As owners partner with Real Property Management of the Rockies, we often deal with homes that do not currently have a tenant. At times, owners are concerned about how safe their property is from theft without a current tenant. Over the years, we have developed a group of tips that help owners.
The first thing is quite obvious, be sure to secure the premises of the property. This can be gates, entrances to the home, garage doors, etc. You can secure gates or garage doors with padlock or slide bolts. If you choose to do this to a garage door, be sure to deactivate the garage door opener if applicable. You do not want damage if the garage door were opened during a showing. Even though a padlock or slide bolt doesn’t seem like much, any deterrent is quite helpful to someone looking for an “opportunity” crime. When it comes to entries into the home, add deadbolts if they are not already in place. Once again, this is a pretty good deterrent to someone looking for an opportunity.
Another tip is to try to make it look like someone is home. This is often difficult to do if the house is completely empty of furnishings. So, if you are able, leave some furniture in the home or have it staged by a staging company. Or, make sure window coverings are completely drawn to prevent people from looking into the property. You can also leave a few lights in the property and have them set to timers so they turn on and off, making it seems like someone is in the property.
Some other ideas include allowing a neighbor to park in your driveway or parking spot or leaving a car of your own. This will give the impression that someone is home. Keep landscaping in shape and prevent newspapers from piling up in the driveway. Also, think about installing motion sensors to your outdoor lighting that will trip the lights after detecting motion.
We hope these tips were helpful to you and the security of your property. If you require property management services in Northern Colorado including the cities of Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Timnath, Wellington or other Northern Colorado cities, please contact us for more information. Real Property Management of the Rockies would be honored to become your trusted property management partner.