, the cost would rival the Dirty Dogg’s $2 special on PBRs. Hey, I am a VERY happily married man, but I’d still rather have an attractive woman and not some big fat sweaty guy serving up ice cold beers. She was also a great bartender. Friendly, but not “I’m going to kiss your ass for a bigger tip” friendly, and <em>efficient</em>.</p>
<p>Then I looked up and noticed bras hanging from the rafters. Yeah, bras. It seems the servers will occasionally go “Coyote Ugly” (as in the movie) and dance on the bar. And hang upside down from the rafters. And Hula Hoop. Upside down. Hula hooping standing upright isn’t easy, try doing it upside down… Apparently sometimes a customer will get adventurous and join the trained professionals. I suppose sometimes the amateurs will let those pros remove their bras, which are then hung from the rafters.</p>
<p>Right about now someone must be thinking, “What kind of place is this exactly?”</p>
<p>It’s all good clean fun. It’s not like anyone gets naked. I hear it can get a little rowdy sometimes, but what’s the harm in that? It gathers an eclectic crowd that is nothing like the stereotypical Scottsdale bar crowd. Real people, having real fun at a cool place that is affordable.</p>
<p>There’s a lot to be said for that.</p>
<p>Is it the best bar in Scottsdale? Well, that depends on what trips your trigger in bars. Of course I haven’t been to every bar in Scottsdale, but I can now stop looking for a “Jay kind of place” – I found it.</p>
<p>It’s probably a good thing it isn’t closer to my house. Else I’d be hanging out at the Dirty Dogg way too often… </p>
<p><strong>The Original Dirty Dogg Rock ‘n Roll Saloon     <br /></strong>Southeast corner of Shea &amp; Scottsdale Rd. (<a title="Map and hours for Dirty Dogg Saloon" href="http://www.dirtydoggsaloon.com/location.html" target="_blank">map</a>)    <br />Phone: 480-368-8095    <br />Mon – Fri 3:00pm – 2:00am    <br />Sat &amp; Sun 1:00pm – 2:00am    </p>
<ul class='related_post'>
<li><a href='http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/how-to-survive-a-phoenix-summer/' title='How to Survive a Phoenix Summer'>How to Survive a Phoenix Summer</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Buildium: A Killer Property Management Software Solution</title>
		<link>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/buildium-a-killer-property-management-software-solution/</link>
		<comments>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/buildium-a-killer-property-management-software-solution/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:59:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jay Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Real Estate Tech Stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Buildium]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[property management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Software]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/?p=8102</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>We’ve been searching for a online property management software solution, and we found it… Buildium. We (well, my lovely wife Francy) spend far too much time preparing owner statements, colleting rents, processing applications, etc. etc. etc. Enter Buildium. What can it do? How about: Maintain complete accounting records for each property Track tenants, association owners, [...]</p><p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a title="Property Management Software" href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=135164&amp;u=404179&amp;m=18498&amp;urllink=&amp;afftrack="><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Buildium-Logo" border="0" alt="Buildium-Logo" align="right" src="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Buildium-Logo.jpg" width="244" height="70" /></a>We’ve been searching for a online property management software solution, and we found it…</p>
<p><a title="Property Management Software" href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=135164&amp;u=404179&amp;m=18498&amp;urllink=&amp;afftrack=" target="_blank"><strong>Buildium</strong></a>.</p>
<p>We (well, my lovely wife Francy) spend far too much time preparing owner statements, colleting rents, processing applications, etc. etc. etc.</p>
<p>Enter Buildium. What can it do? How about:</p>
<ul>
<li>Maintain complete accounting records for each property </li>
<li>Track tenants, association owners, charges and payments </li>
<li>Run credit and background checks </li>
<li>Give property owners online access </li>
<li>Receive maintenance requests and generate work orders </li>
<li>Accept and issue electronic payments </li>
<li>Give residents online account access </li>
<li>Give online access to your property management team </li>
<li>Market and fill vacancies online </li>
<li>Generate reports </li>
<li>Generate 1099’s </li>
<li><a title="Property management software features" href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=404179&amp;b=135164&amp;m=18498&amp;afftrack=&amp;urllink=property%2Dmanagement%2Ebuildium%2Ecom%2FPM%2DFeatures%2Eshtml" target="_blank"><strong>And more… much more</strong></a> </li>
</ul>
<p>The interface is user friendly and intuitive. We managed to set up all our properties and tenants in just a couple of hours with zero training or even perusing the help files. (Buildium offers extensive training and help if you need it).</p>
<p>In a matter of hours we were able to process rental applications, market properties and collect electronic payments – all from the comfort of our internet connection.</p>
<p>Buildium sets up a semi-customizable website for you. Ours is at <a title="Phoenix area property management" href="http://thompsonspm.com" target="_blank">ThompsonsPM.com</a>, and from here both property owners and tenants can log in and make payments, request repairs, print reports, and view account balances. Prospective tenants can search for properties and fill out a rental application.</p>
