Owning a vacation home means spending most of the year somewhere else. A lake cabin, beach condo or mountain retreat can sit empty for weeks or months at a time, and an empty house sends signals that a lived-in one doesn’t. Piled-up mail, a dark porch every night and an untouched driveway all tell passersby that nobody is checking in.
The good news is that protecting a second home no longer requires a full-time caretaker. A mix of simple habits, better locks and cameras you can check from your phone covers most of the risk. Here is how to put that plan together.
Why Empty Vacation Homes Attract Burglars
Occupancy makes a measurable difference. A Bureau of Justice Statistics report on household burglaries from 2003 to 2007 estimated about 3.7 million burglaries a year in the United States. In 2007, the burglary rate was 21 per 1,000 households when no one was home, compared with 8 per 1,000 when someone was present.
Vacation properties face that risk for longer stretches than most homes. They are also often set back from the road, surrounded by trees or located in seasonal communities where neighbors leave at the same time you do. Fewer eyes on the street mean more time for anyone looking for an easy target.
Make Your Vacation Home Look Lived In
The first layer of vacation home security is removing the obvious clues that the property is empty.
Handle Mail and Deliveries
USPS offers a free Hold Mail service for 3 to 30 days, which works well for short trips. For longer absences, forward mail to your primary address and pause any package deliveries so boxes don’t stack up on the doorstep.
Keep the Exterior Maintained
Overgrown lawns in summer and unplowed driveways in winter are giveaways. Arrange regular landscaping or snow removal, and ask a trusted neighbor to park in the driveway now and then.
Put Lights on a Schedule
Smart plugs and timers can switch interior lamps on in the evening and off at bedtime. Varying the schedule slightly from night to night looks more natural than lights that flick on at the exact same minute.
Arrange Regular Check-Ins
Ask a trusted neighbor or local property manager to walk the property every week or two, collect stray flyers, check doors and windows and report storm damage. Give them a key or a temporary lock code, and agree on who to call if something looks wrong.
Upgrade Vacation Home Locks and Access
Keys are a weak point for any second home, especially one used by family, cleaners or contractors. Copies get passed around, and there is no record of who used one. Smart locks solve both problems by letting you issue separate codes, revoke them remotely and see when the door was opened. This buying guide to smart locks for the front door covers the features worth comparing.
Owners who rent the property between their own visits should change access codes for every booking. Access control is one of several recurring vacation rental management challenges worth planning for before the first guest arrives.
Choosing Vacation Home Security Cameras
Cameras let you check on the property from anywhere and give you footage if something does go wrong. The right type depends on what the home has available while you’re away.
| Camera Type | Power Source | Connection | Best For |
| Wired (PoE) | Home electrical system | Home network | Homes with stable power and internet year-round |
| Battery Wi-Fi | Rechargeable battery | Home Wi-Fi | Front doors and porches near the router |
| Solar 4G | Solar panel and battery | Mobile network | Gates, driveways and cabins without reliable internet |
| Indoor | Plug-in | Home Wi-Fi | Owner-only homes, never rental listings |
Many owners shut off internet service between visits to save money, and a power outage or tripped breaker can take Wi-Fi cameras offline at exactly the wrong moment. Cameras that carry their own power and connection keep working regardless.
Placement matters as much as hardware. Cover the driveway, main entry doors and any outbuildings, and mount cameras high enough to stay out of easy reach. Visible cameras and warning signs also discourage intruders, rather than just recording them.
Australian company Sentinel Cameras designed its solar security camera, the Guardian, for that kind of property. According to the brand, it runs on a 7.5W solar panel with Wi-Fi or 4G options, detects people rather than animals with built-in AI, records 4K footage to an SD card and supports unlimited family sharing, so several owners can watch the same feed. There is no monthly subscription for the camera, although 4G models need a SIM with a data plan.
Rental hosts should check platform rules before installing anything. Airbnb banned indoor security cameras in its listings as of April 30, 2024, and outdoor cameras must be disclosed to guests before booking, including their general location.
Vacation Home Security Checklist Before You Leave
Burglary is not the only risk to an empty home. Run through these steps before each departure:
- Shut off the main water valve – A burst pipe in an empty house can run for days before anyone notices.
- Set the thermostat for the season – Keep enough heat on in winter to protect pipes from freezing.
- Unplug nonessential electronics – This reduces fire risk and protects devices from power surges.
- Lock and check every entry point – Include sheds, garages, basement doors and sliding doors.
- Test your cameras remotely – Open the app from outside the property to confirm alerts and live view work.
Your vacation home should be a place to relax, not a source of worry the rest of the year. With the mail handled, access controlled and a camera keeping watch, you can leave knowing you will see a problem as soon as it starts.
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