Brownstone/Murphy & Jordan Employees Return from TENCon 2012

Four employees of Brownstone and Murphy & Jordan Insurance just returned from the TENCon 2012 conference held in Tennessee.

TENCon is the flagship annual conference for insurance professionals who use Applied Systems. The conference allows insurance professionals to fully understand all that Applied has to offer and how to utilize the different technologies to best serve their clients and prospects.

Our staff has been attending TENCon for several years now and always return with countless new ideas and plans for implementing new, improved procedures and workflows.

Here are some photos from the event:

Boston is Booming

By Don Allan

During the six months we have spent here at Brownstone Insurance as Agent Relations Managers, something has become very apparent to us -- the size of the condo market here in the city is growing at a staggering rate.

  "What housing crisis? Boston’s condominium market soared in the first five months of the year, rising 22 percent compared to a year ago, fueled by a frenzy of sales in Jamaica Plain, South Boston and the downtown neighborhoods, according to The Warren Group," explained Thomas Grillo of the Boston Business Journal.

  The city's condo market has been growing in this manner since the turn in the early 80's and because of the high demand to live in the city, many new condo developments continue to be built and old buildings converted. 

  This is also true of the rental market, as Boston is not far behind some of the country’s most expensive cities to live in, such as San Francisco, L.A. and of course Manhattan. I personally have been researching South Boston for the last six weeks and found that listings come off the market as fast as they are added. Most aren’t listed longer than a day or two.

  So with all this activity in our own backyard, who is taking advantage of the insurance needs? It’s no coincidence that Brownstone is celebrating its 30th year as the top contender for your condo markets. We have the products and the experience to assist you and your clients just as fast as this market is moving.

Why Are There So Many 3-Story Buildings in Boston?

In the late 1800's triple-deckers were a cost-effective way to house the thousands of immigrant factory workers in emerging New England industrial cities.  

Triple-deckers are usually defined by their roof style as being gable, hip, or flat-roofed and typically lack ornamentation. Inexpensive decorative details seen on many triple-deckers include porch railing posts and 3-story bay windows facing the street.

Their more expensive predecessors are the rows of Brownstones lining the streets of Boston. These early 19th century homes were built for the urban middle class looking for something more sophisticated than brick or wood construction. Wealth was displayed in these elaborate homes with carved exteriors, wrought iron details, and high stairway entrances.

Starting in the early 1980's both style homes became very desirable as buyers often looked to them as a means of living in one unit and renting the other two, thus helping them pay their mortgage. As condominiums became more common many were converted into individually owned units.

Insuring these special homes takes expertise and knowledge which is one of the reasons Brownstone Insurance is so hyper-focused in this market.

Leave your master insurance needs to the experts. Visit our quote page for a quick indication or request a Live Chat session for more information or assistance.

Storms Cleared Just in Time for Broker Event Aboard "Knot Covered"

Following the sudden severe thunderstorms that came our way on Wednesday, yesterday proved to be a beautiful day for an event organized by Don and Alexis, our Agent Relations Managers.

Don and Alexis welcomed a small group of brokers aboard Glenn Montgomery's boat in the Charles River. The group enjoyed food and beverages while cruising along the river. Glenn Montgomery was the captain, of course, and he made sure everyone enjoyed the best views of Boston during their cruise.

The weather was absolutely perfect and the group enjoyed a beautiful sunset over Boston as the evening came to an end.

Anya Toteanu, Don Allan and Anthony LallisKristen Fitzgerald and her guest, Jay Hollander.Glenn Montgomery giving Kristen Soo Hoo a chance to steer.Anya Toteanu and Kristen FitzgeraldAJ Marchionne and Don AllanHeather Cochrane and Steve Palenscar

Top (from left): Kristen Soo Hoo, Jess Riehl, Heather Cochrane, AJ Marchionne, Anthony Lallis, Steve Palenscar. Bottom: Don Allan and Alexis Kimball.

JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge was a Great Event

Brownstone and Murphy & Jordan Insurance participated in this year's JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge held in Boston. The race route is a USA Track & Field-certified 3.5-mile course that goes around Boston Common, down Commonwealth Avenue and back up.

People are only allowed to register if part of a company team, not individually, creating a feeling camaraderie and health and wellness in the workplace. The race sold out in a matter of days, having 12,000 people registered to run. The streets of Boston were very busy that evening!

Prior to the race, Brownstone set a team average goal of 44 minutes. With our team consisting of advanced runners to even walkers, we were proud when we beat our average goal by 2.4 minutes!

It was a great event for Brownstone and Murphy & Jordan to participate in, and we look foward to future wellness-related events that can make our team stronger.

Pre-race with our offical JP Morgan Chase race t-shirts on.Post-race! Everyone did great!