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5 Ways To Protect Your Home While On Vacation

We’ve all been there. Did you accidentally leave the iron plugged in? Forget to shut the kitchen window?  It’s that...

  • Eric Marcus
  • July 12th, 2018
  • 2 min read
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We’ve all been there. Did you accidentally leave the iron plugged in? Forget to shut the kitchen window? 

It’s that time of year for weekend getaways and extended vacations. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics has found that household burglary rates are highest in the summer.

Your bags are packed and your itinerary is booked. You’ll want to fully prepare your home while it’s left empty with this quick checklist:

 

 

Make sure your home is locked down and secure.

Consider a professionally monitored home security system and set before you leave. Double check all windows are locked. If you have a spare key outside your home, be sure to give it to a friend, neighbor, or put it back inside until you return. Almost 30% of burglars enter a home through an unlocked door or window!

 

Make your home look maintained & lived in.

Be sure to mow the lawn, leave a car in the driveway if possible, keep your pool cleaned and plants watered. You should also have timers set for both interior & exterior lights - a home that appears occupied is less likely to be a target. 

 

 

Don’t publicize your vacation plans on social media!

As tempting as it can be, posting your vacation photos sends the message to potential intruders that your home is empty.

 

Ask a friend or a trusted neighbor to keep an eye out for your home.

A majority of break-ins are committed by burglars who live nearby. If your neighborhood has been robbed before, you may even want to consider a house-sitter.

 

Pause your mail delivery.

Or, have friends/neighbors regularly retrieve mail - a pile of newspapers on your doorstep is a guarantee no one’s home.  

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About the author

Eric Marcus

773-732-9898
I was born in South Bend, Indiana where my family owned and operated a small business for over 50 years. Every member of my family has been licensed to practice real estate, and my dad owns a real estate company in Indiana. After graduating with honors from Indiana University in 1991, I earned my CPA and worked for a big six accounting firm in Chicago. Combining my experience and entrepreneurial spirit, I started my own successful accounting business that I ran for 3 years. Next, I embarked on a career as a soybean trader at the Chicago Board of Trade, followed by a successful run as a stock options market maker at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange. I began my real estate career in 2003 as broker/owner of ESM Realty. My team has helped more than 600 clients buy and sell condominiums, townhouses, single family homes, multi-unit residential, and commercial properties. For 14 straight years, we were recognized by Chicago Association of Realtors as Top Producers. Our extensive marketing program includes premium placement on hundreds of websites, morechicagohomes.com and state of the art Facebook advertising. My team works tirelessly to make each client feel like they are our only client! We strive for the highest level of performance every day so that we exceed your highest expectations. Our business is 75%+ referral-based and we want you to not only be our client but our biggest raving fan. In December 2020, I brought my team to Keller Williams ONEChicago with branches in Lincoln Park, Lakeview and O'Hare. To set up a consultation or if you have any questions, please contact me at 773-732-9898.

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