Do you need a security system?
Generally, purchasing a basic security system is a good idea. A system is fairly inexpensive to purchase and have installed. Furthermore, most insurance companies will offer you a discount on your homeowners insurance if you have one. This discount could be as much as 20% off your premium. There will be a monthly fee for monitoring service. Usually this is somewhere between $20.00 and $40.00 per month.
A security system can be particularly handy if you have a large variety of people entering your home when you are not around, such as handymen, housekeepers, or houseguests. You should be able to assign a different code to each person who enters, so you will be able to track who was in your cabin.
Security systems can be fairly simple or quite elaborate. The more elaborate you chose to get with your system, the more money this will cost. Besides the system simply detecting intruders, there are environmental sensor devices that can detect water in the home or the temperature of the home as well. Since water and rodents are more likely to cause damage to a vacation home than an intruder, these sensor devices are extremely appealing add-on options.
Key holders
A key holder is simply someone who has a key to your home other than you. This can be a neighbor, family member, friend, or a company that specializes in this service. Whoever you choose, this person should be close to the home, because this is the person you will depend on to respond to emergencies at the home and do anything in the home that needs to be done that you cannot do in your absence. Neighbors and friends are generally poor choices, unless you’re really lucky. Most people don’t want to be burdened with your cabin’s issues.
The biggest mistake you can make as a vacation homeowner is to choose the wrong key holder. No key holder at all can also be disastrous. This is true whether you have a security system or not.
If you do have a security system, it is vital that you choose the right key holder if you want to get the best value out of your system. This is because you will need to have someone respond to the alarms. Security companies install the system and collect a list of key holders from you. A response center will call people on this list that you create when an alarm is activated at your property. Generally, neither the response center nor the security company will actually respond to the alarm. If a water sensor alarm is activated because it senses water in your finished basement, you will want someone to respond to this quickly. Unless you live a lifestyle that allows you to drop everything and get to your cabin quickly on short notice, you will probably need a professional key holder company that you can rely on to respond.
A company that specializes in watching homes is your best choice. These companies are generally called home watch, concierge, or house sitting services. This is your best choice, assuming the company is insured and bonded to be doing this type of work.
All this does not mean that there is no place for a friends or neighbors when it comes to keeping an eye on your home. You can certainly let trusted friends or neighbors know your vacation home schedule without asking them to commit to watching it or giving them the responsibility of possessing your key. Simply being friendly and notifying you or the proper authorities if something seems clearly wrong at the property is enough. This is a less one-sided way of approaching things since you will be able to watch out for their homes in return when you are visiting your retreat as well. Try to choose full-time residents to do this for you. If you do that, this may mean that they are likely to want to take a vacation during the time you are at your vacation property, and you will have the chance to return the favor.
Lock boxes
To some people, a lock box invokes fearful visions of criminals and other unwanted people entering their homes. However, we have found lock boxes are a good idea and result in quite the opposite scenario.
Lock boxes, particularly the kinds that bolt to your house, are very nice tools if you must leave a key at your property. If you own a vacation home, you will likely have many different people that need to access the home in your absence. People will need a key for emergency access, service people (such as maid service), and guests. This is a better option than leaving it with a person that may either lose the key or not keep it in a secure place. At least if you have it in a lock box, you know where it is and that it is locked securely. When mounting the lock box onto your home, it is a good idea to place it in an area that is not easily visible, such as inside the door frame or on the side of a pillar that faces the home, not the road. You get the idea.
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