When it comes to apartment insurance, second in importance to your home possessions is a record of your home possessions.
You can do this easily with a home survey. Here’s how:
1. A comprehensive home inventory should include a spreadsheet with the item description (make, model, serial number, value, and purchase date).
Even more important for showing proof of ownership is having a visual record of your possessions. Thirty or so digital photos are easy to forward to an adjuster.
2. It’s important to thoroughly document your belongings to help the claims process go smoothly. Move from room to room, listing items as you go — and list their receipts, credit card statements, and appraisals (include the appraiser’s name and address).
3. Use cloud storage, like Google Docs or Dropbox, which can also store images.
Remember: Written inventories are useful for reminding you what was in your possession when making a claim, but they are not accepted as proof of ownership — digital photos and credit card receipts are.
Join The Kingsland Wildflowers Festivalthis Saturday, September 23rd (12-4pm) and explore three flourishing green roofs! Entering into its second year, the 22,000 square foot Broadway Stages’ rooftop space has been planted with a mix of indigenous grasses and wildflowers native to the New York landscape. Community organizations will be tabling and running activities to engage families and children. The festival offers access for Brooklyn residents to learn about environmental initiatives while exploring green infrastructure dedicated to native plants and birds.
Festival Details
When? Saturday, September 23rd 12pm-4pm Where? Broadway Stages (520 Kingsland Ave, Brooklyn 11222) RSVP on Facebook
Activities
Tours of green roofs with wildlife and plant experts
Interactive activities for kids and families
Music, food, and beer from local breweries
Partner community organizations discussing local conservation projects
Panoramic views of Brooklyn, Manhattan, & Queens
How to get there: Kingsland Wildflowers is accessible by the G train (Greenpoint Avenue stop)-Check weekend MTA schedules!, and by the B24 bus at Greenpoint Avenue and Kingsland Avenue. Continue reading →
When life in the city requires additional cash flow and you don’t have time to interview for part-time jobs, here’s the trick: dog walking. This isn’t the old-school days of walking your neighbor’s dog. Dog walking and pet sitting have become a tech-friendly and business savvy career path thanks to Rover.com. Rover connects hundreds of pet owners and pet sitters online, and here why you’ll want to do it too:
Your clients love you.
Yes, your clients are dogs and cats. They’ll be ready for your attention, treats, and playtime when you arrive. Their owners are thrilled to have someone else available to take care of their pets. You get to be the boss that everyone loves.
It’s fun and outdoorsy.
You’re getting paid to take dogs to the park. If your day job is at a desk, this is your chance to slip into something comfortable and get outside with your dog clients. Whether it’s playing fetch, going for a jog, or enjoying a long walk, this job is desk-free and all windows. Start making your list of your favorite parks and outside spaces to visit. Continue reading →
Kids…gear up for fall! A new, exciting afterschool activity is coming to Brooklyn. SING BKLYN children’s choir is inspiring young musicians, grades k-4, to blend their voices and talents to create something beautiful together. “Kids need more opportunities to perform. Kids need more music. Kids need to sing. Kids need a chance to build relationships that require them to work, support and encourage each other,” says founder Mary Duncan Stein.
Mary’s well-established SING LIC choirs in nearby Long Island City have been so well-received that she wanted to share this special experience with kids in Greenpoint and Williamsburg. Continue reading →
Anyone who commutes between Greenpoint and DUMBO knows there is no easy solution. You can take multiple subways, pay for rideshare, or take the ferry, but what if there were a faster, more affordable, and more convenient way to get to work?
Chariot is the new way to commute between Greenpoint and DUMBO, offering twice-a-day commuter service with flat-rate pricing of $4/ride, wi-fi on board, and a 5-7 minute pick-up frequency. No more switching lines, expensive car rides, or waiting outside in the cold/rain/snow. With Chariot, you reserve your seat, walk to your closest pick-up location, and hop on board. Curious? Check out the DUMBO Direct or your next commute!
You ever hear someone brag about how easy it was for them to read through all the fine print in their apartment insurance policy?
Yeah, neither have we. That’s why an insurance broker can help — especially if you own a condo or co-op. Here are three things about these policies that might surprise you.
1. If your child is away for college, did you know that their belongings may be covered under your policy?
Gotham says: It’s true. Usually on-campus housing is covered by your co-op insurance — although off-campus is often not.
2. You’ll need a special policy to insure items such as jewelry, fur, and silverware. Extensive artwork collections might warrant a special policy, too.
