Tips for Selling a Vacation Home
If you’re planning on spending the summer up north, there are numerous tried-and-true practices you can put into place to keep your house safe.
While there is no foolproof way to keep a storm out of your home, you can reduce the damage by documenting the inside and outdoors with images or video before you leave. If storm-related claims ever emerge, these two measures will be helpful.
However, some precautions can avert a wide variety of other difficulties. Listed below are five crucial regions in need of attention.
1. ARRANGEMENTS FOR HOME CARE DURING YOUR ABSENCE
It’s essential to keep an eye on your house, but if something goes wrong, it can take a lot of time and effort to fix. Someone in your immediate or extended family, a trusted friend or neighbor, or a professional home care provider?
Get a written agreement outlining your goals with the person you choose. Countless relationships outside the house have been affected over matters of much less significance. If you hire a business focusing on home monitoring and maintenance, you can be assured that everyone’s roles and responsibilities will be established.
Lastly, you should do a safety check of your house once a week. Having your air conditioner break down in the middle of summer is a recipe for disaster. A leak from your property or the empty one above might cause severe damage if left unchecked.
2 CREATE CHECKLIST
You should start by compiling a list of everyone who knows your home’s secret (names, phone numbers, etc.). Homeowners’ associations, property managers, friends, relatives, neighbors, and service providers should all be on this list. Is it possible that some people have keys but don’t require them? Have you let go of a crucial person previously working with you? It could be time to rethink the security measures you’ve taken to protect your home, such as the locks and the keys.
Step two: compile a list of all the businesses that supply your residence. Alarm (don’t forget the code and password), air conditioning, cleaning service, electrician, plumber, pool, grass maintenance, pest control, and irrigation are just some of the businesses that can be contacted. Consider hiring a handyman, a window washer, and a pressure cleaning service.
Next, include copies of any service contracts you may already have on your list. Make another set of agreements and contacts identical to the one you just made. You should take one with you and leave one here. Those caring for your home will appreciate the care package you go behind. In the event of an issue, they will be equipped with the knowledge to deal with it. You should bring a copy if you need to refer to the contact information later.
Last but not least, write down how you have your home set up, such as the temperature and humidity controls, the lighting schedule, the location of the sprinklers, etc. The timers in your home will need to reset if the power is out for an extended period. Remember to have your timers reset as the sun rises and sets at different times of the year.
TAKE PICTURES!
Take pictures or videos of your property once more. This will be helpful information to have in the event of an insurance claim.
4 GO TO BED AT HOME
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While you’re away, a trusted individual will look after your house. They, and you, may easily access any relevant data at any time. Leaving your Florida home is as simple as locking the door. Some crucial concerns are listed below.
The batteries in your smoke alarms, thermostat, and alarm (the main panel and any keypads) should be replaced, and backups should be purchased if necessary. Extra batteries for the home security guard mean less downtime for your system.
Before leaving, make sure all of the plumbing is in working order. When you’re 1,500 miles away, preventing an issue is far simpler than fixing it. A reputable home monitoring service should volunteer to conduct this examination since they will know exactly what to look for.
Protect your family’s safety at home. Look for flaws in all the glass panels. Is everything secure and working correctly? Do the entry points that have alarms on them work? Do the sliding glass doors have locking pins?
Problems with electricity: power surges, especially those caused by lightning, are typical in this part of Florida. Any electronic devices in your home are vulnerable to a wave that can enter through your phone, power, cable, or data cables. One option is disconnecting everything, while another is installing a surge protector by a professional electrician. SurgeSheild is a program by Florida Power & Light that, as the company puts it, “protects your home’s major motor-driven appliances.”
Whether you leave your fridge running or not, remember to remove any perishables and switch off the ice maker. Before turning off the appliance, ensure it is clean, and the doors are propped open to avoid mold growth.
Temperature and humidity levels inside the residence should be regulated. Mold thrives when air cannot circulate freely when it is dark, chilly, and stagnant. Humidity levels should be between 45 and 55 percent, so if your home doesn’t already have one, you should consider getting one. The temperature range for your thermostat is 80–84 degrees. Keep your home well-lit; don’t shut out the sun. Twenty-five percent should be let in through the windows. Overhead fans are rarely left running for extended periods.
Turning off the water supply to a water heater is dangerous if the power is down. Turn off the water heater’s circuit breaker right before you leave on the day you’re going.
Do some deep cleaning around the house. This will help keep pests at bay and simplify opening up shop when you return.
Keep all patio, lanai, and poolside furniture safely tucked away while not using it. Stowing your belongings in a garage or porch protects them from the storm. The next step is determining if you want to place hurricane shutters over the remaining windows and doors. In the event of an impending storm, you’ll have to find someone else to do them for you if you don’t do them now.
5. NEXT STEPS
Cancel all incoming packages, mail, newspapers, etc. Tell your friends and neighbors when you’ll be gone so that they can keep an eye on your house while you’re away. Remember to include your new prescriptions and your home insurance documents on the day you depart. Shut off the main water valve. Remove all except one or two timers from on-off switches. Start a timer. Make sure the door is locked.
You can unwind and take it easy for the next several months if you combine the information in this article with the counsel of long-term seasonal residents. You have made every effort to ensure that your home in Southwest Florida will again be a haven next summer.
The writer’s bio:
Property Service Of Naples, LLC is owned by Rick Virginia and his wife, Karen. In addition to their Naples Home Watch service, they provide handyman repairs and errand running. Originally from Massachusetts, Rick has called Naples home since 1998. Call (239) 537.3503 or visit http://www.PropertyServiceOfNaples.com to contact him.
Call (239) 537-3503 or go to propertyServiceOfNaples.com to ensure your house is secure while away.
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