Places to Stay near RE Bar Camp Phoenix

UPDATE: Bumping this post from last year back up to the top for our out of town visitors…

I’m THRILLED that we have so many from out of town already RSVP’ed! Several have asked me for hotel recommendations.

Here’s the deal — I can’t recommend a specific hotel. I live here, I don’t stay in hotels…

But there are a TON of options near the venue. Anything near “Old Town Scottsdale” would be ridiculously convenient.

Here’s a Google Map search for “Hotels near Scottsdale Stadium“. The venue is near the center of the map (with a little baseball and shockingly labeled “Scottsdale Stadium”). Clicking on a map marker will bring up info on these hotels.

Watch your rates. Some resort hotels in Scottsdale can be very expensive. If you’re are getting a car, there are several hotels near the airport and along I-10 that would also be pretty convenient and probably cheaper. (Just zoom out on the map) Personally, I’d avoid west Mesa. Phoenix is pretty easy to get around in, so unless you stay out in the boonies, you won’t be that far from the venue.

I’m going to TRY to get some reduced rates, but I don’t think we have the volume to get very far with that.

View Larger Map

Coming to Phoenix RE Bar Camp? Help support charities!

Attendance at RE Bar Camp is free.

And you’re going to get a TON of information.

For free.

If you are one of the first 400 to sign in on the morning of REBC, you’ll get an event t-shirt and lunch.

For free.

So how about paying it forward and helping some charities?

No, this isn’t required, but it’s a good thing to do. A very good thing.

We’ve decided to support three charities:

Desert Mission Food Bank:

Items most needed: tuna fish, peanut butter, cereal, soup, bath & laundry soap, baby formula, large diapers.

Packages From Home:

Items most needed:

AT&T International Phone cards – be sure they’re for calls from the Middle East to the US

FOOD Please Make Sure Your Donation has at Least Two Months of Shelf Life Left.

* Pre sweetened powdered drink mixes ( Crystal Lite, Gatorade, KoolAid…)
* Coffee ( ground, vacuum pak or small cans)
* Beef Jerky ( small packages)

HYGIENE

* Foot Powder (Gold Bond etc)
* “Cool Ties”
* Eye Drops (for desert environment)
* Lip Balm ( Blistex, Carmex, Chapstick etc.)
* Men’s Deodorant ( Stick type – NOT anti-perspirant)
* Hand Sanitizer ( small and medium size)

Mother’s Fighting for Others:

In desperate need of 35 backpacks (No rolling ones – you can’t roll on a dirt road) for orphaned school girls in Kenya. This is a wonderful organization. We don’t need 100 backpacks, so please leave a comment below if you can bring one. MFFO also needs:

* Pencils
* blue/black/red sharp or FINE point pens http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/181636/Paper-Mate-Ballpoint-Stick-Pens-0/
* Erasers, preferably the ones that erase pen too http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/930032/Paper-Mate-Union-Pen-Pencil-Eraser/

All of these organizations also need cash. Even a five dollar donation can go a long way. (More of course, is welcome) So if you can not bring a specific item listed above, please open your wallet and donate. We’ll pool all cash collected and distribute it to these fine charities.

I’m a real estate broker, I know what the economy is like. I also know what we’ve paid for some classes, and this event is going to blow most of those classes away. Please consider paying it forward.

THANK YOU!!

Scottsdale Area Association of Realtors (SAAR) is Premier Sponsor for REBCPHX2!

Major, MAJOR kudos to the Scottsdale Area Association of Realtors (SAAR) for stepping up to be the Premier sponsor for Phoenix Real Estate Bar Camp 2!

Thanks to SAAR, we’ll be able secure the wonderful venue we used for last years RE Bar Camp — Scottsdale Stadium.

Realtor Associations are often considered stodgy “Old School” groups that don’t “get” different ways of thinking and communicating. That SAAR is open-minded and generous enough to sponsor an event like this speaks volumes. Their membership should be very proud of their Association. Obviously they are progressive and willing to think outside the box.

And that is a good thing. For their agent members, and those members clients and prospects.

Thank you SAAR!!

Not familiar with what Real Estate Bar Camp is? Just peruse this site for more information.

Take a look at who has already indicated they will be attending. We’ve got people from not just across Arizona, but from across the country!

Shouldn’t YOU be on that list? Just RSVP for the big event on April 9! It is free to attend and promises to be jam packed with information, techniques, strategy and tips to take your business to the next level.

Phoenix RE Bar Camp 2!! Get ready to rock.

It is on.

Mark your calendars for April 9, 2010.

Phoenix RE Bar Camp 2 is on. We’re headed back to Scottsdale Stadium, the site of last years event. We looked around, but really couldn’t find a better place (of note, we should be able to get wifi — which was the only remotely negative feedback we received from the last event. Oh, and coffee.)

The date is about 99% set in stone. We just have to wrap up a few loose ends.

What’s next?

RSVP, that’s what!

Don’t know what a RE Bar Camp is? Read other posts here. Ask. Come back for more info. Check out the photos from PHXREBC1. You can watch the video to see what people thought. But trust me on this, you are going to want to attend this event. AND PARTICIPATE!

Phoenix RE Bar Camp 2 will be free to attend. But it’s not free to produce. We need sponsors.

