National Association of Home Inventory Professionals Offers Summer Protection Tips

Simple steps and home inventory documentation makes for a stress free vacation
By: Fred Knapp, Director NAHIP
 
July 28, 2009 - PRLog -- It’s just about the middle of summer, a great time of the year when many families go on vacation and leave the worries of work and home chores behind.  Unfortunately, it is also a time of year when thieves prey on homeowners while their homes are empty.

Homeowners who become victims of theft will typically experience a great deal of stress as they struggle to recall the items in their home for purposes of filing a police report or insurance claim.  In addition, “most homeowners don’t have the proof required to maximize their insurance claim” according to Fred Knapp, Director of The National Association of Home Inventory Professionals (NAHIP), a highly dedicated group of professionals working to ensure the protection of home and small business owners by providing property documentation services.  http://www.NAHIP.com

Knapp suggests the following simple tips to ensure a homeowners property and valuables are protected when leaving for vacation.

(1)   Be careful about who you tell that you’ll be gone.  It is typically best to only tell relatives and a close neighbor who can keep an eye on your home.

(2)   Put a hold on your mail by filing a request with your local post office or have a neighbor pick up your mail on a daily basis.

(3)   Put a hold on all newspaper deliveries.

(4)   Don’t place any online or mail orders that could possibly be delivered while you are gone.  Packages left outside for days are a strong indicator that nobody is home.

(5)   Ensure that your lawn is cut.  A lawn in need of mowing is an obvious sign that a homeowner may be away on vacation.  Those who mow their own lawn should consider hiring a lawn service if away for an extended period of time.

(6)   Put some lights on timers so they automatically turn on and off.  A thief is typically looking for an easy score; if they have doubts about you being home most will pass on your house.

(7)   Put a television on a timer so it automatically turns on and off.  Noise in the house is a great deterrent.

(8)   Install door alarms.  If you don’t have an alarm system in your home, consider installing audible wireless door alarms.  These inexpensive alarms simply stick on your doors or windows and make a loud sound if the door is opened.  The loud sound is typically enough to scare away a burglar.  Perform a simple web search on “wireless door alarms” and you’ll find a variety of options.

(9)   Complete a comprehensive home inventory.  The documentation from a home inventory can be in an invaluable tool to provide information to the police and your insurance company to maximize and simplify a claim.  It will also reduce the stress that can come with trying to remember the many items contained within a home.

The National Association of Home Inventory Professionals can help homeowners quickly complete a comprehensive home inventory.  Homeowners can easily search the online member directory available on the NAHIP website at http://www.NAHIP.com to find a qualified service provider.  Most homeowners simply don’t have the time or patience to conduct a home inventory on their own which makes using a service provider a great option to get this tedious task accomplished.  Individuals who want to perform an inventory on their own can use a popular and inexpensive software product such as The Complete Home Journal which greatly simplifies the task and creates the necessary documentation.  Visit the Complete Home Journal product website at: http://www.thehomejournal.com for further details.

NAHIP encourages those interested in the documentation services profession to get involved.  It is an exciting industry with tremendous growth potential which needs additional service professionals to meet the growing demand.  The home inventory services profession offers great pay, flexible hours and the ability to work from a home office.  NAHIP recommends the leading home inventory business startup kit, Home Journal Business for those interested in starting their own business either part of full time.  The home inventory business startup kit includes a full set of materials to easily start a new business and includes the leading home inventory business software.  Please visit the home inventory business startup kit website at: http://www.HomeJournalBusiness.com for complete details.

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The National Association of Home Inventory Professionals (NAHIP), a highly dedicated group of professionals working to ensure the protection of home and small business owners by providing property documentation services. http://www.NAHIP.com
End
Source:Fred Knapp, Director NAHIP
Email:***@nahip.com Email Verified
Zip:06248
Tags:Burglary, Home Inventory, Home Inventory Business, Home Inventory Software, Home Journal Business, Home Safety, Insurance
Industry:Family, Home, Home business
Location:Hebron - Connecticut - United States
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