House sitter or Just leave?

[taoshum]

If you are not a "full timer", how do you make sure the homestead is OK when you are gone?

I guess if you have a condo or something similar, it's fine to leave but if you have a "regular" place, what do you do?

Some folks arrange to have someone else check on the place, a neighbor or?

Some folks hire a house sitter to keep everything ship shape and care for plants and/or animals.

Some folks lock up and leave, planning to return "soon enough"...

Do you worry?  Do you have an alarm system that will alert you to problems?

How do you manage this? 

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Tom]

Here's a recent discussion on the same subject.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

A lot depends on the neighborhood you reside in.  We just leave ours, but it's a low crime, rural area plus there is a citizen patrol that drives around to "show the flag". Mainly, though, we just make sure the insurance is paid, hire a guy to mow the lawn once in awhile and head on out.

House sitters are often a risky proposition - horror stories are not uncommon. A sound, reliable one would be great to have, though.

 

[taoshum]

Here's a recent discussion on the same subject.

thanks Tom.  I missed this.

 

[taoshum]

A lot depends on the neighborhood you reside in.  We just leave ours, but it's a low crime, rural area plus there is a citizen patrol that drives around to "show the flag". Mainly, though, we just make sure the insurance is paid, hire a guy to mow the lawn once in awhile and head on out.

House sitters are often a risky proposition - horror stories are not uncommon. A sound, reliable one would be great to have, though.

We have a housesitter "horror" story, so this year we just left it empty.  Everything was "ok" but during the winter, one heater failure and we have a real problem...

ugh.

 

[Wendy]

We just leave but a lot of the neighbors have our phone number and they're mostly retired and nosy. We've talked about a house-sitter but in the winter, it's easier and cheaper to just shut off the water and lock the doors.

 

[odie1234]

Do you have an alarm system that will alert you to problems?

We have an alarm system and also a web cam system I set up so that I could look at the house (DW insisted). If I forgot to turn the alarm on when we left I would not go back to reset it. I never look at the cams. In our area the average time for a burglar to be in a dwelling is much less than the response time for law enforcement so if an alarm sounds that just says something is going to be missing. We also had a false alarm (lightning caused we think) that caused us all kinds of grief. As far as the cameras, maybe I just don't care enough to look - it is just stuff.

Enjoy your trips.

 

[taoshum]

Thanks odie1234,

LOL, maybe I can point one of the cameras at the thermostat/temperature dial and be convinced that the "heat is on".  I know what you mean about "stuff" but my large worry is that the pipes will freeze if the heat goes off for a while.  The outside temperature can get 20 below, in the winter, easily.  A few days without heat and the water pipes freeze and burst.

Guess I gotta learn how to setup a webcam...

great idea.

 

[Jeff]

Gary:

This web thermostat I use shows me the temp and sends an email if it drops below 40 degrees.

 

[odie1234]

Gary:

This web thermostat I use shows me the temp and sends an email if it drops below 40 degrees.

Yep, I also have a thermostat that alerts us if the AC quits working and temperature rises (our stick and brick is in FL). The last thing we would want to come home to is a house full of mold. Technology is so cheap and easy these days that even a poor neanderthal like me can afford them and figure out how to use them.

 

[Cant Wait]

Most security companies i.e.ADT have options to add temp monitor as well as alarms etc.

 

[HomeSweetRV]

We just leave but a lot of the neighbors have our phone number and they're mostly retired and nosy. We've talked about a house-sitter but in the winter, it's easier and cheaper to just shut off the water and lock the doors.

Check your property insurance policy (small print).
Often insurance companies require owners to have someone physically check inside and outside the home on a regular (weekly or bi-weekly) basis.  Be a bummer to have something happen, and the insurance premiums you've been paying be all for naught, if your claim is denied.  just a caution...

 

[Wendy]

Sweet, thanks for the tip but we're ok. Had a water heater problem a couple of years ago while we were gone and were covered, no problem.

Wendy