There are between 2.3 and 2.6 million robberies in the United States every year. That’s a lot of theft and property damage. This can be especially concerning for real estate investors and homeowners who own multiple properties or rental properties.
With more than 4,300 burglaries happening every day, here are a few simple ways you can keep your properties safe.
Secure The Doors
34% of thieves manage to walk right through the front door. Make things more difficult for them by securing all the exterior doors. Make sure that all the doors have strong frames, protected hinges, sturdy locks, and if the door has a mail slot, make sure that’s low and narrow enough that someone can’t get an arm through it to unlock the door.
If you’re renting out a recently vacated property, then it’s a good practice to change the locks to sturdy, top of the line ones. This not only helps with overall security, but it also prevents strangers from having a key to the property. Some other simple upgrades you can do are: installing a deadbolt, upgrading to smart locks, or installing a video doorbell.
Reinforce Sliding Glass Doors
Sliding glass doors can be a great entry point for thieves. An old-fashioned way of keeping these doors sort of doors secure is a standard window bar or dowel in the track. This prevents the door from being forced open and can serve as an easy form of deterrent for most thieves. If you prefer to go with a more modern and high-tech solution, a door sensor or a glass-break sensor will alert you if the glass is ever tampered with.
Lock Your Windows
Doors and windows are the most common entry points for thieves, so locking and reinforcing them is a great first step for added security. Extra locks or key-operated levers can go a long way toward building up security. Some extra upgrades you can consider are: reinforcing the windows with security film, and installing glass break sensors.
Light The Place Up
Ample outdoor lighting will help keep any would-be thieves away. It’s a good idea to place lighting around your front and backyards, as well as around your garage and any outdoor structures. Not only will this lessen the risk of intruders, but having the area well-lit also lessens your risk of tripping when walking at night. You might also consider installing solar-powered lights to save on your energy bills, or placing outdoor lights on a timer. Motion-sensor lights can also be a great addition to your real estate.
Remember the Garage
The garage is a surprisingly common entry point with thieves. Breaking into a garage often gives you access to any number of things people have stored there and can occasionally give you access to the main house if the connecting door is left unlocked or is flimsy in some way. In addition to installing lights around your garage, make sure to keep your garage door opener in the house rather than in your car. This makes it impossible for someone to grab it easily. If you’re using a security code, make sure to keep it secret. This also means never entering it in front of neighbors, delivery people, etc.
A few more easy ways to secure your garage are: use home automation to close the garage door, cover garage door windows, and reinforce the door with extra locks.
The U.S. homeownership rate equaled 65.1% in 2019. This includes real estate investors and others who own one or possibly multiple rental properties. Thankfully, securing your home is often more simple than people realize. Not everything has to be done at once, so pick a few suggestions and get started.