7 Tips to Secure an Empty Home
-7 Tips to Secure an Empty Home-
Whether you are traveling to faraway places for a weekend or for months, it is important to take steps to secure your empty home while you are away.
Many homes are sitting vacant across the Greater Tampa Bay area. Snowbirds are up north during the summer months and countless homeowners are taking long vacations to escape Florida’s rainy season. Whatever your reason for leaving home sweet home, here are a few simple tips to keep an empty house safe.
Helpful Steps for Home Security
- Take safety precautions. Follow a routine of actions to protect your home before you leave. Secure windows, turn off or unplug appliances, and lock doors. These are the basics. You may also consider installing extra locks on back doors and shaded windows where criminals may try to go undetected when breaking into a home.
- Put delivery services on hold. Make a phone call or send an e-mail to stop newspaper services and reschedule package deliveries to ensure items are not stacking up and attracting attention from potential criminals roaming your neighborhood.
- Create actual deterrents. There are ways to make your home less attractive to thieves. Lock exterior gates and set-up some simple security features, like an easy-to-install doorbell camera (such as RING) to monitor activity and scare off criminals.
- Install security lights. This is at the top of most expert lists. Having motion-sensor lights or lights on timers can shine a spotlight on outdoor activity around your home.
- Use smart technologies. This could help you control porch lights, blinds, speakers, and electronics from anywhere via a mobile device or a computer. You might even turn up the living room stereo via your smart device to give the impression that you are home.
- Invest in a home-security system. High-end security systems are enabled to alert authorities of any criminal activity, break-ins, or danger in the home. Depending on your budget, you can find a wide array of security-system installation and service options. Contact our real estate team if you would like information about local security experts.
- Keep an eye on things. With today’s security devices, you may view a livestream of your home’s activity via a handheld smartphone or iPad. As always, it also helps to ask a neighbor or reliable friend to check on your home while you are away.
We hope those simple tips help you spend less time worrying and more time enjoying your travels to-and-from the Greater Tampa Bay Area.
