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Neighbours and Your Second Home
While
owning a second home is a great way to holiday and relax, it also
comes with responsibilities. Security can be a big issue, particularly
if you are leaving your property empty for any length of time. Although
ensuring that you have proper home insurance for your property will
give you some peace of mind, knowing that you have a trusted neighbour
keeping an eye on your property while you’re away can be very
reassuring too. Of course, you should never rely to heavily on your
new neighbours or expect them to do too much for you, especially when
there is no tangible benefit for them. As well as the security aspect,
ingratiating yourself with the neighbours can lead to more pleasant
holidays and great friendships being built.
Keeping
Your Property Secure
Of course, making sure that you have comprehensive buildings
and contents insurance for your property, and installing a basic
home security system is a must. But your second home will also be
far more secure when under the watchful eye of a trusted neighbour.
Having a neighbour pop round to collect mail or keep the garden tidy
will help to deter thieves on the lookout for empty properties. Keep
your neighbours informed of your planned trips, and make sure to do
the same for them if they are away, or offer some payment or gifts
from back home as a thank you for their help. It will always be appreciated.
Making
Friends
When you first visit your new property, introduce yourselves to the
neighbours. Invite them round for a relaxed evening drink and some
snacks so you can all get to know each other. This is a particularly
popular custom in France and Spain. Not only will it make a good first
impression, but it will be a fun evening and will help your new friendships
to get started.
Becoming
Part of the Community
Integrating into your new community abroad can be difficult, especially
when you are only visiting your second home for parts of the year.
A great way to make that integration easier is to get to know your
new neighbours. Making friends locally means you can be kept up to
date with upcoming important local events, even while you are back
home. Making an effort to get involved with local events, and shopping
at local shops will all help to make a good impression. Having friends
abroad will lead to you enjoying your holidays more and feeling more
at home while you are away.
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