The ever-present threat of potential crime is a constant fear of homeowners. Even beyond the thought of someone taking your stuff, the idea of a stranger entering your property without your consent can fundamentally alter your relationship with your home and community. Of course, the occurrence of crime is not a given.
Along with our previous articles highlighting what your HOA can do to lower the chances of serious criminal activity in your community; there are steps that homeowners can take to deter and lessen the impact of potential criminal acts in your home and community.
Protect your home:
- Make sure to lock your front, back, side doors, and windows whether you are going out or settling in for a day at home.
- Install a home security system. Alarms work as an effective deterrent, especially if your service provider gives you a sign to put on the front yard of your property.
- Lock your car doors. Make sure you can account for all garage openers and keys. If you want to keep a garage opener in a car, put it somewhere out of view. Make sure both exterior and interior garage doors remain locked.
- While it should not be the main reason you get a dog, having a well-trained and vocal fur baby can make your home safer. Whether they are a large unit or just a little guy, you would be surprised how little robbers want to confront Fido.
Make your home look occupied:
- Turn your lights on at night and install an on/off timer on appliances – like a few lamps in the most visible room from your home’s front door – for when you are away, to make it look like someone is home.
- Keep your yard maintained in the days leading up to a trip. If plants need to be watered, see if a neighbor or a local teenager (whom you might be able to find in your community’s newsletter) would be willing to stop by.
- Track when packages will arrive. Make sure anything that might arrive while you are away will be picked up by a neighbor or kept by the delivery company until you come back.
- Do not post information about your vacation on social media. Instead, wait to post vacation stories and pictures when you return.
- Cover windows with curtains or blinds to maintain privacy and prevent potential thieves from scoping out your belongings.
Learn about your surroundings:
- Get to know your neighbors and see if they would be willing to check in on your house. Offer to do the same for them when they are away. They do not even have to go inside, just ask them to keep an eye out for any disturbances.
- Once you have gotten to know your community, gauge interest in a neighborhood watch.
- If your community has a neighborhood watch or on-site security, ask them to check in on your house if you are planning to leave for an extended period.
Be cautious at the door:
- Install systems like Ring or Nest to see who is at your door without opening it or peering out the window. A Ring camera, or a similar device, also allows you to communicate with anyone at the door when you’re away from home. These brands also make cameras to use inside your home, and lights to illuminate your home’s exterior.
- Request identification from people you do not know, especially if they look like an official. If they work for a government department, their employee information is publicly available.
Manage your documents:
- Do not keep valuables in plain sight. Find an unusual spot (which does not need to be an elaborate ruse, like a loose wall brick hidden behind some painting you never paid attention to until you realized it could be used to hide your stuff) to keep expensive effects, or a secure safe.
- Shred sensitive documents before disposing of them. You can purchase a paper shredder for your home for as low as $30. Also, check for local shredding events hosted by the HOA or county.
Now some of these steps require more work and money than others, so the best recommendation anyone can really give you, the homeowner, is to be present in your community. By being present and staying vigilant, you can help protect your home from any potential crime.
Looking for a new HOA management company? Contact Jellybird HOA Management today for a free HOA management quote and see what makes us refreshingly different.
