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Fortunate to snag a "near the beach" townhome in Wilmington that our family will occasionally use.
What tips do you have for security and maintenance on the property?
For instance, install video cameras, Nest/Ring doorbell, motion sensors, etc.. for security?
For utilities, do you install internet or use mobile phone hotspot for internet needs when in the home? What temperature do you keep a vacant property in the winter and summer?
Do you befriend a neighbor to keep an eye out for paper trash left on your front door so it doesn't sit there for weeks?
When there's a hurricane forecasted, do you put sandbags in front of the doors or board up your windows?
Appreciate suggestions or recommendations and lessons learned!
55 degrees in winter, 78-80 in summer. Get an internet connected thermostat that you can adjust from anywhere. Definitely befriend a neighbor, for lots of reasons. Hurricane protections depend on many factors...flooding potential, strength of hurricane, etc. Might want to consider a water leak sensor.
Getting a smart door lock w/ remotely programable codes can be convenient for giving temporary access to the home when you aren't there. Either for a neighbor or emergency maintenance reasons. You can then revoke the code after without having to deal with physical keys.
If you want to remotely manage anything you are going to need internet setup 24/7/365.
Spectrum is very common, and it has been reliable for us.
You, for sure, do not need HughesNet. I cannot comment on the others.
I'll have to qualify my comment. At&T and Earthlink supposedly offer fiber-optic connections in Wilmington. That type of service should be superior to the cable service offered by Spectrum. You should check exactly what is available at the address, as Earthlink supposedly services only 49% of Wilmington. Earthlink has a cheaper plan and better customer ratings, but you should determine the tradeoffs. If you are just running the doorbells and security services, you do not need the fastest speed. However, if you want a television package with video streaming while you occupy the house, you may want one of the faster packages.
I would rule out the satellite services, Viasat and Hughesnet. Their delay time in going up to the satellite causes problems with interactive applications. EG, they might not work with real-time unlocking of doors. (That's my opinion based anecdotal evidence from a friend who had HughesNet.)
Last edited by goldenage1; 09-14-2021 at 10:28 PM..
The most important thing you can do is confirm the elevation of the townhome. If you are anywhere near an area that floods, get flood insurance.
I am not in the “100 year flood line" though near, but I proactively purchased flood insurance years ago. MANY homes near me did not “require” flood insurance, so they did not get it, but they were flooded, regardless.
I had some rainwater intrusion through my lattice brickwork under the back of the house (now filled in). So when the flood insurance adjuster came by, I was amazed by how soon it was. He said "very few had flood insurance,” I was at top of the list!
Edit: Referring to aftermath of Florence.
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