A home left empty while its owners are away is a tempting target for criminals.
Fortunately, however, there are several key steps that every homeowner can take to keep his or her home safe while on vacation.
These simple, easy tips can give you peace of mind while you’re away. When you’re confident that your home and valuables are safe and secure, you’ll be able to fully relax and enjoy your vacation to the fullest extent.
Purchase a light switch timer
Leaving all the lights off while you’re away is a key tip-off to criminals. On the other hand, leaving them on all day, every day is bound to hurt your electric bill. A light switch timer is a great way to keep costs low while creating the illusion that someone is home. The timer will flip certain lights on and off throughout the day so that it appears that someone is moving through the house. Light switch timers are available at most home improvement stores at a variety of price points.
Keep your blinds and curtains open
Again, the best way to deter potential criminals is to create the illusion that someone’s home. Instead of drawing your curtains shut, leave them exactly as they always are during the week. However, be sure to move expensive items, like computers, out plain sight if they are visible from the windows.
Stop your mail
A week’s worth of paper and letters piled on your front step could be a signal to thieves that you’re away. To avoid this, you can easily put a temporary stop order on your mail. You can also arrange for a friend or trusted neighbor to pick it up for you while you’re gone.
Remove your spare key
Criminals are very experienced at what they do, and they won’t be fooled by the plastic rock or flowerpot you may use to conceal your spare key. Either take the key along with you on your vacation, or leave it with a friend or neighbor whom you trust.
Rely on your community
Hopefully, if you’ve lived in your community for a while, you have gotten to know some of your neighbors at community events and HOA Board meetings. If this is the case, tell a neighbor you will be out of town, and ask him or her to keep an eye on the place. You might want to choose someone who passes the house every day on his or her daily run or dog walking trip. If your house requires a bit more care, you may want to hire someone to bring in the mail, water the plants, and do anything else you require. If several neighbors will be watching the house, don’t forget to let them know about each other—you don’t want Neighbor A calling the cops on the 14-year-old girl you’ve hired to feed your cat.
To learn more about HOA management services and HOA management in general, check out Slatter HOA Management’s website. Slatter has been managing communities in the Greensboro, High Point and Triad areas for over 15 years, and has the expertise and knowledge to effectively manage any HOA. For more information, give us a call today.
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