With spring break (and summer soon after!) coming up in Metro DC, you likely have a few vacation plans in the works. Whether you’re headed to a tropical beach destination or venturing out on a staycation right here in the Washington DC area, you will need to protect your home while you’re away. And that doesn’t just mean locking your front door!

Below are five ways you can secure your DC Metro home while you’re on vacation:

Hold Your Mail

A pile of mail or packages both in the mailbox and outside your door is a big sign that no one is home. Have your mail held at the post office—you can do this easily in person or by filling out a form online—and pick it up when you return from vacation. This way, it is less obvious that you’re away.

Set a Light Timer

Another major tell that no one is home is a dark house. If you head out on vacation for a week and each night your lights are off, people can easily determine that you’re gone. Consider setting a timer for your lights to create the illusion that someone is home, or you can always keep one (or a few!) light on inside to achieve the same result.

Enlist your neighbor’s help

Let your neighbor’s know that you’ll be on vacation, give them the exact dates, and leave phone numbers where you can be reached. Ask them to kindly watch over your home while you’re away and if anything should happen, they know how to get ahold of you! And if you forgot to hold your mail, give your neighbor a call and have them bring your mail inside for you.

Lock the garage

It may seem obvious to lock your doors when you leave for vacation, but don’t forget the garage! Oftentimes, Washington DC, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, and NoVA homeowners even leave spare keys inside their garage— giving anyone a free pass to come inside! If your garage has an exterior door, be sure it is secured when you leave and of course, make sure the main door is shut!

Unplug inactive appliances

Consider unplugging any appliances or lamps that won’t be in use while you’re away— this means computers, printers, and TVs. Not only will this save on energy bills, but if there should be a storm during your vacation, you will lessen the likelihood of these being damaged.

As your local real estate experts, you can count on The Estridge Group to guide you through the home buying and home selling process this year. Give us a call today for more information about the local real estate market!

Have a great vacation!