Tips for Second Home Owners

Courtesy of Dick Lee

          When choosing the ideal vacation and/or retirement community, look for services and features which reduce the stress of owning a second home.  Furthermore, finding a home with one floor living or limited stairs will be preferable as you age and as your home evolves from a recreational home to a permanent residence.  For example, free standing homes require a lot of upkeep, so properties that include gardening services or rubbish removal such as condominiums or retirement villages may want to be considered.

          Once you and your agent have identified a second home and you prepare to purchase it, the following are tips to protect your second home investment:

1.   Develop a trustworthy contact who lives near your new home, either a neighbor or a paid caretaker, to keep an eye on the property and collect mail that accumulates.  Make sure this person has all of the necessary information to contact you.

2. To make the home appear to be fully occupied, ask your caretaker to park occasionally in your driveway.  Timers are good for keeping lights on, but their schedule should be varied regularly. 

3. If you plan to have a boat available on the lake, consider renting a stall in a commercial dock or being part of a community dock.  Having one's own dock will require reliable caretakers.

4. Set up an answering machine.  Change the message occasionally and check the messages often.

5. Make sure all doors and windows are locked and secure.  Consider installing an alarm to protect your home when you are not there and to serve you when you live there in the future. 

6.  Remove all keys hidden around the property.

7. Enjoy the time spent in your new second home, for vacation, recreation and ultimately for fulfilling retirement living.  

©2008 CENTURY 21 LeMac Realty East

©2008 Century 21 Real Estate LLC

All information is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified.