With the rising price of scrap metal, thieves are targeting new construction homes, construction sites, and vacant homes. Some thieves are bold enough to strip occupied homes as well. Items such as aluminum gutters, telephone wires, old radiators, copper downspouts, and air conditioner coils are highly sought after since the demand for scrap metal and the price for the metal has skyrocketed over the last couple of years. There are some reports of theft of alu
minum siding being stripped off vacant homes.
Some of the thieves pose as construction workers and enter neighborhoods in the daylight and start their work. One recent theft occurred when the sellers of a home that was under contract moved out 4 days prior to settlement. During the final walk through, it was discovered that the entire house was stripped of all metal...fixtures, gutters, even the walls were torn out and the copper pipes had been removed. Luckily, the current homeowner still had his insurance policy in full force on the home. Replacing the metal is not the biggest expense, repairing all the damage is just as costly or even more costly and labor intensive.
People with vacant homes are not only shocked by the theft, they are shocked to find out they may not be covered by their homeowners insurance policy. Some policies will not cover homes that have been vacant for more than 30 days. In some instances, it is a simple procedure to add a vacant home rider to the policy. In other cases, a new insurance carrier may be needed as some insurance carriers do not offer vacant home insurance. 
There may not be much you can do to keep someone from stealing the gutters off your vacant home but you can avoid becoming the home owner that didn't have adequate vacant home insurance coverage. Life changes fast, situations change, people get busy and things are easily overlooked or put off for another day. Don't delay in checking your coverage and properly securing your vacant home.
Looking to buy or sell real estate in the Northern Neck of VA? Give me a call!
Yvonne Hurt, "Your Northern Neck Real Estate Specialist" 804-456-2144 or visit my web site
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