<p>It’s all wrapped up in a tidy package, at very reasonable rates. </p>
<p><strong>Not a Property Management Company?</strong></p>
<p>If you own investment property and do your own property management, Buildium has you covered! Their <a title="Management software for landlords" href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=404179&amp;b=135164&amp;m=18498&amp;afftrack=&amp;urllink=landlord%2Ebuildium%2Ecom%2F" target="_blank">Landlord Edition</a> covers everything you need.</p>
<p>Heck, they even have a <a title="Management software for HOAs" href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=404179&amp;b=135164&amp;m=18498&amp;afftrack=&amp;urllink=association%2Dmanagement%2Ebuildium%2Ecom%2F" target="_blank">product for Home Owner Associations</a> (HOAs) too!</p>
<p><strong>Highly Recommended!</strong></p>
<p>It’s not often that I get all gushy over a piece of software, but put simply, <em>Buildium gets it</em>. They have managed to tie together a huge variety of functions into one fully integrated package that will solve all your property management woes. It’s easy, it’s cheap, and it works. </p>
<p><a title="Property Management Software by Buildium. TPREG recommended!" href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=135164&amp;u=404179&amp;m=18498&amp;urllink=&amp;afftrack=" target="_blank"><strong>Check out Buildium</strong></a>, you won’t regret it. They have a free 15 day trial – no credit card, no obligation, no nothing. I suspect if you give it a chance and take a few minutes to explore the wide set of features and functions, that you will see how using Buildium can simplify your life and take your property management business to the next level.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><strong>Disclosure</strong>: This post contains affiliate links. We get a small pittance if anyone purchases the product via these links. If you’d rather that not happen, feel free to sidestep that here –&gt; <a title="Property Management Software by Buildium" href="http://www.buildium.com" target="_blank">Property Management Software</a>. I’m not posting this for the affiliate links, I’m posting it because this software WORKS, and I know for a fact there are people out there looking for a solution. Well, you’ve just found it.</p>
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</ul>
<p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Flancer&#8217;s Cafe: A slice of heaven in Gilbert</title>
		<link>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/flancers-cafe-a-slice-of-heaven-in-gilbert/</link>
		<comments>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/flancers-cafe-a-slice-of-heaven-in-gilbert/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:49:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jay Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flancer's]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gilbert]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restaurants]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/?p=5601</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Every time I go to Flancer’s Café a little tear of joy escapes my eye and rolls down my cheek. Last night was no different. The menu is extensive, and I always like to try something different. My goal in life is to eat every item on the menu once, and then start over again. [...]</p><p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Flancers-filet-mignon-sandwich-sm.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-top: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="Flancers-filet-mignon-sandwich-sm" src="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Flancers-filet-mignon-sandwich-sm_thumb.jpg" alt="Flancers-filet-mignon-sandwich-sm" width="244" height="184" align="right" border="0" /></a>Every time I go to Flancer’s Café a little tear of joy escapes my eye and rolls down my cheek.</p>
<p>Last night was no different.</p>
<p>The menu is extensive, and I always like to try something different. My goal in life is to eat every item on the <a title="Flancers Cafe menu" href="http://www.flancers.com/page.asp?homeID=39" target="_blank">menu</a> once, and then start over again. My lovely bride is different, she can’t seem to tear herself away from <strong>The Perfect </strong>“<strong>Prickly</strong>” <strong>Pear &#8212; </strong>Prickly pear marinated chicken breast with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise<br />
&amp; melted provolone (Francy likes to substitute with the green chile mayonnaise).</p>
<p>Last night I had the culinary delight you see in the photo to your right. That would be the <strong>We Must Meat, </strong><strong>I Ain</strong>’<strong>t Lion</strong> sandwich. It is “<strong></strong>Filet Mignon with gorgonzola cheese, chipotle mayonnaise &amp; caramelized onions with lettuce &amp; tomato”. For my side I chose the Jalapeño &amp; Cheddar Mashed Potato Pie.</p>
<p>It was a gastronomic delicacy fit for the royal family (I guaran-damn-tee you the Queen would go ape over this thing) . The steak was tender, flavorful and cubed into perfect bite size chunks of goodness. <em>Just</em> the right amount of gorgonzola, veggies that tasted like they were picked 10 minutes ago and the bread. Oh the bread. They make it there fresh. They may lace it with some highly addictive substance. It’s insane.</p>
<p>Service is always, without fail, spectacular. Food, spectacular. Heck, they even play good background music.</p>
<p>In addition to the regular menu, there is always a special. If you happen to go there when they are serving the Greanie Meanie, get it. Trust me. It is a  7 pepper rubbed pork tenderloin, red onions, roasted poblano chiles, and marinated in red wine, then grilled w/lettuce, tomato &amp; chipotle mayo. I just saw on their <a title="Flancer's Cafe Facebook Page" href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/flancerscafe" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> that I missed the “GM” by<em> two days</em>. I’m ready to put a bullet in my head. And step up my campaign to get that beast on the regular menu.</p>
