5 Tips for Securing Your Vacation Home

Monitored security systems mean someone is always looking out for your property. With smart home apps, you can check on your vacation property even when you’re hundreds of miles away.

You can install motion sensor security cameras that will send real-time video to your smartphone, home or work computer, or your tablet. You can also get notifications when something isn’t right. Security cameras often prevent theft before it happens. Many would-be burglars will skip right over your property when they see cameras mounted outside.

While most burglaries in the United States are forced entries,¹ many burglars can simply walk, climb, or crawl inside houses without any trouble.

Make sure all windows, especially windows on the ground level, have secure locks. You can also install a pin or nail into the frame, stopping the window from opening more than a few inches. Also, lock any basement or back doors and install deadbolts on all external doors.

Check out our top picks for best locks.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to leave a spare key under a front door mat, under a fake rock, or in any other well-known hiding place. It seems like a good idea to have a spare key somewhere you can get to in case you get locked out, but that’s also an open invitation for a burglar to walk into your house without any forced entry.

A better option would be to leave a key with a trusted neighbor or friend who lives close by. Or, install a smart lock that you can control with an app.

If a house looks vacant, it’s an open invitation to a burglar, so make sure your vacation home looks lived in even when you aren’t there. Don’t let mail or newspapers pile up, keep the yard maintained, and make sure any bushes or shrubs are trimmed on a regular basis. You may also consider adding smart plugs on lights so your house doesn’t sit dark at night.

Far too many vacationers have waited until a crime has taken place to start thinking about protecting their vacation property. The risks are too high to go another day without securing your property.