Saturday, January 7, 2012

James Frost Better Wired Electric Review

Was about to pay for Angie's List and remembered to check out Yelp first. Glad I did. Found Jim & Josh Frost (son's a 4 year apprentice to Dad) wonderful. They get a 5 star for integrity, 5 for stick-to-it-ness in problem solving, and 5 for professionalism. We have a 100 year old flat in the Mission that after 6 years the electric circuits decided to turn each other on and off when turning a light on or off in half the unit and then went out altogether. Had one electrician who earlier left after 2 hours muttering to himself on what the heck was going on.

Josh and Jim spent over 5 hours the 1st day and were no closer to the problem. Jim said in 40 years of doing this, this was the 1st time he was this stumped. Charged me only half rate for the effort. They wanted a day to think about it, but suggested that I might need to consider rewiring. Cost? About $5K. Gulp. Am I being setup, me thinks.

They cam back after a day to try again, and lo and behold, found a light fixture in the ceiling of a closet that looked suspicious. Not to make this story any longer, problem solved. Everything is back to normal. Hence the 5 stars for integrity. They could have hit me with rewiring for $5K but this cost about a 1/10th of that in less then 1/10th the time. Bravo Josh & Jim! You got a fan-customer for life.

Those of you who might view this story pessimistically, I've been buying and selling homes and apartment buildings for maybe about 40 years. I'm not easily taken advantage of.

258 Eureka St
(between 19th St & 20th St)
San Francisco, CA 94114
Serving San Francisco and surrounding area
Neighborhood: Castro
(415) 626-7210

Group 41 Incorporated Review

Are you looking for that one special Architect who will help you define your vision?  Have you been thinking of remodeling your home or commercial property and you have no idea where to find a good Architect?  Well look no further!  Joel Karr, Principal Owner of Group 41 Incorporated is not only a talented Architect, but he has personal experience with property flips and the know-how of how to get through all of the crazy red tape that the city will put you through!  Group 41 handles a wide variety of areas such as Industrial and Product design to Architecture, and Real Estate Development.

As if this wasn't enough reason to consider Group 41, here are a few more reasons to fall in love with this team:

Group 41 also believes strongly in "giving back" to the community. They are involved in charitable activities with San Francisco's Hamilton Family Centers for the homeless, AIDS Marathon, and the Japan HIV Center (Joel Karr served as organizer for the first major fundraiser for people with AIDS ever presented in Japan.)

Joel's the Man!  Give Group 41 a call what are you waiting for?

389 Clementina St.
(between Gallagher Ln & 5th St)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhood: SOMA
(415) 431-0300

Monday, January 2, 2012

Chicago Apartments And Condos Review

If I have said it once, I have said it 1,000 times...this place is truly AMAZING!  My son had used them back in 2009 when moving from San Diego to Chicago, their service was outstanding.

Recently, my sons lease was coming up and he needed to find a new place.  My son is very busy traveling for his job, so since the clock was ticking...rapidly, we made a decision to go back to Beth at Chicago Apartments and Condos for her expertise.  While he was out of the country, I contacted Beth from California and she went on the hunt.

Upon my sons return she took him out and showed him several places... knowing that he had approximately 7 days to find a place, get approved, sign his lease and move in...was quite stressful, however, Beth worked with him, listened to his 'wants' and 'needs' and found him an awesome apartment.  Over the rest of the weekend she worked on all of the paperwork and was able to turn a 7 day process into a ONE (1) day process.  She is truly amazing...and all of her co-workers really work as a team in helping out each other and their clients.

I would definitely recommend using the expertise and dedication that they give each and every client, no matter what the clients 'needs' are.  They go above and beyond what anyone would expect...and there is absolutely NO FEE...unbelievable.

867 W Buckingham Place
(between Halsted St & Clark St)
Chicago, IL 60657
Neighborhood: Lakeview
(773) 857-7368

Rent Here Realty Review

First things first, I have never had a smoother or more enjoyable apartment hunting experience in my entire life (and I am coming from 11 years of NYC's cut-throat real estate adventures).  I decided to look at Rent Here Realty's listings in the first place due to the amazing Yelp reviews.

