Looking after your home while you are away on vacation

When you go away on vacation, you have a few options to help take care of your property in your absence. Whatever you decide to do, before you leave, check over your homeowners insurance. Mass burglaries are often more frequent at this time of year and it is a good idea to make sure your insurance is up to date.

People who live in community minded neighborhoods may be able to enlist the help of neighbors to collect mail and keep an eye on their home. Perhaps one of them might be happy to park a car in the driveway so it looks occupied. Using timed lights that can be programmed to turn on and off at preset times could also be a useful strategy.

You might want to consider finding someone to housesit for you. That way, there will be someone coming and going as you would do if you were home. This can be doubly useful if you have pets, as they can then be cared for at home rather than needing to be sent to a boarding kennel.

Whatever you choose, make sure that you have reviewed your homeowners insurance. Mass residents should discuss any amendments that may be necessary to ensure that they have adequate coverage while they are away.

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