I totally get where you’re coming from about keeping it simple. I used to be all about the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach—just a basic alarm and my neighbor’s number on the fridge. But after one too many close calls (once came home to a minor flood in the basement because the alarm tripped and nobody noticed), I caved and got a WiFi alert system. Not cheap, but honestly, it’s saved me a couple times now.
That said, I still leave a checklist for whoever’s watching the house, just in case tech fails or the power goes out. I guess for me it’s about layering—old-school backup with a bit of tech sprinkled in. But yeah, if you’ve got a reliable neighbor and a solid plan, that’s half the battle. Sometimes the simplest setup is the least stressful, especially if you’re not into fiddling with apps and notifications every time you leave town.
I get wanting to keep things simple, but honestly, I’ve seen way too many “reliable” neighbors miss an alarm or not realize how urgent it is. Even the best checklist can’t cover every weird scenario—like, what if your neighbor’s out of town too? I’m all for layering, but I lean heavier on tech these days. Had a client whose basement pump failed while they were away, and the only reason it didn’t turn into a disaster was because their WiFi alert pinged me directly. Old-school backups are great, but I just don’t trust them as the only line of defense anymore.