Owning a vacation home is a wonderful investment that gives you a place to escape to any time you want. Whether it’s in the mountains or on a beach, your vacation home is a private getaway for you, your family, and any friends you want to bring along. However, many vacation homeowners worry about how to ensure their property is safe and secure when they’re spending most of the year away from it. Here are a few tips from our experts on vacation home management in Galveston, TX.
Know Your Neighbors
Even if you’re only at your vacation home for a few months out of the year, you should still take the time to get to know your neighbors. This is a home security tip that applies to both your primary residence and your vacation home. When you know your neighbors - and when they’re familiar with your family’s faces and your usual comings and goings - they are much more likely to notice when something is amiss on your property. If they see an unfamiliar face, they’re more likely to call the police or at least reach out to you to see if you’re letting someone else use the property.
So, no matter how little time you may spend at your vacation property, getting to know your neighbors is an easy way to help keep your home safe - and to make some new friends you can spend your vacations with.
Invest in Home Security
Many homeowners invest in home security systems, whether monitored or not, in order to protect their property and their family. However, because they spend a lot less of their time in their vacation home, too many people choose not to make the same investment in their secondary property. While you might reason that it’s not as important since you’re less likely to be the victim of a crime in the short time you’re there, what about all those months that you’re away?
Home burglars love empty residences, and if you have anything value that stays at the property when you’re gone (recreational vehicles, televisions, electronics, etc.), you just might return to your vacation home to find that it’s been cleaned out. Investing in even a simple, self-monitored system can act as a major deterrent to protect your property while you’re away.
Rent It Out
One of the best ways to help protect your property from home invasion is to open it up to vacationers and business travelers. As we mentioned, burglars love vacant homes. So, why not minimize the amount of time that your vacation home is vacant? If you have renters regularly coming and going from your vacation home, it’s much less likely to be targeted by would-be thieves than a property that remains empty for months at a time.
In addition, regular property inspections alert property managers to issues such as broken pipes, leaks and other damages that may go undetected if the home were to sit vacant.
If you’re worried about renter-related damages to your summer rental in Galveston, TX, be sure to work with a reputable vacation rental management company like Soar Vacation Rental Services. We’ll regularly inspect and maintain your property, ensure any damages are properly repaired, and handle all of the everyday tasks related to renting out your vacation home. And of course, we’ll help to keep your property safe, protected, and available for your personal use whenever you wish it. Give us a call to learn more about your rental management services today.