We ♥ Rochester
We try to be involved in Rochester in as big a way as we can, and we're always looking for new ways. Here's what we're up to so far...
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Venture Creations Incubator
After presenting and defending the business model to Venture Creation's Board of Directors, Newdigs was proudly admitted into RIT's business incubator in September 2008. Since our admittance, we've continued to grow and develop the Newdigs listing platform and business model, thanks in great part to the services that Venture Creations continues to grow and provide. We would also like to thank the established members of Rochester's business community that have assisted not only Newdigs, but other fellow companies in Venture Creations. By helping Venture Creations, you help Rochester in a couple of ways. You're building companies that will build jobs and keep our town fresh with the ideas, and you're doing it as a community. When companies grow up, and graduate out of the incubator successfully, they create opportunities that make it possible for Rochester's fantastic community to stay strong and retain talent from our Universities
Newdigs has been hiring RIT students on co-op since 2007, and we continue to employ co-ops now. We've been lucky enough to work with some of RIT's brightest and most talented students. We hope we've helped them grow and develop their skills as much as they have helped us grow and develop Newdigs into the fresh and fun place that it is every day.
Newdigs & RIT Computer Science student, Chris Tosswill, received a grant from RIT's Center for Student Innovation in Summer 2010 to build a rental market reporting tool. This project was the backbone of our effort to collect enough, accurate, rental listing data to begin reporting average rents by neighborhood in the Rochester Metro. The Newdigs Rental Market Guide and the Newdigs.com website both proudly feature this rental information now. The Center has also been a great place for us to pick up aspiring co-op students to help us 'Innovate' the Newdigs listing platform.
Newdigs is participating in the Imagine RIT Festival for the 3rd time this year. We will be located in the Gordon Field House, booth # at Imagine RIT 2011. We hope everyone comes out to see us at Imagine RIT on May 7th, 2011 because it is awesome. Its open to the public of all ages, and is a source of inspiration that will get every attendee thinking.
At Imagine RIT 2009, we presented a very early prototype of a map-based apartment search platform that we were working on.
In 2010 we launched a public Beta version of Newdigs.com, our free Rochester, NY apartment search and listing platform. In 2010 we also invited Rochester Green Building to share our large festival space on the Eastman Quad because we wanted to get people thinking differently about the structures they want to build and reside in. Rochester Green Building seemed like the perfect organization to showcase at RIT's innovation-themed festival, and we were honored that they accepted the space.
Our 2011 exhibit at Imagine RIT will feature a new version of the Newdigs.com website, and a big new product for us... Newdigs' quarterly Rochester Rental Market Guide! It's a full color, 80 page reference guide to renting in Rochester. Unlike existing rental guides, which are nothing but ads, our guide has profiles on every neighborhood, town and village. For most areas we even have an approximate average rent which has been calculated from thousands of Craigslist and Newdigs listings. This print guide completes the Newdigs search simplifying trifecta of print, web and mobile.
Crazy Dog T-Shirts, located in Village Gate, has fantastic designers who helped us create our Twitter-themed "My Newdigs #ROC" T-shirts for active participants in our social media campaign. We unveiled Crazy Dog's handy-work at Bar Camp 2010. This limited edition design is still available in our store, so get yours today. You'll support two local businesses at once!
Messenger Post & North Star Delivery
In 2011 we unveiled our Rochester Rental Market Guide, an 80 page guide to the Rochester Area to assist you in finding just the right neighborhood to meet your needs when you're looking for your new digs in or near Rochester. Our Rochester Rental Market Guide is printed right here in Canandaigua, and distributed by the Rochester-based distribution service, North Star Distribution.
Newdigs.com has been working with the Rochester Housing Council since 2008 to deliver Rochester's affordable apartment inventory to the online marketplace. There is a common misconception that people who desire affordable housing aren't internet users, but we work every day to change this idea by delivering online affordable listings to people who do, in fact, use them.
RHA is responsible for administering every Section 8 voucher in the City of Rochester. As a result, they provide housing support and services to over 10,000 families from senior citizens, disabled individuals, to large growing families. We are working to bring more safe, affordable housing into the Section 8 program to reduce the occurrence of waiting lists that can be months or years long for subsidized rental housing. We are planning to put Rochester on the map as the most searchable affordable housing market in the nation with the help of visionary RHA Director, Alex Castro.
