The last thing you need to worry about when you are on vacation is whether you remembered to turn the stove off at home or if you locked the doors before leaving. Sometimes the excitement of getting away for a holiday can cloud the importance of keeping your home safe when you are gone. That’s okay, because there are many ways you can accomplish this and have a worry-free vacay.
Here are some of my favourite tips:
1 – Turn to A Neighbour Or Friend
Probably one of the most logical – and easiest – ways to get away without worrying about your home is to ask someone you know to keep an eye on things. It could be a neighbor, a friend or a family member. Depending on how well you know them, you may want this person to either just watch the house and report anything usual to authorities or you may wish for a little more. If the person you ask is someone you trust, you could give them a key to allow for a complete home check inside and out. This way your contact can also gather any mail or newspapers delivered to your door and store them inside your house.
2 – Give the Internet A Break
There are times when it is really a good idea to not share everything you do in an average day on social media. While it is a great way to keep family and friends connected to you as you holiday, it also means that criminals who creep your profile will have some excellent information about your whereabouts. You could lock down your privacy settings to restrict access but the best thing to do is try very hard to hold off on posting that selfie of you in a tropical spot until you are almost home. At the very least, do not share your trip itinerary online with friends and family as others may still be able to access that data
3 – It’s All in The Timing
You could do a good job of making your home look ‘lived in’ when you are away by using timers. By setting lights, televisions and other appliances that make the home look as if someone is there on timers you can actually mimic a typical day in the life of you and your family. Lights on late at night in your study and a stereo blaring during noon hour can make the casual observer think the home is occupied when it really isn’t. If timers are not in your game plan, maybe there is someone you can allow to stay at your home when you are gone. It achieves similar results.
Speaking of Results…
If you are selling or buying in the Niagara Region, why not give me a call? I can help guide the entire process and make it as simple and stress-free as possible. Call me today at 289-213-7031 or shoot me an email at Jen@McGarrRealty.com.