<p>I’m hungry now. May just have to do a Flancer’s lunch…</p>
<p>Flancer’s is family owned and operated. I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Flancer the morning a bunch of folks set up the <a title="Info and video of Tempe's 9-11 Healing Field Memorial" href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/the-september-11-healing-field-in-tempe-please-never-forget/" target="_blank">9/11 Healing Field in Tempe</a>. Super nice guy that does a lot for the community. In addition to the Gilbert location, they also have a Café in Mesa.</p>
<p>Go. Eat. Enjoy. You will not be disappointed.</p>
<p><strong>Flancer’s Café<br />
</strong>Gilbert – 610 N. Gilbert Rd. (1/4 mile south of Guadalupe)<br />
Mesa – 1902 N. Higley Rd. (SW corner of Highley &amp; McKellips)<br />
<a href="http://www.Flancers.com">www.Flancers.com</a>
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<p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Trophy’s Steakhouse: A Slice of Heaven in Queen Creek</title>
		<link>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/trophys-steakhouse-a-slice-of-heaven-in-queen-creek/</link>
		<comments>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/trophys-steakhouse-a-slice-of-heaven-in-queen-creek/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:52:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jay Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Phoenix Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restaurants]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/?p=3661</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Two days ago, my lovely bride and I were looking for a new place to eat on “date night”. So we scoured Yelp and Restaurant.com (more on that gem later) looking . . .</p><p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/TrophysSteakhouse.jpg"><img title="TrophysSteakhouse" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="404" alt="TrophysSteakhouse" src="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/TrophysSteakhouse_thumb.jpg" width="604" border="0" /></a></div>
</p>
<p>Two days ago, my lovely bride and I were looking for a new place to eat on “date night”. So we scoured Yelp and Restaurant.com (more on that gem later) looking specifically for a good steak house.</p>
<p>I wasn’t expecting to find a world class steak house in Queen Creek, Arizona.</p>
<p>But find it we did.</p>
<p>I am a “meat and taters” kind of guy. Much to my cardiologists dismay, I’d eat a medium rare slice of beef at every meal. Steak, prime rib, burgers, you name it. If it moo’s, I’ll consume it.</p>
<p>Enter <a href="http://www.trophyssteakhouse.com" target="_blank">Trophy’s Steak House</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/PolarBear.jpg"><img title="Polar Bear" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="165" alt="Polar Bear" src="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/PolarBear_thumb.jpg" width="244" align="right" border="0" /></a> The first thing you’ll notice upon entering Trophy’s is the rather extensive display of big game animals. Not LIVE big game animals of course, but stuffed ones. Including but not limited to a full size polar bear. </p>
<p>Turns out one of Trophy’s owners, Kevin Dettler, is a big time big game hunter. The “North American 29” is on display at Trophy’s. All were taken by Kevin with the same .300 Weatherby rifle over a 16 year period. The “North American 29” are the 29 big game animals recognized by the Safari Club International (SCI). Of more than 200,000 SCI members, less than 120 have taken and registered the North American 29. I suspect it cost a small fortune to hunt for all of these animals.</p>
<p>This restaurant is not one for PETA lovers.</p>
<p>But if you want a world-class steak, with <em>outstanding</em> service, go to Trophy’s. I went in with my mind set on either a filet or ribeye but when we saw they served up 16 ounce slabs of prime rib on the weekends, that’s what we had (Francy opted for a smaller cut).</p>
<p>Perfectly cooked and seasoned, it was a culinary delight. There was a perfect side of snap peas and a baked potato too, and the soup was fabulous, but the prime rib was the main player, and it was to die for.</p>
<p>The guy sitting across from me had a ribeye as big as my head and it looked amazing.</p>
<p>Prices are very reasonable. Not cheap, but very fair for the cut and quality of beef they serve.</p>
<p>And here is where <a href="http://restaurant.com" target="_blank">restaurant.com</a> comes into play. Go there, and you can buy a $25 gift certificate for $10. But wait! Join restaurant.com (it&#8217;s free) and they will email you discount codes for gift certificates. Our current discount code was 80% off. So we got a $25 certificate for $2. Yes, two bucks. And Trophy’s is one of hundreds of participating restaurant.com restaurants. (There are 122 within 15 miles of my zip code). Thanks to <a href="http://www.speakingofphoenixrealestate.com/" target="_blank">Shar Rundio</a> for the restaurant.com tip!</p>
<h2>Trust Me</h2>
<p>Believe me. If you are a steak lover, you won’t be disappointed at Trophy’s Steak House.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.trophyssteakhouse.com/" target="_blank">Trophy’s Steak House</a>    <br />7215 S Power Rd (NE corner of Power &amp; Rittenhouse near LA Fitness)&#160; <br />Building B Suite 107    <br />Queen Creek, AZ&#160; 85242    <br />480-840-3981    </p>
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<p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Escape from Cubicle Nation: The Book</title>
		<link>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/escape-from-cubicle-nation-the-book/</link>
