What is a Lock-and-Go Home?

"Lock-and-go," "lock-and-leave," and "low-maintenance" are all terms tossed around in the housing industry these days. But what do they mean? We are here to break it down for you and showcase the benefits of this trending new homebuyer lifestyle. This resource will look at what these terms could mean for you and home types that offer these benefits and invite you to check out our low-maintenance, lock-and-go home offerings.

Defining the Term Lock-and-Go

At HHHunt, we typically refer to homes that fit this category as lock-and-go or low-maintenance homes. It is important to note that many of these terms are interchangeable, and the level of importance you place on them is up to you. Most new homeowners purchase or choose a new home that matches the lifestyle they are looking for. For example, if you are an adventurous person who is always on the go, you may seek a home that allows you to do just that – go. Hence the names "lock-and-go" or "lock-and-leave”. These homes benefit people looking to enjoy their homes without worrying about some of the chores that come with home ownership. These tasks could include lawn care and interior and exterior maintenance. It also includes the flexibility to take care of certain things from the go, like ensuring doors are locked, adjusting the home's temperature, or monitoring the home while you are away.

Lock-and-Go Home Types

So, what homes are lock-and-go or low-maintenance? The answer to this question varies, as each home or community can differ. Typically, home types are broken into two categories, multi-family and single-family homes. Multi-family homes include apartments, condos, duplexes, and townhomes. In contrast, single-family homes are detached homes on their own land. You can learn more about the differences in these home types in our Ask The Experts episodes "What is a Condo?", "What is a Townhome" and "What is a Single-Family Home"?

Lock-and-Go Apartments, Condos, and Townhomes

Multi-family homes, such as apartments, condos and townhomes, almost always include low-maintenance features. These benefits are outlined in the homeowner's association documents or the apartment lease. Often these communities receive lawn care services, shrub and flower bed maintenance, turf management all year long and mowing during the growing season. Depending on the community, condo and townhome homeowners may also receive exterior power washing. Apartment residents typically get the benefit of interior maintenance as well. These services may include appliance repair, pest control, changing HVAC filters, etc. At HHHunt, our apartment homes have a 24/7 emergency maintenance package, meaning we will take care of your service requests day or night.

Lock-and-Go Single-Family Homes

Single-family homes also can be low maintenance. Planned communities often offer low-maintenance features as part of the HOA dues. These benefits could include lawn care, curbside trash pickup, and exterior maintenance. Another low-maintenance option is home warranties.

When you purchase a new HHHunt Homes home, you can rest easy knowing that maintenance issues will be covered under the home warranty that comes with new homes. Every new home by HHHunt Homes includes a Limited 10-Year Insured Warranty by Professional Warranty Service Corporation (PWSC), the leading provider of new home warranty products.

Lock-and-Go Home Automation & Technology

Home automation, sometimes called smart home technology or smart home automation, has come a long way in several years. A lot of these advances have made the lock-and-go lifestyle more obtainable. Things such as smart door locks, wireless camera systems, and app-controlled lighting give homeowners and residents peace of mind knowing these systems aid in keeping their home safe and secure. These technological advances also have helped with home maintenance and energy costs. A smart thermostat means you can adjust your home's temperature while on the go. These adjustments can keep the home's humidity level stable, ensure pipes don't freeze and reduce electric bills.

At HHHunt, we offer home automation options. Customers looking to build a new condo, townhome or single-family home can choose from several smart home features. These options include Honeywell Smart Thermostats, Ring camera doorbells, Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt door knobs, Lutron Caséta Wireless smart lighting and more. Are you looking to rent? Our Apartment homes are outfitted with ADT's smart home technology package, which includes smart door locks and an app-controlled thermostat.

Who is Buying Lock-and-Go Homes?

These homes can benefit everyone. Previously, low-maintenance living was reserved for apartment residents and 55+ homebuyers. These consumers are still a target audience for the lock-and-go lifestyle. As you search for your new home, you may see planned communities or apartments marketed as 55+. However, as discussed, many home types can be deemed low-maintenance or lock-and-go. In recent years, there has been an uptick in all generation types flocking to these home types. The time and energy savings supports any buyer or resident with a  fast-paced, on-the-go lifestyle.

Lock-and-Go Homes at HHHunt

At HHHunt, we offer several lock-and-go options. Whether you want to rent or buy, we have homes throughout the Southeast, in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. More than great locations, you can choose from urban apartments, single-floor condos, suburban single-family homes and everything in between. If you're looking for a low-maintenance or maintenance-free home near you, we invite you to check out all we offer at HHHunt.com.