My neighbor looks out for me and I do the same for her.

I would caution people not to use real names to answer this thread.

Our neighborhood is awesome and we watch out for each other. We have keys to several neighbor homes or know where they are hidden just in case something comes up (ex. Unexpected package is delivered, really cold and looking for broken pipes, etc). Keys are only used if the home owner requests or they are traveling and cannot be reached.

My neighbours are much the same as Joice's and Army's. I just noticed a package on the porch next door and I know they're away, so I brought it in and left a note for them. They'd do the same for me. I've left keys with neighbours on both sides of me on occasion.

We depend on our home security alarm system, and neighborhood watch.

we're home.
we have locks, and have someone cat sit, so the house isn't always empty.

Make sure regular / junk mails get picked up at the front door.

We can monitor when the dog sitter comes and checks on our pets because of the alerts we receive on our smartphone with the MyQ Garage. And if they happen to leave the garage door open, we can close it too! http://www.chamberlain.com/smartphone-control-products/myq-garage

At my mom's house, when I was a kid, we would have neighbors watch our house, get our mail, and watch our dog.

On winter trips, my husband always worries about pipes freezing in our absence. We bought a thermal sensor device that we plug into the phone line when we leave. If the furnace were to go out and the temp fall below 50 degrees F, it would automatically dial up our neighbor. Good peace of mind for $30 or so!

We have an alarm, make sure that your contacts are up to date. Do NOT post that you are away on any social media sites. Neighbours are great to advise "if someone is moving out furniture, they aren't suppose to be..." leave them a number where they can call you. If you have a newspaper delivered suspend the delivery. Many alarms today have features where you can monitor via your smartphone too. Have a friend pop by once in awhile to check in and send you a note.

During winter, we don't usually travel, but if we do, we have my sister-in-law keeping an eye (we live next door). Alarm always on, mail delivery stopped.

In our neighborhood, we look after each other by keeping an eye on a vacant house, watering plants, cutting the lawn, and checking that all is running smoothly indoors a couple of times per week, especially in winter. We also have a daughter & son-in-law that live and work close by so they often stop in. We have cable TV and they don't, so sometimes they park themselves at our place for an evening to make the house look lived in. They have even hosted parties at our place as we have a large open concept house while their home is quite small. My only rule is ... zero footprint ... lol.

We don't do much. Our neighbour takes out our bins when we're away, but we have no alarm.

Why would anyone discuss this online? why would somebody post on the web that they have no alarm? or that it is always off...

I have the keys to three neighbours houses. Bins are taken out and in when they are away and lights on a timer are goo too.

When I was a child my mother used to take my sister and I to visit my grandparents in Omaha by train every winter break. Dad stayed home, so no need for someone to watch tge house. When I grew up I moved to Nebraska. When my children came along each winter break I took them to visit my parents in Denver. Their father stayed home so again no need for anyone to watch the house. Now that I'm a grandma my grandchildren live only 30 minutes away. They come stay with me at least every other weekend while their parent's work. I don't think I could stand for it to be months between visits!

Our house is never locked nor is it ever empty. Guess that's the upside living with two other couples. There is someone always home.

Mostly apartments have a watchman and alarm systems and houses normally are cared by neighbors.

I keep my security system to myself. It's always good to keep others on their toes.

Let me just say that about 16 mos ago, someone must have thought I was at work & I could hear them cutting away at my back door screen. He was met at my back door by 5'0 me...and Mr. Taurus...my 9mm.

He ran...I won.

Now I'm just known as "the crazy white lady with the gun" which is fine by me. No one ever knows when I'm home or gone, as my lights are programmed to go on & off remotely. I have 2 vehicles that are constantly being moved or put in & out of the garage.

I like to keep unknowns guessing.

Were home and were packin' and I don't mean suitcases lol

I too chased away a guy who cut a hole in the front screen door to unsnib it. I was so angry about the hole I told him off at the top of my voice and he ran away.

When we first got married we could not afford a honeymoon. A robber had read the marriage announcements in the paper and tried to burgle our house. The first wife (a Brittany by the name of Jesse Jane) jumped out of our bed without a sound and ran down the hallway. Then we heard screaming. By the time Robert was down the hall with a gun who ever it was out of the house without his pants. We are now four gens out from Jesse...got to love a dog!