Preparing a Multi-Million Dollar Property for Long-Term Travel or Seasonal Absences

Leaving your luxurious property empty for long-term travel or seasonal absences has inherent risks, such as burglary, flooding, electrical fire, or unforeseen maintenance failures.

Despite the excitement of traveling and the impending joy of creating lasting memories, leaving behind your primary residence for an extended period always brings a tinge of worry.

But there's no need to fret! With the proper precautions and preparations, you can keep your home and valuables safe, preserve property value, and guarantee a worry-free return.

In this blog post, we’ll outline essential steps to prepare your multi-million dollar property for an extended absence. These tips will help you travel with peace of mind, knowing your property is in good hands.

1. Check your home insurance policy

Despite all your preparations, things could still go wrong while you’re away, requiring you to make an insurance claim.

It’s, therefore, super important to know what your home insurance policy says about being away for a long time.

The worst thing about coming home to property damages and needing to make a claim is being denied that claim.

Many insurance companies have specific requirements for long-term travel, especially when it comes to an investment property, such as:

• Ensuring someone checks the house at least once every two or three days
• Maximum duration of travel
• Informing the insurance company of your journey
• Precautions you need to take include shutting off the property water, etc.

So what should you do? Read your home insurance policy on what you need to do to maintain full coverage while away. And if you’re unsure, call the insurance company to get clarity.

2. Rent or exchange your home

Allowing others to stay in your property during your travels kills two birds with one stone.

Firstly, it ensures you comply with the home insurance policy of having someone around the house. Secondly, you get some form of value in return.

Right now, the option that comes to your mind is likely renting the place out via Airbnb and other similar options. Don’t forget to consult a tax professional to maximize potential deductions and avoid unexpected tax liabilities.

But rather than leaving your home in the hands of just anyone, HomeExchange Collection offers a more thoughtful alternative.

With an annual membership, you can swap your home with other owners of multi-million dollar properties.

Benefits of using HomeExchange Collection include:

• Cost-effective travel: You get to stay in beautiful homes like yours worldwide for just a small annual fee without any additional costs.
• Flexibility: With GuestPoints, you can earn and use GuestPoints to stay in a home even when the owner can’t stay at yours.
• Authentic and comfortable stays: There’s no need to worry about staying in a regular hotel room or somewhere below the luxurious standards you’re used to.
• Security and trust: All properties and members are vetted for safe and worry-free exchanges.

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There are two types of swaps:

• Reciprocal swaps are where two owners exchange each other’s homes either at the same period or on different dates.
• GuestPoints swaps for when a member has a luxury vacation home available in a desired location but can’t stay at yours in return. You can provide them with GuestPoints in exchange, which they can, in turn, use for a future exchange at another property.

How it works
All homes and property owners in the HomeExchange Collection are vetted to ensure they meet stringent criteria before they are added to this exclusive pool of exquisite homes. 
Examples of such criteria include:

• Minimum property value of $1.5M to ensure all exchanges are fair.
• Desirable locations like urban cities and remote vacation spots
• Presence of amenities such as a gym, sauna, cinema room, etc., for recreation, wellness, and personal enjoyment.

3. Secure the property

There were over 380,000 residential burglaries in the United States in 2023. Multi-million dollar properties are prime targets, and being away makes your home even more attractive.

Your home likely already features an advanced security system, so your primary task before traveling is to ensure everything is fully functional. Make sure to check the alarm system, all motion sensors, surveillance cameras, and smart locks.

Next, if you plan to rent or exchange your home, store expensive jewelry, important documents, and high-value items in a secure location, preferably off-premises. A wise choice is a safety deposit box.

Double-check all potential entry points, including windows, doors, and access points, to confirm they are correctly secured.

4. Disaster-proof your home

While away, issues like power surges, frozen pipes, and water leakage can damage your property.

And although your luxury home already has built-in safeguards, taking the precautions listed below certainly helps:

• To prevent water damage, turn off the main water supply to the house if no one is around. Even if you’ll have guests over, it's prudent to wait until they’re around.
• To prevent flooding and leakages, install leak detectors so you can catch issues in real-time and initiate intervention. Furthermore, ensure all drains are free from debris that can cause water build-up and potential flooding.
• To protect against fire hazards, unplug all non-essential appliances like TVs, gaming consoles, and all small kitchen appliances. Install a surge protector for essential appliances like your refrigerator to shield against electrical spikes that may lead to electrical fires.
• Ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide monitors are working correctly. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends swapping out the batteries every six months, so factor that into your plan. At the very least, make sure you replace the batteries before leaving.

5. Sort out all important fees

If your time away coincides with the due date of your property taxes, pay them beforehand to avoid late fees.

Also, your property is likely in a gated community with compulsory monthly or quarterly real estate or homeowners association (HOA) fees. So, schedule those payments for when they’re due, or pay them upfront.

The same applies to utility bills like garbage disposal, electricity, and gas. Set up auto-pay for these essential utilities and discontinue the services you won’t need, like cable TV, but only if no one is staying over.

Finally, confirm that payments are set up for ongoing maintenance for everything from lawn care to pool cleaning, and share the contact details of all providers with the person you’ve tasked with managing the house in your stead.

