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3 ways to protect your home while on vacation

May 22nd, 2017  |  Travel

If you’re one of the lucky Canadians taking a vacation this year, you might be a bit nervous about leaving your home unattended while away. Although Canada is one of the safest countries in the world, there’s still a lot of anxiety surrounding petty crime and property theft. Fortunately, there are a few ways to protect your home, even while abroad.

Security System

Security systems come in all shapes and sizes. You can have a DIY security system that simply beeps when a door or window opens. You can buy security cameras and set them up throughout your home to monitor activity while you’re away. Or, you can have the most expensive option – monitoring via a private security company. With a private security company, your home will be outfitted with cameras, motion detectors and other safety paraphernalia. If you’re away on vacation, the security company will protect your home via off-site monitoring, and will alert the proper authorities in the event of a break-in or fire.

Helpful Neighbour

The least expensive and most low-tech way to protect your home while on vacation is to ask a neighbor to keep an eye out for any problems. Although your neighbour might notice you’re on vacation if your car is missing from your driveway, or if you haven’t been seen around in a while, you’ll get better results if you ask a specific neighbour to check on your property while you’re away.

If you’ve got a pet, hiring a local kid or adult to feed the pet is another way to have someone protect your property while away.

Although your neighbour won’t stop a thief, having someone visit your home regularly can stop a small problem (like a burst pipe) from getting exponentially worse.

Find a Renter

On the internet, you can find a person to watch your house while you’re away. There are house-sitting websites that specialize in connecting homeowners and travelers. In addition, short-term rental websites allow you to make a few bucks while allowing a traveler to stay at your home rather than a hotel. Neither of these options is the perfect solution – you’ll still need to make sure you screen your would-be home protectors to ensure that they don’t damage your property while away, but either option is better than leaving an empty house.

In 2017, it’s easier than ever to take a vacation. Workplaces sometimes let you work from home, allowing you to take last-minute trips and work on the road – an unthinkable idea 25 years ago. Lower fuel prices and more competition in the airline industry also allow Canadians to travel longer distances and more frequently than we were previously able.

Unfortunately, the downside to having so many vacation options available is that many Canadians can experience FOMO – fear of missing out. Luckily, with options like renting your home to short-term renters, or asking a helpful neighbour to watch your property, you can afford to protect your home while on vacation without having to resort to more expensive options, like private security monitoring.

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