		<comments>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/escape-from-cubicle-nation-the-book/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:38:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jay Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/?p=2200</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Escape from Cubicle Nation - Book review. In short, buy it. Pamela Slim knows of what she speaks, and she delivers it in a language that is fun to read. </p><p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><font size="1"><strong>Disclosure:</strong> I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book and consider the author a personal friend. However, none of that prevents me from giving my honest impression in this review. If I think the book sucks, I’ll say it sucks.</font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591842573?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=thompsonsreal-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1591842573"><img title="EFCNcover[10]" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; border-right-width: 0px" height="243" alt="EFCNcover[10]" src="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/efcncover10.jpg" width="164" align="right" border="0" /></a>Pamela Slim’s book, <em>Escape from Cubicle Nation</em>, hits the bookstores <strong>today</strong>.</p>
<p>If you have <em>any</em> interest in entrepreneurship, running your own business, or life in general then I suggest you get thee to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591842573?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=thompsonsreal-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1591842573">Amazon</a><img style="margin: 0px; border-top-style: none! important; border-right-style: none! important; border-left-style: none! important; border-bottom-style: none! important" height="1" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thompsonsreal-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1591842573" width="1" border="0" /> post haste and secure yourself a copy.</p>
<p>I’ve enjoyed <a href="http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/the-book-is-here/" target="_blank">Pam’s blog</a> for the past couple of years. Her “voice” is fresh, funny, and down to earth. I expected nothing less in her book, and was not disappointed.</p>
<p>Having been held captive in the Cubicle Nation myself for 20 some-odd years, I can always relate to the advice Pam doles out. <em>Escape from Cubicle Nation</em> is a great read and is chocked full of sage wisdom. One does not have to be a corporate prisoner or a budding entrepreneur to get something of value from this book. Several times I found myself saying, “Huh, I need to do that” or “Great idea!”. </p>
<p>I’ve read upwards of half a bazillion books on business, leadership, and entrepreneurship and can honestly say that <em>Escape from Cubicle Nation</em> is one of the best. Let’s face it, business books can be mind-numbingly boring. Not so with EfCN.</p>
<p>For you real estate mavens out there, don’t think that this book won’t apply to you. It’s not just a primer on how to leave corporate America. It’s also about things you can do to make your existing business better, stronger, faster. There are real life examples from real life people. One thing I particularly enjoyed was the discussion of the emotional aspects of venturing off on your own. This is a <em>huge</em> part of running a business and is often glossed over, if discussed at all. Trust me, much of what Pam writes has direct application to real estate – and <em>any</em> business.</p>
<p>Written in a style that will make you smile, nod your head and think, <em>Escape from Cubicle Nation</em> is a must read for anyone remotely interested in improving and building upon their entrepreneurial endeavors. </p>
<p>Congratulations Pam. I know how much effort you put into this, and it shows. I wish you ridiculous success with it. (And the new blog redesign is fabulous. Welcome to WordPress and <a href="http://diythemes.com/?a_aid=phoenixreguy" target="_blank">Thesis</a>!)</p>
<ul class='related_post'>
<li></li>
</ul>
<p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Book Review: How to Buy Your First Home (2nd Edition)</title>
		<link>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/book-review-how-to-buy-your-first-home-2nd-edition/</link>
		<comments>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/book-review-how-to-buy-your-first-home-2nd-edition/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:16:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jay Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Buying Real Estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[buying]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[selling]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/book-review-how-to-buy-your-first-home-2nd-edition/1094</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Disclosure: This is not a paid review. I was provided a complimentary copy from the publisher but under no obligation to write a review. How to Buy Your First Home, 2E&#160;by&#160;Diana Brodman Summers covers a lot of ground in 174 pages (plus 113 additional pages&#160;including a glossary and several informative appendixes).&#160; The book is well [...]</p><p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><font color="#0066cc"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Your-First-Home-Second/dp/1572484977/ref=sr_11_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1214791577&amp;sr=11-1" target="_blank"><img alt="HowToBuyYouFirstHome" hspace="5" src="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/blogimageshowtobuyyoufirsthome.gif" align="left" border="0" /></font></a>Disclosure: This is <em>not</em> a paid review. I was provided a complimentary copy from the publisher but under no obligation to write a review.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sphinxlegal.com/products/Real-Estate/Buying/How-to-Buy-Your-First-Home-2E.html" target="_blank">How to Buy Your First Home, 2E</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;Diana Brodman Summers covers a lot of ground in 174 pages (plus 113 additional pages&nbsp;including a glossary and several informative appendixes).&nbsp;</p>
