My husband and I both were born and raised in the northeastern part of the country.
We went to college and raised our family in the same area.
As we approached retirement age, we got tired of the severe weather. We began to dread temperatures well below zero, feet of snow and blizzard conditions. Our solution was to purchase a second home down south. We now divide our time between the two residences. We avoid the brutal cold and snow by living down south from November to April and avoid the extreme heat and humidity of our southern home by moving north for six months. While the arrangement is ideal, handling the demands of two properties can be a challenge. We need two lawn mowers, two rakes, two garden hoses and double sets of towels, linens and cooking utensils. There is also the worry of problems occurring while the house is empty and escalating into major damage before anyone notices. Investing into a home automation system for both residences has provided a great deal of peace of mind. The automation system allows us wireless access from anywhere at any time. We have surveillance cameras that provide real time footage via our smartphones, laptops or tablets. We can change which lights come on at specific times, make adjustments to the thermostat and receive notifications if there is a power outage, temperature swing or moisture detected. There are smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, motion sensors and moisture sensors that protect our home. We are alerted if someone enters the property. Along with being able to see exactly who is standing on our doorstep, we can even converse them and unlock the door.