Editor’s Note:
Biz leaders are juggling more and more during this volatile, pandemic time. This weekend or part of next week, may be the last “holiday” or working vacation from the CSRA grind for a while. School is starting soon. In this week’s Real Talk real estate, Shawna Woodward says, make sure someone is minding the store at home!
As summer starts to wind down, plan to go on a last minute vacation! Life is short and we should strive to make it a priority to enjoy time away with our friends and loved ones.
I want to share a few ways you can protect your property and be prepared for what may come up while you are away. Our family hires someone to house sit for us because we have pets.
- Hiring a house sitter, someone who will live at your home while you are gone, would be my number one recommendation. I realize that not everyone can do this, so here are my three top suggestions to all you vacationers.
2. Consider equipping your home with access via a smart lock or key pad. This way your neighbors or friends can go check on your home without a physical key. Hiding keys can give access to anyone who finds the key, so I believe this is a safer way to keep your home secure, but allow access to someone if necessary.
3. Have your mail and newspaper service stopped while you are away. I always notice when someone has left because the newspapers, even the free ones, will accumulate on the driveway. To protect your home, you should make sure the exterior stays maintained as if it were occupied. This includes your landscaping if you will be gone for more than a week.
4. Lastly, if no one is house sitting for you, you should shut the water off to your home. Water can be one of the most costly and destructive complications to come home to. Typically, your home owners insurance will step in and help if the cause of the leak is covered, but you will still have a huge headache and can loose valuable things in the process. To shut the water off at most homes you will need to go the main water box at your street and use a crescent wrench to turn the valve to the off or close position. If you need help with this, feel free to text me and I will give you the name and number of someone who can help.
Shawna Woodward has been selling, buying, and managing residential real estate in the CSRA market since 2005 and loves all aspects of this business! Her son Braydon and her have created MHPAUGUSTA, which stands for Miracle Home Partners.
They make an average donation of $150 on behalf of each client they complete a transaction with. All donations stay here in Augusta at our local hospital.
Shawna has achieved the Re/Max Hall of Fame status, and consistently reaches the 100% club level or higher every year. You can email shawna@mhpaugusta.com or visit www.mhpaugusta.com or call 706-399-8707
