A struggle that everyone faces is keeping priorities straight. As careers advance, families grow, and financial responsibilities increase, some priorities fall by the wayside.
One example of how that can happen is with home security. When you have your mind on twenty other things that need to be taken care of this week, it's easy to forget about consistently locking doors, turning on security lights at night, and being observant of suspicious activity or people in your neighborhood.
There are dozens of home security mistakes people make every day, most of which are the result of complacency or a lack of awareness. Probably one of the biggest security blunders many homeowners and renters make is broadcasting the fact that they're away from home, traveling, or planning to leave the house for any period of time.
In many cases, you may be unaware of security breaches you're creating. In an era in which nearly everyone has a social media presence, it's very common to let your guard down and announce on Facebook or another platform that you're planning to go to a high school reunion, a wedding, or a week-long vacation at a Florida theme park.
While sharing personal information on social media or blogs may be one way to keep in touch with friends and family, it's often safer to be a little vague about exact dates and times you're away from home. Once you've returned, there's certainly no harm in providing a full account of your travel adventures, but doing so beforehand can be a little risky -- especially if you haven't set your social media account settings to private
Forgetting to have your mail or newspaper delivery suspended for the duration of your absence is another way people inadvertently advertise the fact that their house is unoccupied. The ideal scenario is to have a trusted neighbor keep an eye on your home while you're gone. That enables them to report any trespassers or other suspicious activity to the police.
Even if you don't have mail or unread newspapers piling up in your mailbox, driveway, or front steps, there's still the chance that an unexpected package will be delivered and left out in the open for passersby to see. You can't always predict when a box, a catalog, or an advertisement is going to be left at your home, so it pays to have a friend, relative, or neighbor check on your house daily to remove any telltale signs that no one's home.
Perhaps the ultimate in home security is to have closed circuit cameras, monitored alarms, and/or a wireless security system installed in your home. Once you get the hang of it, being able to monitor and control different aspects of your home environment remotely can enhance your security, your safety, and your sense of well-being.
Meet Kimberly Jokela:
With a genuine passion in people Kimberly loves helping her clients make their real estate dreams or needs come to life! Specializing in Luxury, Vacation, Retirement or Investment properties.
Born and raised in the midwest in a family with a strong work ethic, filled with creativity & dedication.
Her determination lead her to attend college at the "Philadelphia Performing Arts" where she had the opportunity to follow her passion in the Arts & to travel. Living in California with her husband Rick for 15 years together they built a successful business. After the birth of her beautiful daughter Brittany, seeking a "small town” coastal lifestyle, they took a trip to Naples Florida & fell in love with all it has to offer and made the jump!
With now over 17 years experience as a licensed Realtor serving Naples, Bonita Springs, Marco Island, Estero & Fort Myers.
A great listener, negotiator & connector, Kimberly is dedicated to helping her clients looking to BUY their ideal Florida property!
Her warm & friendly personality is present in everything she does on her clients behalf!
Kimberly’s creativity & "out of the box" thinking gives her clients the extra leverage they need when SELLING a property.
Her well organized marketing includes professionally produced photography, video, drone imagery, media presentation in print, numerous online websites & social media!