The holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year, as long as you stay safe during them. Be sure to heed these six precautions in order to fully enjoy the season:
Keep your Travel Plans OFFLINE!: NEVER ever post your holiday plans on social media. This is prime information for a thief because they'll know exactly when your home will be empty. No matter what security level you have imposed on social media sites, posting this personal information is never recommended.
Be Careful about Disposing the Packaging: If you've gotten gifts during the holiday season, be wary of how you dispose of the packaging. If the box for your fancy new electronics is sitting curbside waiting for garbage pick-up, you've just told the world, and potential burglars, what is inside your home. Better to cut the boxes down and put them inside your bins or bags for the garbage man.
Notify a Neighbor: If you are traveling over the holidays, let a trusted neighbor know. Ask them to keep an eye on things and notify you of any suspicious activity. Ask them to pick up your mail and newspapers, and do what they can to make sure your home looks like someone is home to deter a burglar.
Inspect the furnace and the chimney: Take the time to have a professional inspect your furnace and clean the chimney before you need to heat your home. Heating equipment and home fires cause many deaths in the U.S. each year. It's well worth it to take this precaution.
Hide any Christmas Gifts: You probably want to keep gifts out of sight from children, but you also want to make sure gifts are hidden from a potential burglar as well. Putting pretty wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree looks nice, but it’s also an open invitation for a burglar. Try to keep your Christmas tree, with gifts underneath, away from windows or other places with a view. When you aren’t home, it’s easy to break through a window and grab all of your gifts.
Post a Sign: An easy way to keep burglars away from your home is to post security and surveillance signage around your house. If you make your house look like it's tough to break into, many burglars won't even try.
Please take the proper steps to ensure your home is safe from all possible threats over this holiday season!
The Gaskill Group of Keller Williams has served generations of famiies throughout the DFW area, and would be honored to serve you as well. Contact us today!