<p>The book is well written and broken into a logical sequence of sections that include:</p>
<p dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">Preliminaries<br />Searching for Your Home<br />Finances<br />The Buying Process<br />The Future</p>
<p>Each section includes several chapters written in easy to understand language. Scattered throughout the text are &ldquo;Attorney Tip&rdquo; boxes and &ldquo;Click On This&rdquo; sidebars with URLs for pertinent web sites &mdash;both of which should be helpful to first time home buyers.</p>
<p>The Glossary is extensive and very well done, almost worth the cost of the book on its own.</p>
<p>I&rsquo;d be remiss in not pointing out one flaw in the book. Granted, I am a real estate broker and may be biased, but this statement by Summers struck me as being very poor advice: </p>
<blockquote><p>Never let your real estate agent know that you are willing to go higher in an offer for a home. The higher the selling price, the more commission they make. While it is not ethical, your real estate agent may be tempted to tell the sellers that you are willing to pay more.</p></blockquote>
<p>If you can&rsquo;t trust your real estate agent, you are working with the wrong agent. To withhold any information from them out of fear they will utilize that to gain a few extra dollars is&nbsp;not a good idea. Better to do your due diligence up front in selecting the right agent,&nbsp;and work with your agent openly and honestly in all aspects of the transaction. The vast majority of agents have their clients best interests in mind. Given typical commissions and&nbsp;brokerage splits, your agent might&nbsp;make an&nbsp;extra $240 if you pay $10,000 more. The agent that sacrifices a potential future client (along with their family and friends) for that kind of money is&nbsp;the agent that likely won&rsquo;t be in business&nbsp;very long.&nbsp; </p>
<p>That aside, <em>How To Buy Your First Home</em> contains a&nbsp;great deal&nbsp;of sound information and advice for the first time home buyer.</p>
<p>See the <a href="http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&amp;id=mmQMd2pNnGkC&amp;dq=Diana+Brodman+Summers&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;source=web&amp;ots=nwQvmPL30W&amp;sig=53A1hSoQR7EtK3uA-45kS9j4Ir0&amp;sa=X&amp;oi=book_result&amp;resnum=6&amp;ct=result#PPP1,M1" target="_blank">Google Book Search</a> for full table of contents, index, and samples from most chapters.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Book Review: Retire Rich from Real Estate</title>
		<link>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/book-review-retire-rich-from-real-estate/</link>
		<comments>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/book-review-retire-rich-from-real-estate/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:34:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jay Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[buying]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/book-review-retire-rich-from-real-estate/854</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Full disclosure: This is not a paid review. The publisher did provide a complimentary copy of the book, but with no obligation to review &#8212; good, bad or otherwise.. Retire Rich from Real Estate: A Low-Risk Approach to Buying Rental Property for the Long-Term Investor. (Amazon non-affiliate link) That&#8217;s a mouthful of a title, and [...]</p><p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><font color="#0066cc"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Retire-Rich-Real-Estate-Andersen/dp/1572486465/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1206914517&amp;sr=1-1"><img alt="Retirerich" src="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/blogimagesretirerich.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a></font>Full disclosure: This is <em>not</em> a paid review. The publisher did provide a complimentary copy of the book, but with no obligation to review &mdash; good, bad or otherwise..</p>
<p><strong>Retire Rich from Real Estate: A Low-Risk Approach to Buying Rental Property for the Long-Term Investor.</strong> (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Retire-Rich-Real-Estate-Andersen/dp/1572486465" target="_blank">Amazon non-affiliate link</a>)</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s a mouthful of a title, and covers a <em>lot</em> of territory.</p>
<p>And the author, Marc W. Andersen, Ph.D. does an admirable job covering that territory.<br />Retire Rich is well-written, and loaded with knowledge and tips, particularly for newer real estate investors.</p>
<p>Thankfully, Andersen does not propose any &ldquo;get-rich-quick&rdquo;, no money down, &ldquo;anyone can do it&rdquo; type of advice. His &ldquo;formula&rdquo; is a long-term investment return, not quick flipping.</p>
<p>And that&rsquo;s sage advice in my opinion.</p>
<p>The book is well indexed, and has a great glossary &mdash; that alone is worth the price of admission.</p>
<p>Andersen writes in an easy to understand voice, and covers a lot of ground including (but not limited to):</p>
<ul>
<li>To buy or not to buy</li>
<li>Identifying potential long-term investment properties</li>
<li>Finding properties</li>
<li>Determining operating expenses and cash flow</li>
<li>Valuing and financing investment properties</li>
<li>Property management</li>
<li>Insurance and taxes</li>
<li>Bookkeeping</li>
<li>Selling the property</li>
</ul>
<p>As a long-time buyer and seller of investment property, Andersen appears to be in a good position to offer advice, and includes many actual examples from his real estate investments. He&rsquo;s got the right attitude toward real estate investing&hellip;</p>
