Our homes are our most valuable possessions. We do everything we can to keep them safe and sound. Yet, we all hear local news stories about residential break-ins, where thieves would steal jewelry, cash, silverware, laptops, expensive electronics, etc. Sometimes even in broad daylight! It’s not a pleasant sight, to see your home was broken into, and your valuables gone. What’s even more troubling is homeowners not doing enough to prevent it.
In this post, we’ll go over some most common home security options and a few general tips to help deter the thieves, and keep your home safe and secure.
- Get a home alarm system – this is essential protection that will thieves away or at get them caught. You can either get a professional company to come out, evaluate your needs and setup a home security system, that can be monitored live. Alternatively there are home security systems such as Nest that can be setup easily and would save you thousands.
- Cover windows so that nobody can pry in and see what you have inside. Plus it gives you privacy. You’d be surprised how much you can see into people’s homes from outside on a dark night if their windows aren’t covered.
- Lock all doors and windows, garages, sliding doors and sliding windows too. Make sure to use the door stopper if you have one. For sliding doors you should definitely have one. Of course, all your doors and windows should be in good condition.
- Don’t keep keys under floor mats or flowers pots. Thieves will look there first. So that’s not a good idea to put anything there.
- Lock your jewelry, expensive stuff and valuables in a home safe or in a bank’s safety deposit box. Just don’t let it sit around your bedroom. If someone gets in, that’s the first place they’ll go look.
- Don’t post your travel plans on social media accounts (eg. check-ins, pictures of valuables, announcing you’r going on a vacation). By letting everyone know you’re not home, you’re risking someone going there to try and rob you.
- Light up your house well. Shady business is less likely to happen if the area is well lit. Make sure you have all corners of your house lit up and have motion sensors to activate lights if someone approaches.
- Get a guard dog if you can. Nothing stops the bad guys like a good guard dog.
- Always look who’s knocking. Check through the peephole so you’re not in for a nasty surprise. Today you can also get video door bell which brings it up on your smartphone, even if you’re not home.
- Eliminate hiding spaces around outside your house where thieves can hide eg. untrimmed bushes, old cluttered sheds. Keep your property clean and secure with very little hiding spots.
Do you have any recommendations or tips to help homeowner keep their property and valuable secure? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
This real estate advice was brought to you by Lori VanDinther, Burlington RE/MAX sales representative and a team lead of Team VanDinther. As a long time resident of Burlington, Lori has been helping home owners buy/sell their property. Contact Lori VanDinther today for all your Burlington real estate needs.