Keeping a vacant home safe

With the recent news about the Stephentown300 vandalism at Brian Holloway's home I wanted to write a post about keeping a vacant home safe.  No neighborhood is immune to crime, and vacant homes can be easy targets. While certainly not every act of vandalism is preventable, taking actions to protect yourself & your property is prudent.

If you are selling your home and have moved on here are some tips for keeping your investment safe while waiting for it to sell.  If you need ideas (or motivation) for getting that sale, check my previous post.

• Keep the yard & exterior maintained. Overgrown grass, unkept flower beds, and cobwebs building up around front door are welcoming and inviting to prospective vandals... not prospective buyers. 
• Make sure you have stopped the mail and all publications.  A month's worth of mail and newspapers piling up can be an open invitation to crime.
• Ask a neighbor to park in your driveway.  Nothing says, "I'm home" more than a car parked in the driveway.  
• Keep the lights on.  Programmable timers and a few lights in different rooms will give the appearance of someone being in the property.  Combine that with the previous items and you won't be giving off the impression of being vacant and vulnerable
• If you live in an area where snow is a possibility, arrange ahead of time for someone to shovel & de-ice.  Not only will this keep your home maintained for prospective showings, you'll be much less likely to have a slip and fall & potential lawsuit.
• And last but not least, check your home owners insurance policy for any requirements your insurer may have for unoccupied properties.  In the event that something tragic happens on or to your property you want to make sure you are covered.  

Want more ideas for keeping your property safe?  Check this article from buzzfeed.