Many families across Florida and the rest of the nation will spend the Fourth of July holiday as well as the summer away from home, basking on the state\u2019s beautiful beaches, traveling to see relatives or maybe just visiting friends for a backyard barbecue.<\/p>\n
To fully enjoy those activities and other summertime pursuits spent away from home, Florida Realtors\u00ae suggests that homeowners take precautions to safeguard their residences when they\u2019re not around. Crime rates across the country often start to peak as temperatures rise during warm weather months \u2013 the same time that many families leave their homes unoccupied and unprotected.<\/p>\n
\u201cA home is the biggest financial investment that most people will make in their lifetimes, but it is also the place where they raise their families, build memories and share their dreams for the future,\u201d says Florida Realtors\u00ae 2011 President Patricia Fitzgerald, manager\/broker-associate with Illustrated Properties in Hobe Sound and Mariner Sands Country Club in Stuart. \u201cIt just makes sense to take steps to protect something so priceless.\u201d<\/p>\n