Buy a Newdigs Lawn Sign Rider, and you'll be helping us support a great local sign maker, Sign Design, a versatile, friendly small business that we couldn't be happier to work with.
Newdigs is proud to be a Vendor Member of the Freedom First Real Estate Investment Association. Every FFREIA member receives a FREE 'for rent' lawn sign. Newdigs is all about providing access to information for rental property owners, and organizations like FFREIA are great for educating people about managing their rental properties in a profitable and intelligent manner. Providing free lawn signs to FFREIA members is just our little way of supporting their amazing efforts.
NYSPOC is an organization of several hundred independent landlords in the City of Rochester who get together to share ideas and information about managing and investing in rental property. Organization President, Karl Weeks, is an outspoken advocate for the rights of property owners. We are happy to provide their membership with free and paid marketing services to make their lives easier.
Institute of Real Estate Management
Institute for Real Estate Management is the professional industry association for owners and managers of large multi-family properties. Newdigs is a proud 'Friend of IREM' and member of IREM's chapter 58 in Western NY. We're working with members to develop more measurable and cost-effective marketing campaign plans, online and in print. If you're a member of IREM, and you'd like to list your property with Newdigs, please call us at 585.678.6900 to learn more about special offers available to IREM members. Click here to learn how to list on Newdigs.com.
South Wedge Planning Committee
Our CEO, Ben Munson and his wife, Kristin, are passionate about being a part in developing their neighborhood, the South Wedge. Ben has been on the SWPC Board of Directors since 2006. "I'm so grateful to be able to be a part of SWPC. I couldn't love the South Wedge more, so I feel very lucky to play a role in SWPC. I've learned so much about urban planning and community development from my years there, and I take all of that experience with me when I step into my role as Newdigs' Chief Executive Officer."
Ben created Southwedge.org in order to assist the South Wedge Planning Committee and his neighbors in the South Wedge better communicate amongst each other. Southwedge.org was nominated for a Best of the Web award in 2010 by the Rochester Business Journal. Kristin Munson, an administrator of SouthWedge.org, and a Brand Evangelist at Newdigs said, "We didn't really mind losing to the fantastic Seneca Park Zoo. We were just honored to receive a nomination from the Rochester Business Journal, and happy that Southwedge.org is such a treasured asset among neighbors."
Business Association of the South Wedge
BASWA is one of Rochester's most professionally run neighborhood business associations. Newdigs is working with Director, Chris Jones (owner of Historic House Parts) to find ways of better promoting Main Street businesses online. If we see one more Bank of America or FreeCreditReport.com on an apartment listing website, we might pull our hair out! That's why we're trying to find a way to bring you hyper-locally relevant ads from store owners in and around the neighborhood you're thinking of renting in.
Maplewood Neighborhood Association
Daniel Mooney, our Chief Technology Officer, is a proud recent inductee to the Maplewood Neighborhood Association's board of directors. He is excited to get to the hard work of community building as he steps into this more meaningful role in the Maplewood Neighborhood.
The Entrepreneur Network is a training program for senior executives at early and mid-stage companies in Western New York. TEN participants learn about many aspects of developing a company, like how to increase scalability and sales effectiveness. Newdigs CEO, Ben Munson graduated from The Entrepreneur Network, Class V.
Rochester Business Plan Competition
Newdigs was vetted by the Rochester Business Plan Competition in 2008. We presented to a panel of judges comprised of local investors and executives. It was a great experience for our young real estate technology company.
Newdigs participated in Digital Rochester's Technology Career Fair in September, 2010. It was great to network with Rochester's technology job seekers, and we were lucky enough to take on a talented Alfred MBA student as an intern. It is our greatest wish to be able to employ as many of Rochester's talented technology professionals as possible in the years to come. We'd love to spread the wealth, if wealth is what Newdigs has in store.
CEM Properties
Ben Munson, CEO, is a licensed Real Estate Agent and Realtor. If you would like to book Ben to list your apartment as a full service rental agent, please call 585.678.6900. Ben's license is held by CEM Properties, a full service property management company and real estate brokerage, specializing in investors looking to increase cash flow from their rental portfolio and residential home sales.
Want to Join the Movement?
Please contact us to let us know how you think our organizations could work together.
Coming Soon!
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