10 Tips for Protecting Your Home During Vacations

Prescott, Arizona, has received numerous accolades for a great place to take a vacation, but if you are a Prescott resident, you may find yourself leaving our beautiful area and vacationing elsewhere.  While you are gone from your home, there are simple strategies that you must take to ensure your home is safe while you are gone.

Before you leave town, there are a few precautionary safety tips to keep your home and your possessions safe while you’re gone.  Often in the prep time for a vacation, people neglect to take simple steps to protect themselves from becoming a victim of theft or vandalism.

You’ve probably covered your bases, but just in case, here are 10 basic precautions you can take:

1. Have someone collect your mail and newspaper daily.  If you don’t have someone available to do the collecting, you can have the Post Office hold your mail and call and put your newspaper subscription on a vacation hold.
2. Try not to draw attention to something being different at your home, leave shades and blinds in normal positions.
3. Purchase inexpensive timers from the hardware store and put at least two lights and a radio on automatic timers.
4. Have someone leave trash at your curb on garbage collection day.  This might be hard to arrange, but this is a detail that a thief pays attention to.
5. Have someone park a car in your driveway occasionally. If you leave your car outside, arrange to have it moved every so often.
6. Leave a key with a trusted neighbor in case of an emergency. Let the neighbor know where you are going and when you are expected to return, also leave them a way to get in contact with you in case of an emergency.
7. Lock all windows and doors before you go. Do not forget to double-check basement and garage doors.
8. On extended trips have someone maintain your landscaping, (grass mowed, leaves raked, etc.)
9. Consider turning off your home’s water main to prevent possible damages from a burst pipe.  If this isn’t an option, turn off your wash machine valve because this is the number one culprit to explode when no-one is home.
10. Be careful how much you check-in on social media while on vacation. If your privacy settings are incorrect you might reveal to strangers your home is vacant!

We sincerely hope you stay safe and have a great vacation.  As I mentioned before, Prescott is a fantastic place to go to on vacation.  If you are considering purchasing a vacation home or a vacation rental, we would love to show you what is available.  Contact us at (928) 830-6976.