Safety measures you should put into practice to protect your second home in Costa Blanca from burglars, squatters and the potential effects of adverse weather conditions.
Of the approximately 25.7 million properties that make up the Spanish housing stock, around 6.5 million are classified as second homes according to Ministry of Mobility, Transport and Urban Agenda (Mitma) data. That means that approximately 25% of the homes in Spain are second homes.
Costa Blanca is one of the preferred areas for residents and non-residents to buy one of these properties. Our real estate agency has clients from all over Spain, but also from France, the UK, Germany… The excellent weather conditions and the outstanding quality of life in this area make Costa Blanca an ideal place to buy a second home.
However, when the time comes to buy a second home in Costa Blanca, many questions pop into our clients’ heads: What will happen to our property when we are not staying there? How can we protect it against burglars, squatters and adverse weather conditions?
Close entrances
It may seem obvious, but sometimes, the rush and the hustle and bustle of packing our suitcases makes us forget one of the key points when it comes to protecting our second home in Costa Blanca when we don’t live there: shutting doors and windows, whether they open to the outside or to an internal courtyard.
Entrances to the property are one of the favourite points for burglars to gain access to homes, so it is advisable to reinforce their security in order to avoid risks.
Some good ideas, especially if you live in ground-floor or detached properties, are to fit window bars, security glass or window locks that act as internal stoppers and stop them from being opened from the outside.
Regular visits
Another of the most important ways to protect the security of a second home in Costa Blanca is to have someone who can visit your property regularly during your absence. This trusted person could be a relative who lives nearby, a neighbour, a security company or even the real estate agency that helped handle the purchase of the property.
As well as checking that everything is still in order, this person can also collect the post, raise and lower the blinds and even leave a light on from time to time to make it look as if someone is living in the house.
Turn off the utilities
By turning off the utilities we avoid possible leaks that could cause fires or floods. So, before leaving your second home in Costa Blanca empty, make sure you turn off the water and the gas. You won’t be able to turn the electricity off if you’re going to leave any food in the fridge or freezer, but if not, it’s advisable to turn it off to avoid unnecessary expenses.
Home automation for increased security
Technology has progressed to such an extent that there are now various smart solutions that allow us to keep our homes safe while we’re away.
For example, we can integrate our traditional alarm with almost any smart system to enjoy a video intercom, video surveillance camera, motion detector and even infrared barriers that detect an intruder’s presence in seconds.
The most advanced systems even feature smoke jetting to make it hard for burglars to see, automatic locking of doors and windows, home lighting override and activation, and automatic call to security forces.
Rent out your second home
Nevertheless, the best way to protect your second home on the Costa Blanca while you are not there is undoubtedly to keep it occupied. Have you considered renting it out during the months when you are not going to be using it? In addition to generating some extra income, which is always good, the daily movement of tenants will make it much less likely to be burgled or occupied by squatters.
Moraira, Benissa, Jávea, Altea or Benitachell are some of the favourite places for tourists to rent a property even outside the summer months. These areas combine traditional short rentals with long-term rentals, making it an area where it isn’t hard to rent out a property, no matter what type of property it is.
If you’re concerned about the security of your home and are thinking about renting it out when you are not staying there, Hispania Homes can help.
Renting out a property is no easy task, especially when you live somewhere else. At Hispania Homes, we take care of handling viewings, choosing the ideal tenant, drawing up contracts, updating the rent in accordance with current legislation and, most importantly, ensuring the security of your property so that you can use it when you need it without any nasty unforeseen circumstances.
Would you like us to have a chat so we can look at what we can do for you? Get in touch with us:
Contact Hispania Homes by Keller Williams
We help buy dreams or sell up to make new life projects a reality. Real estate solutions in Costa Blanca