We need volunteers too. Wanna help plan/organize REBCPHX2? Contact Jay… jay@thompsonsrealty.com

It’s a Wrap! Feedback and Thoughts on RE Bar Camp Phoenix

RE Bar Camp Phoenix 2009 is over.

And personally, I thought it was a smashing success!

I’d like to take a moment to thank the organizers and the volunteers that made it all possible. They were an amazing bunch of people to work with, and I am proud to call them friends.

To our sponsors, thank you. The venue was fantastic. The food, while clearly not award winning cuisine, was good and having it on site (and free for the attendees) was greatly appreciated. People are wearing the t-shirts (with your name on the back) with pride. And we had enough water and drinks that no one passed out from heat exhaustion.

To those that facilitated sessions, thanks so much. You were an integral part of the success of the event. To those that wanted to hold a session, sorry there weren’t enough rooms. But I guess that’s a good problem to have. Keep that session in mind for the next one!

Most importantly, I’d like to thank all the people that attended. You can plan and plan and secure sponsors until you are blue in the face, but if no one shows up that’s all for naught.

And not only did people show up (over 300 attended), they participated. And it’s that participation that really makes a bar camp style event rock.

The organizers would LOVE to hear your thoughts. Tell us the good, the bad, and the ugly. What should we do differently for the next one? What did we miss? Any (and I mean ANY) thoughts, ideas and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a little video montage I put together with some feedback gathered that day. It’s too long, but I think it gives an overall feel for what many thought. But it’s tough to give “constructive criticism” with a camera in your face. PLEASE let us have some, it’s the only way to make the next event better!

Stacey Harmon on RE Bar Camp Phoenix

I had the pleasure of meeting Stacey Harmon at Inman Connect in New York City in January. She’s a smart one, and a terrific person (even if she struggles with luggage and getting on trains….)

I was thrilled when I heard she was coming to Phoenix for Bar Camp!

Here’s a post she just wrote about a session she is going to hold –titled “Nuts and Bolts – How to Get Started in Social Media”.

YOU TOO can hold a session! Or just attend. Or hang in the halls and talk to people. It’s your “conference”, you can really make it into whatever you need!

And the Venue is Set!!

We’ve secured the perfect venue for RE Bar Camp Phoenix!

Scottsdale Stadium, the Spring Training home of the San Francisco Giants! (note the nifty tie-in to the first ever RE Bar Camp held in San Francisco…)

We’ve got the Team Store, the Press Box and patio and the conference & breakout rooms. I’ll post more photos soon.

It’s very cool, and the set up for a Bar Camp is ideal.

Scottsdale Stadium is centrally located in the Phoenix Metro area at 7408 E. Osborn Road (Northeast corner of Osborn and Drinkwater) Scottsdale, AZ 85251.

Ample parking, and the restaurants and bars of Old Town Scottsdale are one short block away.

So mark your calendar for April 23rd and get yourself to Scottsdale Stadium for what promises to be the best RE Bar Camp yet. Please RSVP and jack the attendance so high that we have to reserve the entire stadium (which we can do!)

For more photos, see Nick and Patrick’s Flickr sets:
Nick’s Pics (Hey, I’m a poet!)
Patrick’s Pics

What is a Bar Camp? Videos Explain

There are a lot of folks asking, “What is an RE Bar Camp?”

It’s hard to explain, almost has to be experienced. Here are a couple of videos that may help…

This one is about Bar Camps in general, from some that started the “movement” (some “adult language” at end):

And this is one David Gibbons from Zillow put together at RE Bar Camp San Fransisco — the first “RE” (Real Estate) Bar Camp:

What do YOU want to learn at RE Bar Camp Phoenix?

OK folks, here’s the deal with RE Bar Camps….

They are “unconferences”. That means there are no set agendas, topics or speakers. The day’s schedule is determined by the attendee’s in the morning. If you want to speak, you suggest a topic. If there is something you want to know about, you encourage people to talk about it. It’s hard to explain and sounds a little goofy, but believe me, it works.

What has been helpful in past Bar Camps is to get an idea ahead of time about what people want to learn, and/or what some are willing to share and lead a discussion on.

So here is your chance. Tell us in a comment what interests you, or what you’d be willing to talk about!

RE Bar Camp Phoenix is ON!

Yup, there is a Real Estate Bar Camp coming to Phoenix!

Upon hearing that, most folks first reaction is, “What the heck in a ‘RE Bar Camp’?”

Here’s the definition, straight from the “REBC Mothership“:

RE Bar Camp is an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos, and interaction from attendees.

It’s an “unconference”. There is no pre-printed agenda. The agenda is built that day and often morphs through the camp as people gather, talk and share.

It’s actually difficult to explain and really needs to be experienced. REALLY.

If you’ve never been to a Bar Camp, you’re just going to have to trust me on this. You want to be at this event. Heck, in this market, you need to be at this event.

The price is right. It won’t cost you a nickle. Yes, the event is FREE to attend. (Though we do need sponsors. And volunteers.) Heck, you’ll even get a t-shirt and lunch. Better yet, you’ll walk away with your head stuffed full of ideas and your rolodex stuffed full of contacts to help you make your business better.

What are you waiting for? Head over to the RSVP page and tell us you are coming!

Are you on Twitter? Follow us @REBCPHX for updates!

Don’t know what Twitter is? Well get yourself to RE Bar Camp Phoenix and find out!!