Protect your home while you travel

(SPM Wire) - During the spring and summer many families hit the road for vacations. Inevitably, at some point during the vacation or on the way back home, many of us will take a moment or two to worry about the homes we left behind.

If you're planning a vacation, you can take some simple steps to protect your home while you're away. Here's some helpful advice from the experts at the Florida Association of Realtors:

+ Make it look like you're home. Install timers on interior lights so they turn on and off periodically. Many timers cost less than $25. Some more costly products are capable of varying the time that your lights turn on. Also consider leaving your radio on and tuned to an all-news or talk show station.

+ Disconnect and remove all exterior electrical decorations before you leave to reduce the chance of fire and theft. Install exterior lights that are controlled by motion sensors to make your home a more difficult target for prowlers.

+ Discontinue your newspaper delivery temporarily. Be sure to give several days notice so your order can be processed in time.

+ Ask someone to collect any free papers or sales materials left near your house. When fliers and papers are left on a driveway day after day, it's a sure sign that no one is home.

+ Have the post office hold your mail. This can be initiated by calling the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777 and listening to the option for putting a vacation hold on your mail. You can make arrangements up to 30 days in advance of your vacation; at minimum, two days will be needed to process your request. Or you can go to the Postal Service Web site at www.usps.gov and follow the instructions there.

+ Ask a friend or neighbor to park a car in your driveway occasionally and keep an eye on your place. If your neighborhood is patrolled by police, give the police your schedule so they'll watch for suspicious activity; if there's a crime-watch program, notify the person in charge of your travel plans.

+ If you have an alarm that is monitored, tell the alarm company you will be away. If possible, provide a phone number where you can be reached.

+ If you're going to be away for two weeks or more, have a friend or lawn service mow the lawn.

By taking a few simple steps to protect your home and property you can make your vacation a more restful one.