<p>From the Introduction:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Creating wealth from real estate is a long-term proposition and the road is long and treacherous. It is not realistic to think you can make your fortune overnight.Once you make the right purchase you must learn how to hold on to and effectively manage your property.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The book has been reviewed on several <a href="http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/book-review-retire-rich-from-real-estate.htm" target="_blank">real</a> <a href="http://homebuying.about.com/od/realestatebooks/qt/012208_RtreRich.htm" target="_blank">estate</a> <a href="http://www.thickenmywallet.com/blog/wp/2008/01/30/book-reviewretire-rich-from-real-estate/" target="_blank">investing</a> <a href="http://www.landlord-success.com/real-estate-investing/book-review-retire-rich-from-real-estate" target="_blank">blogs</a> and every review I&rsquo;ve seen has been positive.</p>
<p>My only beef with the book is the author&rsquo;s opinion that most listing agents are&nbsp;out to double-side transactions. As an agent who abhors dual agency,&nbsp;I find that annoying. However, the sad fact is&nbsp;Andersen isn&rsquo;t just saying this on a whim &mdash; he undoubtedly has experience in seeing this practice first-hand. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Well-written and reading more like a handbook&nbsp;to long-term real estate investing success than a gimmicky approach, <em>Retire Rich from Real Estate</em> would be a great book for anyone involved in the real estate market to add to their library.</p>
<p><em>Retire Rich from Real Estate: A Low-Risk Approach to Buying Rental Property for the Long-Term Investor</em><br />Marc W. Andersen, Ph.D.<br />Published: December 2007<br />ISBN: 978&ndash;1&ndash;57248&ndash;646&ndash;1<br />$18.95 U.S. / $24.95 CAN&nbsp;<br />($11.03 on Amazon)&nbsp;</p>
<p>.</p>
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<p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Review: Real Estate Alley &#8212; A Real Estate Investing Forum</title>
		<link>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/review-real-estate-alley-a-real-estate-investing-forum/</link>
		<comments>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/review-real-estate-alley-a-real-estate-investing-forum/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Oct 2007 02:24:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jay Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[short sale]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/review-real-estate-alley-a-real-estate-investing-forum/538</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Disclosure: The following is a commercial post Real estate investing &#8212; despite the market downturn, folks are still jumping on the bandwagon. Given that there are some fabulous deals to be had out there, that may not be such a bad idea. But jumping into real estate investing without knowing what you are doing can [...]</p><p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Disclosure: The following is a commercial post
<p><a href="http://realestatealley.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/Real%20Estate%20Investing%20Alley%20Logo.jpg" border="0" alt="Real Estate Investing" title="Real Estate Investing" width="218" height="94" align="left" /></a><a href="http://realestatealley.com/" target="_blank">Real estate investing</a> &#8212; despite the market downturn, folks are still jumping on the bandwagon. Given that there are some fabulous deals to be had out there, that may not be such a bad idea. But jumping into real estate investing without knowing what you are doing can be a recipe for disaster.</p>
<p><a href="http://realestatealley.com/" target="_blank">Real Estate Alley</a> is a new real estate investing forum. Their &quot;tag line&quot; is &quot;Learn real estate investing&quot;. Running on the latest version of vBulletin, the forum is clean and fast. Categories include: Real Estate Investing, Foreclosures, Rehabbing, Short Sales and Rental Properties. A nice coverage of the big investing topics without crowding the forum as many new forums are inclined to do. </p>
<p>The forum is new, with the oldest posts dated around August 18. There are currently 75 registered users &#8212; not a bad number for a new forum in a crowded field. The forum posts are a little sparse &#8212; 36 threads containing 98 posts, but that is to be expected. </p>
<p>Some of the users are obviously brand new to real estate investing, but there were many solid answers to newbie questions by what appear to be seasoned investors.&nbsp; I saw no signs of &quot;flaming&quot; or derogatory comments toward rookie investors &#8212; a great sign for a forum that proposes to help people learn real estate investing. In many of the larger, more established investing forums, it is often difficult for new members or those less knowledgeable to break into the forum and feel comfortable posting. Not so at Real Estate Alley.</p>
<p>The vast majority of Internet forums die a slow death. New real estate investing forums are up against some very large, and very well established forums such as Biggerpockets.com, REIClub.com and CREOnline (though its format is just awful to navigate).&nbsp; This is going to make it difficult for Real Estate Alley to get a foothold and grow, but if you want to get in on a friendly forum in the beginning stage &#8212; whether to learn or to help &#8212; then Real Estate Alley could be one possibility.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>[tags]Real Estate Alley, real estate investing, real estate forum[/tags]&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Review: A Complete Guide to FHA Loans</title>
		<link>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/review-a-complete-guide-to-fha-loans/</link>
