Going Away for a While?

Summer is vacation season, and when Florida gets steamy, many residents head north. Here is a list of safety tips created by FAR (Florida Association of Realtors®) to get you prepared.

Crime rates across the country often start to peak as temperatures rise during warm weather months -- the same time that many families leave their homes unoccupied and unprotected.

"Their home represents a huge financial investment for most people, but it is also the place where they raise their families, build memories and share their dreams for the future," says Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR) President Frank Kowalski. "It just makes sense to take steps to protect something so priceless."

The following homeowner strategies make a home less of a target for criminals:

• No "Home Alone": Before leaving your home during the day, make it look as if someone is still at home by using timers on lights in various rooms. Even though daylight hours are longer during the summer, it may still get dark faster than you expect or you may return home later than anticipated, and taking this step ensures that your home appears occupied at all times.

• No Open Door Policy: Make sure all doors leading to the home and garage are locked, even when leaving for short periods of time. The typical burglary takes less than five minutes, and unlocked doors, combined with an empty home, put out the "welcome mat" for crime.

• Someone to Watch Over Me: Be landscape smart. Shrubbery and other plants can grow very rapidly during the warm, wet summer months, so keep them trimmed to allow your neighbors to keep an eye on your home. Also, an unkempt yard could be viewed as a sign of an empty home to a burglar.

• A Key Reminder: When leaving home, take your house keys along or leave a spare set with a trusted neighbor. Never leave a key under a welcome mat, in a mailbox or other hiding spots -- most burglars know where to look.

• Crime Doesn't Take a Vacation: If you're planning to be away from home for more than a day or two, ask a neighbor to park a car in your driveway and pick up your mail and newspapers -- or be sure to make arrangements to cancel the paper and hold the mail. Disable your garage door opener and manually lock it from the inside, and don’t forget to check that the door leading from the garage to the home is locked, too.

This list as well as a little common sense will help to reduce the likely hood of your home appearing to be a good target.

Posted by Donald Urschalitz P.A. at August 16, 2005 12:10 PM