Snooki by ArtChick Photography
Hal Bundrick
Apr 10, 2015 7:35 AM EDT
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — Imagine owning a cozy second home at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in scenic Estes Park, Colo. Elk saunter through your backyard and you enjoy fishing and snowshoeing in the crisp fall air. Exhausted and rejuvenated, you eventually pack up and head home, locking up your vacation villa for the winter.
But Estes Park autumns can be a bit on the brisk side. Some friends of Richard Jensen, a resident of nearby Fort Collins, found that out the hard way.
“Not realizing the drastic change in temperatures in the winter months, they forgot to leave the heat on when they left the house after using it September,” Jensen says. “Estes Park experienced freezing temperatures in October, and when family members went to check on the house they discovered a pipe had burst and the house was flooded with water. This resulted in an insurance claim that has exceeded $20,000 in repairs.”
Jensen, a real estate broker and vacation home owner himself, knows the reality of remote homeownership.
“It’s a good idea to be on good terms with your neighbors and ask them to keep an eye on the property for you,” he says. “Otherwise, hire a property management company that will check on your home while you’re not using it.”