Gotham says: An agent will typically ask about jewelry or fur, but often things like baseball card, comic book, and stamp collections may not come up in conversation — nor do guns, $15,000 bicycles, and first editions.
If there’s anything I’ve learned consulting business owners in the last 15 years, it’s that they like free and easy ways to increase sales. In the world of digital marketing, there’s no shortage of ways to increase sales (Email marketing, social, AdWords, affiliate marketing, SEO, content), but how many of them are free and easy? Well, that’s what I’m going to show you in this article.
Make sure your website is mobile. Since 2014, more people use their mobile devices than desktops to search and shop. If your website isn’t mobile, Google may not place you on the first page. If you’re not sure if your website is mobile friendly, use this free tool from Google.
Claim your business on Google Maps. Most business owners I talk to don’t even know that they can control their listing on Google Maps. More people use Google Maps than any other mapping service. You can even control which pictures show up, hours of operation, and you can respond to reviews. Here’s a graphic that shows all the benefits.
Claim your business on Apple Maps. Similar to Google, Apple has their own mapping service. Although not as popular, it’s still another way for your business to be discovered.
Claim your business on Yelp. 146 million users, Yelp is a powerful marketing tool. Follow these steps to claim your business on Yelp.
Post to social media. Don’t feel like you have to commit to posting a dozen times a day. Just have an active social media account and posting once a week is enough for most small businesses to increase their online presence.
Appear on the first page of Google. The first organic position on the first page of Google receives 33% of the clicks on average. That’s a lot of traffic if you rank for “coffee shop brooklyn”, for example. There are simple things you can do to your website to make sure that your business shows up on the first page. Not sure what’s holding your site back? Use this SEO audit tool and get a list of all the issues that you need to fix.
Sponsored by Tell Me Your Goal, a marketing agency based in Greenpoint led by Steven Matt. He is the former Vice President of Digital Marketing for JPMorgan Chase & Co. In the evenings, he teaches Digital Marketing at General Assembly and at NYC Business Solutions. He has a BA in Communications Design from Pratt Institute and a Master’s Degree in Management & Technology from NYU. He’s a certified Digital Marketing Instructor for General Assembly and NYC Business Solutions.
On August 5, Brokelyn is packing its best swim trunks, shades and an unquenchable thirst for summer vibes to Coney Art Walls (3050 Stillwell Ave) for a day of drinking, games and more summer fun than you can stuff into your Speedo.
From noon to 3 pm, ticketed attendees will enjoy three hours of unlimited drink sampling from Coney Island Brewery, Belvedere vodka, Veuve-Clicquot champagne, Bayou rum and new alcohol-infused coconut water, Kaiso.
There will be games provided by NYC Social, beautiful custom murals by Brooklyn artist Jaima for guests to color in courtesy Artists & Fleas and giveaways.
At 4pm, gates open to the public for a free dance party, games, contests and more.
A recent survey from a national insurance provider found that 59 percent of adults ages 23 to 29 do not have renter’s insurance. And last time we checked, 100 percent of renters are susceptible to damages from summer storms. How so? Glad you asked.
1. Don’t get caught in the dark. Did you know that during the summer months most power surges don’t originate from lightning? More often it’s from the power being restored by the electric company after repairs have been made from storm damage.
Gotham says: Protect your electronics by using a surge protector. Of course, another way to protect yourself is to get apartment insurance.
2. Room with a view. Fierce summer storm winds can harm the exterior of a building or break a window, and then hurl debris through that damaged wall or window. In fact, water damage to the interior of a co-op or condo is the most common claim of all.
Gotham says: In less than 15 minutes you can prepare yourself against a potential summer nightmare by calling Gotham today.
When it comes to apartment insurance, a steady and experienced hand knows the right questions to ask. Here are a couple situations when it can make all the difference — especially when you need apartment insurance in a New York minute.
1) It’s renovation time. You’ve hired a contractor to work on your co-op, and you’ve gotten the green light from the board. Now you need proof of co-op insurance — but you let it lapse.
Gotham says: With 50 years of experience in New York City, Gotham can quickly determine what kind of policy will cover you, based on the type of renovation you’re doing.
2) At the closing table. You’re closing on the purchase of a co-op or condo, but you forgot about apartment insurance — or thought the building’s insurance was all the coverage you’d need.
Gotham says: Condos and co-ops require apartment insurance. The policy that comes with the co-op usually only covers the building and common areas. You’ll need your own apartment insurance to cover losses such as theft, smoke damage, etc.
