A couple of years ago, my husband and I purchased a second house down south.
Our plan was to enjoy the best weather in each location.
We now live up north from May to October and down south for the other six months. At first, setting up a second household was a great deal of work and expense. We needed two sets of gardening tools, dishes, cookware, bedding, towels and all of the essentials. Because we didn’t want to haul suitcases filled with clothing and personal items back and forth, we invested into a second wardrobe, toothbrushes, combs, nail clippers and the necessities. While we stayed down south, we worried about our northern property. With temperatures down into the negatives and multiple feet of snow, there is always the potential for disaster. If the power should go out for an extended period of time or the furnace should fail, there could be extensive damage. The water pipes might freeze and burst. The house might flood. A tree limb could go through a window and allow in freezing cold air for months at a time. When we relocated up north for the spring and summer, we had concerns with the house in the south. The intense heat and humidity are ideal for growing mold and mildew. It was difficult to decide on a temperature setting to run the air conditioner. Because of storms with torrential downpours and high winds, the possibility of damage to the property was a constant stress. We’ve solved a lot of the concerns by installing a smart thermostat and security system in each location. The smart thermostats allow us to monitor and make adjustments from virtually anywhere. We receive alerts if there is a power outage or extreme temperature fluctuation. We even receive reminders to change air filters and schedule maintenance. We can conserve energy while the home is empty and raise or lower temperature so that we arrive to an ideal comfort level. The security system protects against a break-in, notifies us if a window breaks or moisture is detected and includes surveillance cameras.