4 Tips to Keep Your Home Safe This Holiday Season

Holiday madness is finally here! A time of joy, sharing, and unfortunately…thievery. Many homeowners are away from home, shopping, partying or visiting family, often posting about their activities on social media, all of which make it easier for thieves to take advantage of you while your guard is down. We’ve rounded up a few tips from security experts to help you protect your home and belongings during the holiday craziness.

• Don’t make yourself a target. Classic, seemingly common sense advice but worth re-stating: lock doors, use timers on the lights, and have the post office hold your mail. Consider parking a locked car in your driveway to make it look like someone is home.
• Take advantage of smart technology. Whether it’s the ability to control your lights and thermostat with the swipe of a finger to doorbell cameras that detect motion and offer the ability to speak to anyone on your porch, they all provide some measure of added peace of mind right from your phone.
• Make it hard for “package pirates” to succeed. Not only is a package left on your doorstep vulnerable to a thief, it’s a giant red flag that lets them know for sure that no one is home. Have packages held at the post office for pick-up or sent to your office address. If you’re ordering items from a retail store, opt for a pick-up at the local location. If those options are too hectic, FedEx and UPS both allow customers to postpone delivery or to provide the driver with drop-off directions for the package (like leaving it with a neighbor). Keep your front porch area clear and visible from the street (no shaggy bushes or bulky holiday decor for thieves to hide behind) and keep doorbell cameras and other exterior cameras active.
• Take a break from posting everything on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Remember that that great new TV you bragged about getting or pics of you on your week-long ski trip you can’t wait to share…can also be seen by people casing your house. Take a minute to double-check your privacy settings, and possibly to re-consider what you want to share with the wide world.

A few proactive measures can make a big difference in keeping your home and your belongings safe from bad guys this holiday season, and helping our home buyers and sellers stay safe is a responsibility we take very seriously. Happy holidays from all of us at The Rhoades Team, and remember if you’re thinking of buying or selling a home or know someone who is, give us a call at (713) 515-3463 or visit us online at TheRhoadesTeam.com.