If a vacant home is not kept up to look as if someone is living in it, burglars are much more likely to strike. Signs such an overgrown lawn, a dark house and an overflowing mailbox serve as welcome mats for criminals, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners said.
If an unforeseen disaster such as fire occurs in a vacant home, there also isn't anyone there to call in emergency officials. "A manageable problem - such as a small electrical fire - can turn into a much larger, more costly disaster," the NAIC said.
However, if a person has a home security monitoring system installed and keeps the service intact until the vacant home is sold, it's much less likely that home invasion will occur or that officials won't be alerted to a fire.
