Keeping Your Home Safe While on Vacation
Summer is coming to a close, and many families are heading out on vacation or weekend getaways to soak up these last few weeks. When going out of town, it’s important to make sure your home is secure, as burglaries peak during the summer months. Here are some things you can do to keep your home safe while away: Set timers on your lights. Keeping a light on for a few days drives up the energy bill, so use timers to turn on your indoor and outdoor lights. A completely dark home signals to burglars that no one is home. Pause your mail or ask a neighbor to grab it. It’s pretty obvious that you’re not at home when mail starts to pile up on your porch, especially packages. Pause your mail and newspaper deliveries or ask a neighbor to pick them up and hold them for you until you’re back. Bring in any spare keys. If you’ve got a spare key hiding under the doormat, bring it inside or give it to a neighbor for safekeeping. Check that all windows and doors are locked. Double-check that every entrance to your home is locked. You should also lock the door that leads to your garage in case someone does manage to break into it. That way, the inside of your home is still protected. Don’t leave valuables in plain sight. Put away any laptops, gaming consoles, or other expensive items. If someone looks through your window, something valuable will only give them more reason to try and break in. Ask someone to house sit. One of the surest ways to prevent break-ins is to have someone house sit. Burglars are unlikely to try and break in when they know that somebody is home. Arrange lawn care (if not handled by HOA). If you’re going to be gone for an extended period of time, make sure someone will be mowing your lawn. Overgrown grass is another sign that no one has been home for a while. We hope you can relax and enjoy your vacation knowing that your home is protected!
Tips for Welcoming New Residents to Your Community
Building community among residents is always a priority for a happy neighborhood, but it’s hard than ever to do this during the COVID-19 pandemic. One way you can welcome new residents and help them “find there way” with living in an HOA, is to have a Welcome Packet ready when they arrive that contains important information they may need. The welcome packet can have whatever you and your HOA board thinks in important, but here are some ideas on what to include. Welcome letter. Including a letter that will officially welcome the new resident to your HOA will help them feel invited and give a positive first impression about your community. Community rules and regulations. While more association buyers will have already reviewed the rules and regulations of the association before deciding to purchase, it’s a good reminder to include them as a good reminder and note on what to expect from their neighbors. Board and committee makeup. Include the structure of the board, its members, and contact information so they know who to contact with questions/concerns. Amenity information. If your community has shared areas, such as a pool, park, clubhouse, or fitness center, include the location and hours of these amenities. It’s always nice to have that kind of important information at your fingertips. Owner contact sheet. Ask the new resident to fill out and return a contact sheet so the HOA board can easily contact the new owner with questions/concerns. FAQ sheet. Ask residents who have been in your community for a while what questions they had when they first moved into your HOA, and create an FAQ sheet that includes these questions and the answers. This will help reduce the resident’s need to contact you with simple questions. Local events. With the pandemic still in full force, events probably are not happening in your area. However, including maps of local parks and walking paths as well as tips on restaurants are usually very well received by new residents. It’s nice to have an insiders tip sheet on local attractions. Taking an hour or two out of your day to compile and deliver the welcome packet will help establish a good relationship with the new residents, help answer any of their immediate questions, and help them feel a part of a friendly, welcoming, and positive community.