Securing Your Rental While On Vacation

We often tease that “your vacation is our life” when living in Central Oregon, but what happens when we take a vacation from our vacation destination? 

We all still get out and vacation, and summer is the ideal time to take that camping trip, head toward the beach or hop in the car to explore.

Homeowner or renter alike, anytime you leave your home for an extended period of time, it is important to consider the safety and security of your property. As your Central Oregon property manager, we know your investment, whether you’re a renter or investor, needs to be protected. Vacant homes can be a target for mischief (even in our amazing part of the country), so before loading up the car with luggage, be sure to consider the following safety tips to protect your home while on vacation. 

 

Securing Your Home While On Vacation

 

1. Keep up the yard work. Before you leave, be sure the yards are nicely kept up according to their regular landscaping schedule. Un-maintained lawns can be a signal that no one is home and an un-kept yard may also get you in trouble on your rental agreement. If necessary, consider having a landscaper come out to your property while you are away. Lava Ridge Property Management can help set you up with landscaping service while you are gone, just ask! It may seem costly at first, but landscape damage caused from neglect is a tenant responsibility and far more costly in the long run. 
2. Notify your property manager, neighbors or next of kin. Let your neighbors or close-by relatives know you will be away so they can help keep an eye out for suspicious activity. If you are expecting any packages, let them know so they can put them away for you and also help with things like removing newspapers from the property and storing your garbage cans. Finally, if you are going to be gone more than 30 days, it is written in your lease agreement to notify Lava Ridge Property Management of your departure. 
3. Put a hold on newspaper, garbage and mail service. Fully stuffed mailboxes, curbside garbage cans and newspapers covering the lawns signal a vacant property. Mail, garbage and newspaper delivery services are easy to put on hold while you are gone, just give them a call!
4. Button up your social media account. Advertising your vacations on social media can make you a target, so checking your privacy settings, removing location tags and not posting pictures until you get back can help protect your property until you return.
5. Lock up valuables. A small safe can be a great way to protect your most precious valuables and are very cheap and easy to install.
6. Don’t leave a key out or your house unsecure. It’s easy to think you are safe living in Central Oregon and you may not even consider leaving access through a dog door, hidden key or unlocked patio slider. But it is so much safer and more secure to lock up the house entirely and leave the key with a trusted friend or family member instead.
7. Disconnect or lock your garage door. Automatic garage doors are easy broken into. One way to prevent unwanted intrusions is to lock, disconnect or unplug your garage door while you are gone.
8. Install added security. If leaving your rental for periods of time makes you uneasy, consider asking the landlord if they are willing to better secure the house. They may consider paying for a security system, motion sensor light or better locks. A property management company like ours can help open up that conversation and negotiate the terms with the landlord. 
9. Pull your car inside the garage or carport. Leaving a car on the side of the road or in the driveway for days at a time will not only be a telltale sign you are not home, it could put your car at risk of a break in. Whenever possible, pull it out of site and into the garage. 
10. Consider rental insurance. Should the unimaginable happen, rental insurance can help protect your valuables. It’s affordable and a good idea if you travel often or have a good deal of valuables in your rental. For more information about rental insurance, contact us to find out more and get a list of local agents. 

 

If something makes you uneasy during your vacation, that’s what you have a Bend property manager like Lava Ridge for, who has over 25 years in the business and is #MARPMsmart! Don’t hesitate to call us if you need a drive-by or if you are concerned you left something on or unsecure. We also provide services for second homes and weekly, biweekly or monthly home checks in Bend, Sisters, Redmond, LaPine, Sunriver and Madras.

We are here to protect your home because—rental or investment property—it’s YOUR home!