According to the FBI, more than one million burglaries are committed in the United States each year, with victims suffering an estimated $3 billion in combined property losses.1 Fortunately, there are some proven tactics you can use to decrease your likelihood of a home invasion.
Most burglars won’t go to extreme lengths to enter a residence. They are looking for easy access with minimal risk. A monitored security system can be an effective deterrent—homes without one are 300% more likely to be burglarized—but it isn’t the only way to protect your property.2 The strategies below can help to maximize your home’s security and minimize your chances of being targeted by intruders.
Thinking about listing your home? We have some additional recommendations for you. Contact us to find out the procedures we use to keep our clients and their property safe and secure during the buying and selling process.
1. Check Your Doors and Windows
According to home security company ADT, the most common entry point for a burglar is an unlocked front door (34%) followed by a first-floor window (23%) or back door (22%).3 So securing these points of entry is essential.
- Evaluate the condition of your doors and locks.
- Add window locks and security film.
2. Landscape for Security
When it comes to outdoor landscaping, many of us think about maintenance and curb appeal. But the choices we make can impact our home’s security, as well. Thieves target homes that they can enter and exit without being detected. Here are a few tweaks that can make your property less appealing to potential intruders.
- Increase visibility from the street.
- Place thorny bushes and noisy gravel below windows.
3. Light Your Exterior
When it’s dark outside, criminals don’t need to rely on overgrown shrubbery to hide. Luckily, a well-designed outdoor lighting system can make your home both safer and more attractive.
- Install landscape lighting.
- Use motion-activated security lights to startle intruders.
4. Make It Look Like You’re Home
Motion-activated lights aren’t the only way to make an intruder think you’re at home. New technology has made it increasingly possible to monitor your home while you’re away. This is especially important since most burglaries take place on weekdays between 10 am and 3 pm, when many of us are at work or school.
- Turn on your TV and leave a car in the driveway.
- Install a video doorbell.
5. Keep Valuables Out of Sight
Few home invasions are conducted by criminal masterminds. In fact, a survey of convicted offenders found that only 12% planned their robberies in advance, while the majority acted spontaneously.8 That’s one of the reasons security experts caution against placing valuables where they are visible from the outside.
- Check sightlines from your doors and windows.
- Secure valuables in a safe.
6. Highlight Your Security Measures
While it’s prudent to hide your valuables, it’s equally important to advertise your home’s security features. In surveys, convicted burglars admit to avoiding homes with obvious protective measures in place.
- Install outdoor cameras.
- Post warning signs.
7. Limit What You Share on Social Media
Social media platforms can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family, but it’s easy to reveal more than you’ve intended. Be thoughtful about what you’re posting—and who has access.
- Delay posting photos or travel updates.
- Set privacy restrictions on your accounts.
Your home is safe with us
We take home security seriously. That’s why we have screening procedures in place to keep our clients and their homes safe when they are for sale. We also remind our buyers to change the locks before they move into their new homes and provide referrals to locksmiths and home security companies that can help. To learn more about our procedures and how you can stay safe during the buying and selling process, contact us to schedule a free consultation!
Sources:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Bankrate
- ADT
- National Crime Prevention Council
- SafeWise
- Forbes
- KGW News
- Science Daily
- Security.org
- SafeWise
- The Guardian