Homeowner Articles
NYS Bans Sale of Removable-Battery Smoke Detectors, Effective April 1, 2019
New York is moving to make removable-battery operated smoke detectors things of the past on April 1, 2019. Specifically, only smoke detectors with a sealed, 10-year battery can be sold…
Does Your Insurance Company Know Who Owns Your Property?
Your insurance company knows who owns your property. For example, As part of your estate or financial planning, you decide to transfer ownership of your property to a trust or…
Own a Smart Home? Be Smart About Security
Lights you can turn on remotely. A front door camera you can access while you’re at work. Smart thermostats, networked devices and conveniences that would have been unthinkable as recently…
Newest Inductees in Insurance Fraud Hall of Fame (or Shame)
Insurance fraud hurts everyone, even the policyholders (like you!) who are honest and ethical. When an insurance company pays claims that are unwarranted, the other policyholders wind up shouldering those…
How Much Homeowners Insurance Do I Need?
How much homeowners insurance should you get? If you say, “I paid this much for my house, so that’s how much insurance I need,” you should know that how the…
9 Ways to Protect Your Home from Winter Storms
Winter storms, bitter cold, ice and snow can cause serious damage to your home. We recommend these steps now to avoid expensive problems this winter. Keep your pipes warm. When…
Holiday Tips for Building Staff: Who and How Much
Your super, your doorman, the handyman who unstops your toilet, and the porter who carries your packages: how much should you tip them during the holidays? You don’t have to…
11 Tips for a Stress-Free Home Renovation
Before you redo that bathroom or kitchen, knock down a wall or add a room, take note. These tips can help you enjoy a smoother, less stressful process. Plus, this…
Remote Monitoring Technology Can Save Your Home (and Your Money)
Winter can be especially rough on houses. Pipes can freeze or burst. Roofs can leak. Winter storms can cause all sorts of problems, some of them expensive. When you’re not…
Home Maintenance: Where to Start
Even if you’re all thumbs when it comes to being handy, there are lots of free and low-cost resources to help you succeed at home maintenance and repair. One can…