Whether you鈥檙e itching to take the vacation of your dreams or you鈥檙e ready for a fun getaway with the whole family, summer is perhaps the best (and most popular) time of year to travel. But leaving your home for any period of time comes with some precautions that you should take to ensure your property remains safe and sound while you鈥檙e away. Here are some tips for prepping your home for a summer vacation.

Clean your home

Cleaning your home is a fantastic way to get ready for a vacation because it all but guarantees you will be comfortable when you return after your trip. Sweep and vacuum the floors, clean all of the major surfaces, and do any outstanding laundry before you leave for your summer getaway. If you鈥檙e only able to get a couple of things done around the house before your vacation, take out the trash and clean out your fridge to prevent any food from spoiling while you鈥檙e away. If you want to do yourself an extra favor, wash and change the sheets on all of the beds in your home so you return from your trip to an extra clean and cozy space.

Adjust your thermostat

We recommend adjusting your thermostat no matter the time of year you plan to travel, but this can be especially imperative in the summertime. Before you leave. Set your thermostat to a higher temperature than you normally would (such as somewhere in the 80s). Your energy bill will be higher if the temperature inside your home is significantly cooler than the temperature outside, so keep an eye on the forecast and adjust your thermostat accordingly. Depending on where you live, you can turn off your thermostat completely when you are away. However, if you live in a significantly hot and/or humid climate, it鈥檚 still a good idea to make sure your thermostat is running to protect the interior of your home, such as wood surfaces and furniture. For extra comfort upon your return, you can schedule your thermostat to adjust to a lower temperature a few hours before you expect to return home

Don鈥檛 give the impression that nobody is home

No matter the length of your trip, you should make your home look lived in so that it doesn鈥檛 look empty while you鈥檙e away. This means doing things like putting lights on a timer (or leaving a couple lights on while you鈥檙e away) and handling your mail. Ask a trustworthy neighbor, relative, or friend to regularly check your mail during the time you鈥檒l be done so that no newspapers or deliveries lie dormant. Unattended mail can be a signal to burglars that a home is empty. If you鈥檙e able to, you can also contact your local post office and ask that your mail be put on hold for the duration of your trip. For extra safety, ask someone you trust to check on your home regularly.

Take safety precautions

Overall, there are a few extra safety precautions that we recommend taking before leaving on a trip, especially a summer vacation longer than a week. To protect your pipes from leakage during your time away, you can turn off the main water supply for your home. You can also put your water heater on 鈥渧acation mode鈥� to lessen your bill while you鈥檙e gone. To protect your home from fires and lessen your electric bill, unplug all unnecessary electronics. Make sure all of your smoke detectors are working properly in case of an emergency. And finally, if you have a home security system, alert the alarm company that you will be out of town and let them know who will be checking on your home while you鈥檙e away.

Getting away for a bit during the summer is fun and exciting, but can be stressful when you are worried about leaving your home. Take these tips to make sure you enjoy the vacation and come back to your home just as you left it.

This post is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice. The point of view and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of 皇冠体育app International. This post was written by Bailee Abell.聽Bailee Abell is a writer born and raised in California. A graduate of University of California, Santa Barbara, she loves reading classic literature, sipping warm beverages, and visiting theme parks every chance she gets. Find her at聽

The post Four Ways to Prep Your Home for a Summer Getaway appeared first on Blog | 皇冠体育app.

As a leader of a real estate team, you are likely always trying to find new ways to inspire growth and motivation in your agents. But often it can be difficult to figure out how to do so. Whether your team is large or small, you are new or experienced in your leadership role, there are plenty of ways you can lead your team to be as successful as they can be. Here are some tips for how you can use your leadership position to drive your real estate team to success.

Encourage your team to play to their strengths

Everyone on your team has their own strengths and qualities that make them great at what they do. As a leader, you should encourage your real estate team to figure out where their strengths lie and play to them. We often find success when we play to what we are most skilled at. But it鈥檚 just as important to recognize our weaknesses and reach out when we need to. Asking for help when we need it is a sign of strength, so encourage your team to use their strengths to help each other and ask for your help from their fellow team members and from their manager as much as necessary. There is never shame in showing both our strengths and weaknesses.

Always strive to deepen your knowledge of the real estate industry

A great leader always tries to gain more knowledge and share their knowledge with their team, and every member of the team should always keep learning. Read real estate blogs, keep up with trends, research the market, and strive to deepen your knowledge of industry best practices every chance you get. Also, let your team know that being a knowledgeable resource for clients and each other is part of their job, and you should lead by example by continuing to learn yourself. Try implementing a 鈥淲hat I learned this week鈥� segment into your team meetings and check-ins.

Inspire motivation

The more motivated you are, the easier it will be for you to inspire motivation in your team. So before you can motivate others, you need to figure out what motivates you as a leader. Are you motivated by finance, success, happy clients, or all of the above? Once you learn what drives you, you can have both one-on-one and group conversations about what keeps each other motivated. Exchange motivation tips with your team and continue to lift each other up whether you need the motivation or not. Chances are, more than one person on your real estate team could use the pick-me-up.

Share your commitment

Finally, you should make sure your team knows how committed you are to the team鈥檚 success. If you want your team to be committed to their roles, you need to show your commitment as well. Make an effort to show your agents how committed you are to the success of the team and the happiness of your clients. It is not only in your words but in your actions that your team will see how much you care about the business, team, and clientele. In doing so, your team will be inspired to share that same commitment, as well.

This post is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice. The point of view and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of 皇冠体育app International. This post was written by Bailee Abell.聽Bailee Abell is a writer born and raised in California. A graduate of University of California, Santa Barbara, she loves reading classic literature, sipping warm beverages, and visiting theme parks every chance she gets. Find her at聽

The post How to Lead Your Real Estate Team to Success appeared first on Blog | 皇冠体育app.