Saturday, December 31, 2016

Farewell to 2016!


Who else is ready to say farewell to the year 2016?  It was a year of mixed emotions...some triumphs, some victories, and some losses.  But by the Grace of God, we are still here.  Here are some events that happened this year that stuck with me:



- All of the talented gifts that we lost:

       * Muhammad Ali
       * Natalie Cole
       * Prince
       * Frank Sinatra
       * David Bowie
       * Gene Wilder
       * George Michael
       * Alan Thicke
       * Maurice White
   



Also, I would be amiss if I didn't mention the tragedy of losing Debbie Reynolds, and then her mother, Carrie Fisher so soon after.


- The Chicago Cubs broke their 71 year curse by winning the 2016 World Series

- The death of Fidel Castro

- The January 4th and January 7th crashes of the China
   stock market

- Donald Trump wins the presidential election !@#$

- Colby Bryant's retirement


These are just some highlights that stand out as I reflect on all that transpired.


As the year comes to a close, I encourage you to ask yourself the following questions.  I do not believe in "resolutions." However, this process will help you to start thinking about what you're creating for yourself and your life in 2017:

1)  What goals did you set for yourself in 2016 that actually became realities?

2)  What goals did you set for yourself in 2016 that you did not meet?  If these goals are still important to you, then make a new promise as to when you will accomplish  them over the course of next year.  As long as we are living and breathing, we can start again, and/or keep trying.

3)  What are your top five events of the year?

4)  What accomplishment are you most proud of?

5)  What are the greatest lessons you learned this year?

6)  Who or what were your greatest influences?

7)  What were your most important relationships?

8)  If you could sum up this year in one word, what would it be?

9)  What are you going to do less of this year?

10) What are you going to commit to do more of this year?




I have been very blessed this year, and I am forever grateful for all of the amazing experiences I've had.  Even though there are things that I wanted to accomplish that did not come into fruition, I am thankful for the things that I actual have been able to accomplish during 2016.

Let us start the New Year off with a grateful heart, a positive outlook, and a clean slate (letting go of the weight of the events of that past that we are not pleased with).

Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!!





Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Every homeowner should know what a Public Adjuster is!


As a Professional Organizer, I go into so many homes on a day-to-day basis, and I am always looking for ways to bring more value to the customer.  About three years ago, I received a phone call from my sister, explaining to me that she had stumbled across a way to make some extra money by providing a much needed service to homeowners.  Since a large percentage of my clients are homeowners, this is something that immediately sparked my interest.  We set up a meeting that was very informative, and needless to say, in almost no time, I had joined forces with her in this new venture.  In my mind it was simply another added service that I could offer to the clients who trust me, that would provide even more value for them.  I became a NJ Licensed Public Adjuster.


So, you are probably asking yourself right now, "what IS a public adjuster anyway?"  A public adjuster is a state licensed professional who: 1) educates homeowners on their homeowner policy...advising them, at no charge, on whether they have sufficient coverage, are paying for excessive coverage that they don't need, etc.; and  2) represents the homeowner when an incident occurs and there is damage to a home, maximizing their settlement by ensuring that they receive the highest claim amount possible - advising them on damages that are covered that they probably weren't aware would be covered.


Insurance policies can be difficult to interpret and can be very confusing to read and understand. Most of the homeowners I talk with don't even know the answers to some very basic questions about their policies.  Additionally, almost all of them have had damages to their homes int he past, that they have paid out of their pockets to repair, after decades of paying their homeowner policy premiums. Why?  Some are afraid of what might happen if they file a claim...some think that certain damages are not covered, only to find out when they sit down with me that they would have been covered. Some examples of covered "perils" are: wind damage, roof leaks, water stains, vandalism, smoke damage...and these are just a few.






The main reason why we are able to help homeowners get the maximum claim payment is because as Public Adjusters, we are educated in the field as a prerequisite to obtaining a license.  Therefore, we speak the same language as the adjusters that work for your insurance company, and we can represent the claim properly so that it is not denied for simple reasons (i.e. using the wrong language in the documentation).  We are also backed by a company that has an impeccable reputation, has a team of attorneys and other professionals if needed, and can help move the process along.






I hope that this post has been educational for all of you homeowners out there, and I encourage you to contact me via email at loni_mendez@outlook.com (in the subject line type in caps "FREE POLICY REVIEW") or by phone at (201) 771-0414 to set up a free 1/2 hour consultation.  During this session I will take a look at your homeowner policy and advise you on whether your level of coverage is appropriate, etc.  Public Adjusters do not sell insurance, so there is nothing to buy from us.  The consultation is just part of a free service that we provide in our efforts to educate homeowners.