SNOWBIRD

We close up the house, and turn off the water when we are going to be gone for several months. The local police will check on the house regularly and we have a neighbor who cuts the grass. In addition I have security cameras that not only record everything all around the perimeter of the house and inside but are also accessible through the internet for us to get a "real time" idea of what is going on. If we are going to be gone during hurricane season, we make sure that the window protection is already installed.
One year we notified the newspaper to stop delivery while we were gone. One of the neighbors noticed someone around our house at 4AM and called the police, who found our newspaper delivery man wandering around in the back yard. He said he was trying to find a place to fish, since we live on a lake. He no longer works for the newspaper. :R

Some good advice here. I also agree not to put the dates you will be gone on here or anywhere as far as that goes. MO

24 hour security by a Security System, we have low temp, smoke/fire and burglar alarm. Children drive by it everyday on way to work. Turned off water, drained water lines, set thermostat on 52. Been doing this since retirement. Also, have some good neighbors watching.

We are going to turn off our water, and leave the heat set to 50 deg.

Some folks will check on it every now and then, and we will notify the police dept.

Jim

I, as an insurance adjuster, have mixed views on some of the advise on here.

There are some great suggestions here but ...............

Most importantly --- TELL YOUR INSURANCE BROKER OF YOUR PLANS!!! Failure to disclose the plans may lead to complications if you have a claim. You have only a few obligations under the terms of the policy but one is that you must deal with the insurer in "utmost good faith" Deception may result a denial.

Your insurance company (at least in Canada) does not consider your home vacant if it is furnished and you plan to return. If you plan to return the house is considered unoccupied, but not vacant. Still some coverage restrictions on most policies but not a total lack of coverage.

There may be some steps you need to take to protect the place while you're gone but it is a simple process.

This isn't rocket science, people that live in the north have been headed to warm winter locations for decades and most insurers have coverage to deal with a home that is unoccupied. You're not doing something new and unheard of by heading south while maintaining a principle residence somewhere cold.

Talk to your broker, they should be able to help. If your present broker can't or won't help then you need a new broker, not an elaborate set of lies.

By the way, a frozen pipe will never result in a major flood if you turn off the main water supply valve, just one of the many simple things one can do to prevent big problems when you are not at home for an extended period!

I checked it out seven ways to Sunday when I wanted to Snowbird.

Like the above post what ever you do, do not let your insurance company know. Unattended pipes can freeze, drain the pipes down and hope you got it all and leave the heat off? Then the drywall has problems. It's an endless cycle of reasons why an unattended house is destined to run into trouble.

Spent months talking to plumbing contractors all of them said no to draining the system down. Friends? They only go over there once a day once every 24 hours, it takes 2 minutes of a broken water line or hose to a washer to flood a home. And...Renting IMHO and landlord experience is NEVER an option if you want to come back to a house that's worth anything.

My final answer was to sell the place and I went full time instead of snowbird. Problem solved.:C

Our insurance will become void if the house is left vacant for more than 30 days without their permission. They also require that the house be checked regularly when vacant. We have several neighbours that take care of that. They must also approve renting the house and that they be advised of house sitters.

For those that do leave their homes, check your homeowners policy! THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT MAY NOT BE COVERED. What they call "mysterious disappearances" etc. Also water and freezing damage etc if the house is empty.


For several years we rented it out. It worked well as there were neighbours building new homes. We later advertised on the University housing site.

We had a one tenant (Not from the U site) that was annoying, so a couple of years ago went the house sitter route and gave up the rental income. )Note that rental income needs to reported on your income tax. Also a pita.)

The first sitter was a friend we have known decades, this year a couple of grandparents advertised on the local notice board. (The old fashioned paper and tack type!) They live in the prairies and wanted to spend a couple of months with their new grandchild. We have known the son in law for years. We talked them into staying 4 months! Hope they come back next year! The house sitters pay the electric bill(heat,) we keep the satellite TV,phone and internet going.

We also have an arrangement with a local contractor (and friend) to arrange for any repairs that may need to be done.

We have spent from 5 months to 10 months away over the last 11 years without problems but do your homework! (pun intended)

Social Media attracts attention to your vacancy, beware what you post.

no

We hired a gardener to take care of the outside. Sprinklers are on a timer with a rain sensor. We have a alarm system. Turn off the water in the house. Put timers on some of the lights in the house. Stop the newspaper, forward the mail, and have a neighbor that keeps his eyes on things.