6. Hold your mail while away

Place a hold on your mail to prevent important or confidential correspondence from getting into the wrong hands or theft of your packages.

Moreover, your doorstep overflowing with mail or packages is a signpost telling burglars that you’re not home.

Speak with the post office in your region about this. The USPS has a simple Hold Mail Service that you can request and complete online. Per USPS, they can hold your mail and packages for 30 days.

If you’ll be away for much longer, you may consider forwarding your mails to a trusted friend or family member or ask your neighbor to help you pick them up occasionally.

7. Decide what to do with pets

Being unavailable for an extended period means you must make arrangements for your pet(s) and houseplants if you have one.

The traditional solutions include luxurious pet boarding facilities with round-the-clock care or asking a trusted friend to take them in.

But these options can be tricky. For the former, you’re taking your pets out of familiar territory; for the latter, getting someone may not always be possible.

Again, this is another area where HomeExchange shines: rather than sending your pets elsewhere, you can leave them at home - in a familiar environment - under the care of your exchange guest.

You can limit swaps to only guests willing to care for your plant or pets through the “plants to water” and “pets to feed” filter options on the HomeExchange platform. And with previous reviews, you can choose guests with previous experience watching your kind of pet.

Additionally, with direct communication, you and your exchange partner can agree on expectations (e.g., feed the pets twice daily) and continue to share essential details on caring for your plants or four-legged friend(s).

Don’t forget to stock up on essentials for your pet that’ll last the duration of your trip. Similarly, provide the caregiver with detailed instructions on feeding, allergies, and contact details of your pet doctor.

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8. Finish off or dispose of perishables

To avoid moldy leftovers, foul odors, and pest infestations welcoming you when you return, take time to clear your pantry and refrigerator before leaving.

Before your departure, scan your kitchen and craft meal plans to help you consume most or all the fresh produce, dairy, and other perishable items.

If you have leftover unopened or fresh food, you can donate it to a food bank in your area. Store long-lasting food items like rice and pasta that remain in sealed containers so as not to attract pests.

In the same vein, empty all bins before leaving. More importantly, wash and air out the bin completely before storing them inside.

Alternatively, if you’re exchanging your home through the HomeExchange Collection, you might not need to dispose of certain food items, especially those with a longer shelf life, thus reducing waste. In this case, leave a note for your guests specifying which non-perishable or unopened perishable goods they are welcome to use. This will enhance their stay and add a personal, authentic touch to their experience.

9. Consider luxury vehicle storage

If you own classic, exotic, or luxury cars, consider storing them at a high-end car storage facility. These providers ensure that your vehicle remains in pristine condition.

More importantly, the right ones have state-of-the-art security systems to secure your precious collection. Before taking the cars to storage, ensure they’re serviced and currently have no issues.

You may also want to downgrade your car insurance to vehicle storage insurance since it’s more affordable.

10. Have an emergency plan

Even with the best preparation, unfortunate events may happen in your absence. A well-thought-out emergency plan ensures that your luxury property remains secure and that any issues are handled swiftly.

For starters, designate a trusted emergency contact. They must stay very close to your property or reside there while you’re away. Ensure that they have access (keys and passcode) to your home.

Also, draw up a dossier of people and services they might need, including:

• Local security and alarm monitoring company
• Police and fire department
• HOA
• Plumbers, electricians, and HVAC specialists
• Property management service (if applicable)
• Insurance provider

More importantly, ensure your emergency contact has everything they need to approve and pay for necessary repairs even if you are unavailable. 
Additionally, have a contingency plan for everything. What will you do if a caregiver can not attend to your pets or houseplants?

11. Leave a clean home behind

Sometimes, when preparing for a vacation, we turn the whole house upside down, intending to clean up when we return. However, nothing beats coming home to a dust-free, uncluttered space or smelly house.

In addition to consuming the perishables we mentioned earlier, ensure the following are done:

• Clean bathrooms and toilets
• Dust and vacuum the whole house
• Empty the dishwasher
• Do laundry of your clothes and sheets

11. Prepare for your return

After a long trip, the last thing you want to come back to is to start running errands. A little preparation before leaving ensures you have more time to unwind when you return.

Before departing, store pantry staples like coffee, tea, pasta, rice, canned goods, and frozen meals so you don’t have to grocery shop immediately. Alternatively, you can order groceries online and have them delivered upon arrival.

If your vehicle was stored, arrange for it to be delivered or made ready for pickup on the day of your return. If you paused your mail, set a reminder to restart delivery a day before your arrival.

Schedule a house cleaning service a day before your return, especially if the home is unoccupied.

Takeaway: Travel worry-free with a well-prepared home

Taking proactive preparatory steps like reviewing your insurance, managing utilities, and considering luxury house swaps makes all the difference if you’re going to be away for a long time.

A lot could happen to your home in your absence, but with the tips shared above, you can minimize these inherent risks, allowing you to enjoy your travel with peace of mind and return home with no issues on the ground.

Why leave your luxury home empty when you can exchange it for an equally lavish property anywhere you wish worldwide? Join an exclusive community of vetted homeowners on HomeExchange Collection to enjoy unlimited exchanges yearly.

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