It’s often easy to forget to secure your new home, but even the safest neighborhood experiences occasional crime. In fact, according to Safewise, a robbery happens every 15 seconds somewhere in America. What’s worse is the fact that 73 percent of these burglaries occur in residential areas. Yikes. With this mind, you need to make home security a top priority when moving in. From installing an alarm system to pruning your hedges, here are 7 home security tips for improving the safety of your new household.
1. Change the locks
This one little detail may seem simple, but it’s often overlooked by new homeowners. Changing the locks to all of your outside doors should be the first thing you do when moving to a new house. Why? Because there’s no telling who still has a key to your house. From former house cleaners and handymen to neighbors and friends, you don’t know who was given a copy of the key from the previous homeowners. For all you know, your keys could be in the hands of someone up to no good. Don’t take that chance. Hire a reliable and trustworthy locksmith to rekey the entire home as soon as you move.
2. Install an alarm
Installing an alarm system in your home is one of the most surefire ways to protect you and your family from a burglary. And with dozens – if not, hundreds – of local and national home security systems available, you’re sure to find one that meets your needs and budget. A few of the most popular home security systems include: ADT, SimpliSafe, Frontpoint, Vivant, and Protect America. Before moving to your home, I highly recommend calling the security system company ahead of time to reserve an installation appointment time. Also keep in mind, that there are a few alarm systems that you can set up yourself. Once your alarm system is installed, be sure to plop a security sign in your front yard, as well as security system stickers on your windows. These signs and stickers have been proven to deter potential thieves from targeting and robbing a home.
3. Put lights and TVs on timers
It’s a well-known fact that thieves don’t want to be caught. Therefore, if they even think someone could be home (read: TV booming and lights on), they probably won’t bother barging into the house. That means, it’s especially important to set timers on your lights and your TV when you are away – especially during the holidays. This will prevent a burglary from happening in the first place. For lights, I recommend setting timers for several inside lights near the windows. Electrical timers can be purchased at home improvement stores, such as Home Depot or Lowes. For televisions, you can usually program a timer to go on and off through the TV directly. Of course, if you choose to convert your home to a smart home, you can also control and monitor your lights and TV right from your smartphone. By setting your TV and lights on a timer, you’ll create the illusion that someone is home, which will most certainly make your house an unappealing target for criminals.
4. Install a video doorbell
Ding dong! Did you know that the majority of home burglars ring the doorbell of a victim’s home first? This way they can see whether or not anyone is home. The trick may be one of the oldest in the book, but it’s still quite popular among thieves. Fortunately, there are now smart doorbell devices to make it seem like you’re home even if you’re not. When moving to a new house, I recommend installing a video doorbell that lets you know who’s at the door before opening it. Look for a doorbell that allows you to see, hear and speak to the visitor from anywhere in the world. Brands that I recommend: SkyBell WiFi Doorbell, Ring Video Doorbell, Vivint Doorbell Camera, and August Doorbell Cam.
5. Hide your mail when away
When you’re out of town, the last thing you want is a huge pile of mail overflowing out of your mailbox – or a stack of packages sitting on the front doorstep for hours. This is usually a big hint to potential thieves that no one is home, making your house especially vulnerable. So if you’re planning to be away for several days at a time, I highly recommend taking care of your mail ahead of time. The easiest thing to do is to simply ask a neighbor or friend to pick up your mail once a day. You can always repay them with a gift card or by returning the favor when they are away. A second way to plan for your mail is by going to your local post office and telling them to hold your mail for the time being. Once you return, you can pick it up from the post office at your convenience.
6. Install motion detector lighting
Installing motion detector lighting on the premises is sure to lend you and your family an added sense of security – especially at night. If thieves decide to strike when it’s dark, they’ll quickly be deterred by any bright lights on their heels. I recommend installing motion detector flood lights on the front, back and sides of your home – particularly in places where it would be easy to hide. This way, if a light goes off outside during the night, you can properly investigate. Besides keeping criminals at bay, motion detector lighting is also an economical, energy saving way to light the outside of your home.
7. Landscape your yard
Want to prevent crime? Grab your shears! Believe it or not, properly landscaping your yard can have a major impact on the safety of your home. According to Houzz, police officers at Tulane University claimed that homes surrounded by overgrown hedges and shrubs are ideal targets for criminals. This is because large hedges near windows decrease visibility from the street, meaning it’s easier for thieves to sneak into a house without being detected by a neighbor or passerby. Houzz recommends trimming and cutting all bushes and hedges to be three feet or shorter. The website also suggests planting thorny bushes and plants near windows, as well as covering the ground near windows with gravel. Thorny bushes will deter criminals from getting near the windows, while the loud crunching sound of someone walking on gravel will prompt you to investigate the activity.
So, how safe is your new neighborhood? Safety and security are top concerns when moving to a new city, which is why Moving.com provides a free tool to help you with researching each aspect of a new city. If you’re looking for comprehensive safety information on your new area, check out their site’s City Profile Reports. In addition to crime reports, City Profile Reports will provide information on the quality of the schools in the area, a cost of living estimate, city statistics, residential data and more. Moving.com’s City Profile Reports are updated annually, and provide data from various sources, including: U.S. Census Bureau estimates and projections (which include the latest monthly estimates for city-level populations); Bureau of Labor employment data by industry and occupation; Internal Revenue Service statistics on tax filers and year-to-year migration; Federal Bureau of Investigation, local police departments and municipalities for crime information.
Congratulations on your new digs, good luck and stay safe!
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