		<comments>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/review-a-complete-guide-to-fha-loans/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 Jun 2007 05:16:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jay Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/review-a-complete-guide-to-fha-loans/377</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Disclosure: The following is a sponsored review. It is not a site/product endorsement. FHA information is a handy thing to have. Though often maligned, the FHA loan program has for decades helped many people purchase a home. With the recent sub-prime collapse, FHA loans may be seeing a surge in use, and with that comes [...]</p><p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Disclosure</strong>: The following is a sponsored review. It is not a site/product endorsement.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://fha.mortgageloanplace.com/fhaguide.html" target="_blank">FHA information</a></strong> is a handy thing to have. Though often maligned, the FHA loan program has for decades helped many people purchase a home. With the recent sub-prime collapse, FHA loans may be seeing a surge in use, and with that comes a need for consumer related information.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Mortgage Loan Place offers a free 20 page guide titled, &quot;<strong><a href="http://fha.mortgageloanplace.com/servepdf.php" target="_blank">A Complete Guide to FHA Loans</a></strong>&quot; (PDF download). Anything that has &quot;Complete&quot; in the title will cause me to raise an eyebrow. I&#39;m on the retentive side, and &quot;complete&quot; to me means COMPLETE. And really, by definition, a &quot;guide&quot; can hardly ever truly be deemed complete.</p>
<p>That said, this guide is well structured and contains a significant amount of information for the real estate consumer considering financing options, including <strong><a href="http://www.mortgageloanplace.com" target="_blank">FHA refinance</a></strong> loans.&nbsp;</p>
<p>As a guide of this sort should have, it contains sections on the whats, whys and hows of FHA loans. It even delves into various types of loan products such as option ARMs, interest only loans and fixed rates. A nice addition are sections on possible changes to the FHA program, HUD owned homes and the HUD &quot;Good Neighbor Next Door&quot; Program. The guide is well written, at a basic level that is easily understood by non-real estate professionals &#8212; it&#39;s obvious intended target.</p>
<p>One thing I appreciate about the guide is that clearly it is not a platform for shameless self-promotion by the Mortgage Loan Place. There is no, &quot;use us for your FHA loans, we&#39;re the obvious choice&quot; type of stuff. In fact, they encourage people to speak with different lenders. Other than non-intrusive &quot;Mortgage Loan Place&quot; text in the page footers, there is no other mention of the author/sponsor &#8212; not even a contact number or embedded link. It&#39;s pretty darn transparent information.</p>
<p>I really only have two points of minor criticism: 1) the document is not dated. Perhaps that is done so it is never &quot;out of date&quot;, but undated documents that contain timely information that can change tends to bug the old semiconductor engineer in me. The use of terms like &quot;testified recently&quot; and &quot;passed by the House last year&quot; just begs for us to know when the document was written. 2) There a frequent references to the FHA loan limits. I can understand not putting in limit table, as they vary by metro area and county and any table could swiftly be rendered out of date. But why not embed a link to <a href="https://entp.hud.gov/idapp/html/hicostlook.cfm" target="_blank">HUD&#39;s FHA Limits</a> page? A real estate professional should know where to find the limits, and yes, the average consumer is more than capable of searching for them, but why not make it simple and embed the link. </p>
<p>The Complete Guide to FHA Loans is a document with a lot of pertinent information. Good for the consumer, and a decent refresher for a real estate agent who hasn&#39;t had to recently deal with an FHA buyer. </p>
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<p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Review: MyMovingQuote.com</title>
		<link>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/review-mymovingquotecom/</link>
		<comments>http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/review-mymovingquotecom/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 May 2007 04:42:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jay Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/review-mymovingquotecom/352</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Disclosure: The following is a paid review. It is not a site/product endorsement. More on this at the bottom of the post. Please take the poll! Overview: MyMovingQuote.com is a web site designed for two main purposes. It provides tips and information on moving &#8212; from a local to an international move &#8212; and it [...]</p><p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Disclosure</strong>: The following is a paid review. It is not a site/product endorsement. More on this at the bottom of the post. <em>Please</em> take the poll!</p>
<p><strong>Overview</strong>: <a href="http://www.mymovingquote.com" target="_blank">MyMovingQuote.com</a> is a web site designed for two main purposes. It provides tips and information on moving &#8212; from a local to an international move &#8212; and it provides a venue to get quotes from up to 10 moving companies delivered to you via email and/or telephone.</p>
<p>MyMovingQuote has multiple sections for various types of movers &#8212; local,&nbsp; long distance, international and office movers. It also includes info and quotes for auto shipping and local storage (Including self storage).</p>
