Easy-to-Miss Home Security Tips for your Vacation
If you’re relaxing on a Caribbean beach, or enjoying a bus tour through historic Paris, the last thing you want to worry about is your home. Most people know the basics of keeping a home secure while away. Here are some additional tips that are easy to miss:
• Tell your kids not to boast about your fabulous vacation plans, especially on social media. The fewer who know that the house is empty, the better.
• Ask a neighbor to pick up any mail dropped at your doorstep. But, don’t rely on that alone. Call the post office to temporarily halt delivery.
• Set-up timers to automatically turn lights on and off. However, most will stop working if the power goes out and they’ll restart with the incorrect time when the power comes back on. That’s why you should keep at least a couple of lights turned on continuously.
• Open the blinds. If you’re leaving in the evening, or before dawn, this can be easy to forget. Closed blinds during the day are a dead giveaway that the owners are away.
Finally, experts recommend creating a home security checklist, so you don’t forget anything. That alone will give you peace-of-mind.
Start the Home Selling Process this Month
If you’re thinking about selling in the spring, don’t wait until the new year to start planning. In fact, you’ll save yourself a lot of work and get ahead of the game if you start planning now.
What’s that old saying? The early bird gets the worm! In this case, by starting the process this month, you’ll be in excellent shape when you’re ready to list in the spring.
Here are just a few examples of what you can do in December to get the process started:
• Walk your property and note any maintenance issues that need attention.
• Decide which items to stow or sell to declutter your home.
• Determine what improvements you’ll need to make in order for your home to look great to buyers.
• Find out approximately how much your property will likely sell for in the spring market.
• Clarify the kind of new home you’d like to move into, including ideal neighborhoods.
• Look into your financing options, so you’ll know the price range you can afford.
• Connect with any professionals you may need, such as contractors, a mover, and a real estate lawyer.
• Take advantage of any December shopping deals for products you may need, such as home improvement project materials, packing supplies, etc.
As you can see, the more prepared you are this month, the more stress-free and successful the home selling process will be in the spring.
Protecting your Home Gadgets from Hacking
Imagine your coffee maker switching on by itself, staying on for hours, overheating and becoming a fire hazard. That’s not science fiction. As more and more appliances incorporate Wi-Fi, the opportunities for hackers to play havoc with your home gadgets increase.
How do you prevent that from happening? Here are some safety tips:
If your gadget uses a password to access the settings, change that password frequently. Ideally, change it once every 3 months.
Some gadgets, such as alarm systems, come with their own connection to the internet. Learn how to turn that connection off if it becomes necessary to do so.
Don’t leave an internet-connected appliance or other gadget on constantly unless it’s required. For example, you don’t need your home speaker system connected to your digital music providers all the time.
Baby monitors with video are a common target for hackers. Use a password unique to that device and change it often. Never leave the monitor on when not in use.
Never share passwords with anyone unless it is absolutely necessary. Most home Wi-Fi systems have a “guest” feature with a separate password and limited access. Use it.
In this age of internet connectivity — from coffee makers to stereos and even washing machines — it’s smart to play it safe. Know what’s connected and protect yourself.