After emailing back and forth with one agent who's sense of urgency was not in line with mine, I had the serendipitous experience of talking to the individual who made the entire relocation process from NYC to Chicago amazing . . . Chardonnee Cunningham!

Finding an apartment is typically never an easy experience, so add on a few of these little gifts (feel the pressure):  1.) relocating halfway across the country during the holidays; 2.) only having a three week lead time before actually having to move; 3.) only getting a two-day, one night relocation trip from your company; 4.) having two small dogs in the mix; and 4.) needing to have everything wrapped up before boarding the plane back to the Big Apple, COMPLETED. No Big Deal!

Chardonnee jumped right in and immediately crafted a thorough and organized game plan for making sure that everything was set and ready.  She listened to what I was looking for and promptly sent me a series of listings.  She was great at being available to talk on the phone or getting back to me via email; again, I only had a very limited lead time, so communication and organization were key.  The day I arrived, she had 8 appointment times set-up and confirmed.  We whisked through the city, eventually having the unheard of problem in my book, "what apartment do I choose, I LOVE TWO OF THEM?"

Not only did I find an amazing apartment, Chardonnee was able to negotiate the rent for me, close the deal and get it done in record time.  Color me impressed! I got all of my paperwork and checks to her and one of RHR's assistants, Brittany, had everything back to me to be signed by the evening.

So with all of that said, this has been one of the best apartment hunting adventures EVER. I highly recommend going with Rent Here Realty, and if you do, ask for Chardonnee.  The next time I need to find an apartment in the city, she will be the first person I contact.

1745 W N Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
(773) 782-3280

Monday, December 26, 2011

Expatriate health insurance Arkansas Review

When living and/or working in Arkansas, people may not have the same level of access to the healthcare system as to the local population. Consequently, it is crucial to have some professional advice on how to choose the right expatriate health insurance in Arkansas.

Knowing that the chosen insurance provider will have the expertise to ensure the best treatment in the best facilities in Arkansas is priceless.

Our partners are serious insurers offering free quotes and advice to the expat community in Arkansas.


3736 N Broadway St
(between Waveland Ave & Grace St)
Chicago, IL 60613
Neighborhood: Lakeview
(773) 404-0555

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Central Arkansas Finance

Central Arkansas Finance is located in Conway, Arkansas and has been one of the top mortgage lending firms in the State of Arkansas for the past eight years.  We will represent you “the borrower” in obtaining the best possible financing. We are not tied to a particular lending institution and have access to many lenders. When you apply for a loan with Central Arkansas Finance, you’re effectively applying for loans with all the lenders with whom we have affiliations. We represent Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and affiliates of Chase, Citi, and GMAC. With these affiliations we are often able to beat the competition on rates and fees. We pass these benefits on to you, saving you both time and money!

We are reputable loan officers who will spend time exploring your situation and your particular needs, and will be able to quickly determine ways to overcome any potential problems. We are fully licensed by the State of Arkansas and adhere to the highest ethical standards and practices. We offer the dependable, knowledgeable and personal service you need. You’ll quickly find we go the extra mile to develop long lasting relationships with our clients in Conway and over the entire state of Arkansas.

Ph: (501) 932-0209
Fax: (501) 932-0549

Arkansas Health Care Review

Arkansas Health Care Association (AHCA) is the state’s largest organization of long term care providers, representing 93% of the licensed long term care facilities in Arkansas. Its responsibilities are to educate, inform and represent members and member facilities before government agencies, other trade associations and related industries.

The organization provides training, education and assistance to care facilities across the state, promoting high-quality care for patients and strict professional standards for staff. AHCA also strives to cooperate with the state legislature and state Office of Long Term Care to improve the quality of life in Arkansas nursing homes.

1401 W. Capitol, Suite 180
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: (501) 374-4422
Fax: (501) 374-1077