<p><strong>Information</strong>: The information pages are organized in a left column menu and include what you would expect &#8212; moving tips, packing tips, moving with kids and pets, choosing a mover, etc. The tips aren&#39;t earth shattering, but would probably prove useful for someone that hadn&#39;t moved using a moving company before. The <a href="http://www.mymovingquote.com/content/moversglossary.html" target="_blank">moving glossary</a> was relatively short, but could prove quite useful in decoding some &quot;movers speak&quot;. &nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Moving Quotes</strong>: The big draw of the site is the proposed ease of obtaining up to 10 quotes from movers specializing in the various flavors of moves. Although I felt bad about sending a &quot;fake&quot; request out, it didn&#39;t seem right to review a site like this without fully testing the main event.</p>
<p>I chose a local move within my zip code as a test vehicle. Getting to the form was easy enough. It&#39;s the focal point of the home page and hard to miss. You select the type of move you want and the date of the move from drop down menus. Easy enough. You also have to select the &quot;Shipment size&quot; from a drop down, and here it gets a little confusing. The options are broken down by number of bedrooms, which I can handle, but I had two choices &#8212; &quot;4 bedroom, 9800&quot; pounds or &quot;4 bedroom, 10990 pounds&quot;.&nbsp; I have no idea how much my stuff weighs. I suspect there is more that 10,990 pounds of crap piled in the garage. I just picked one and decided to see what would happen. The next screen asks only for a zip code (tip for MyMovingQuote &#8212; put the zip on the first form). Once I had that in, I was taken a list of companies that serviced my particular area and need (2 in my case) and to a standard name, address, phone type of form. I was a little confused why I was also presented with check boxes for storage, auto transport and corporate relocation for a local move. I assume this form is used for all varieties of move and they need that info for a long distance move. </p>
<p>So I complete the form (literally in seconds), click submit and kick back to see what happens. I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised when less than an hour later I had an email from a local mover. They didn&#39;t really give me a quote, it was more of a guestimate based the information I provided. Understandable as no mover is going to give you an exact quote until they can physically see how much crap you&#39;ve got shoved in the garage&#8230;.</p>
<p>About an hour and a half later, I got a phone call from a different company (despite me listing my contact preference as via email &#8212; but that&#39;s not that big a deal and out of the control of MyMovingQuote). The young lady was very pleasant and also provided an estimate that was within 2% of the previous company. She was more aggressive in trying to get out for an actual quote than the email was.</p>
<p>I promptly thanked both companies, and explained that I was reviewing MyMovingQuote.com and wouldn&#39;t be needing their services. Both responded positively and actually thanked me for making the effort. </p>
<p><strong>The Ugly Stuff</strong>: many (probably all) of the &quot;directory pages&quot; are very poorly written. Here&#39;s an example: </p>
<p><a href="http://www.mymovingquote.com/moving-companies-phoenix-az/index.html" target="_blank">Moving Companies Phoenix AZ</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Remember, with proper planning and a great <strong>moving companies phoenix az</strong>, your move can be hassle free! Just avail of our services for your moving companies phoenix az needs and you&rsquo;ll know the difference with Mymovingquote.com. With our <strong>moving companies phoenix az</strong>, you get provided with the best moving service you could ever ask for. (their emphasis) </p>
</blockquote>
<p>It actually degrades from there.
<p>You may &quot;get the best moving service&quot;, but you sure don&#39;t get the best writing! This page was obviously written in an attempt to get good organic placement for the search term &quot;moving companies phoenix az&quot;. It&#39;s very difficult to read, and provides no benefit to the site user. And it doesn&#39;t work that well from a search engine perspective either as the site ranks #14 in Google for that term, #18 in MSN/Live and it&#39;s not in the first 150 results for Yahoo.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Conclusion</strong>: Getting quotes from multiple movers worked well. Granted, it was only one trial. I&#39;m sure the success rate depends on the individual moving company, but obviously MyMovingQuotes &quot;back end&quot; for getting the quote request to the movers works. The information provided on the site is secondary, you can get similar info on dozens of web sites &#8212; including many real estate sites. Finally, they really need to consider losing the pages written strictly for SEO purposes (or hire a new SEO guy&#8230;) as they are ineffective and irritating.</p>
<p>If I needed a moving quote, I&#39;d probably give it a whirl.</p>
<p><strong>Disclosure part deux</strong>: I tried to present a fair and balanced review and I feel that a site related to moving and moving companies fits into a real estate blog and may be of interest to some readers. I registered at <a href="http://www.reviewme.com" target="_blank">ReviewMe.com</a> a couple of weeks ago, mainly on a whim. Trust me, I won&#39;t be retiring on review money any time soon! I know that monetizing blogs and paid reviews are the subject of some controversy. Personally, as long as it&#39;s fully disclosed and relevant to the blog, I don&#39;t have a problem with paid reviews. But I&#39;d love to hear your opinion, oh avid readers. So let me have it!</p>
<p><div>{democracy:3}</div>
<p>[tags]MyMovingQuote.com, paid reviews[/tags] </p>
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<p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com">Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content. </p>]]></content:encoded>
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