How To Protect Your Home From Burglars

12 ways to burglar-proof your house
September 05, 2011

There are some simple steps you can take to make your home more burglar proof.

SHUTTERSTOCK A friend of mine recently told me about a break- in at her home. The front door was smashed off the frame and all her jewellery was stolen. The loss of heirloom pieces that had belonged to her mother was devastating.

As a result, she installed an expensive burglar alarm system including cameras at both the front and the back of the house.

While Statistics Canada reports that alarm systems and motion detectors have led to a steady reduction in home break-ins in recent years, they may not deter a determined thief. They should be combined with other measures that help keep burglars from finding your home an attractive target.

Here are some things you can do at little or no cost:

1. Take your name off your mailbox: This will prevent thieves from calling 411 to get your phone number. Many thieves will call a house they are planning to rob first to see if you are home.

2. Never leave a note on the door: If you are going out and expect a delivery, resist the temptation to leave a note on the door asking the post office to leave the package with your neighbour.

3. Stop mail or newspapers: Before you go on vacation, stop mail and newspapers. Even if you leave town for a weekend, have a neighbour pick up these items plus unsolicited fliers.

4. Get a yappy dog: Dogs are not free, but if you have one that barks when people come to the door, pay attention. He may know something you do not. Even the most affectionate puppy like mine can scare away bad guys.

5. Prune trees or shrubs: If you have verdant greenery close to the house, tame it regularly so burglars do not have a place to hide.

6. Hide you spare key carefully: A key left under the door mat, on the ledge over the door or under a flower pot is an “open door” invitation to a dishonest person. Be more creative, or leave it with a neighbour.

7. Doors and windows: Always lock doors and windows and change the locks if you move into a new home or lose the key. Combination locks are becoming more popular because it is easier to change the code than replacing the whole lock. Put security bars on basement windows and secure sliding doors with a stick or a metal bar.

8. Don’t leave valuables in the open: If a thief can see valuables like art, electronics, jewellery or silver through a door or window, you could become a target. Consider a bolted down, fireproof safe.

9. Make the house look lived in: Have the grass cut and the driveway shovelled when you are away. Keep a car in the driveway. Use timers on lights, radios and TVs. Don’t put a message on your voice mail announcing your absence.

10. Put neighbours on alert: Let your neighbours know how long you will be away and if someone is coming to feed the cat. Make sure they have a way to contact you in case they see something strange happening around your home.

11. Don’t widely advertise your plans: Never mention you are going to be away to strangers or tweet your plans to all of your 10,000 followers.

12. Hire a house-sitter: Getting a friend to house-sit while you are away is a great way to keep your house safe from burglars. And if you have pets that need care, in-house care for them could be an added bonus.

Desperate, dishonest people are hard to deter. But they may also take the path of least resistance. With a little preparation, you may be able to prevent that path from leading to your front door.

Also see: How to protect your password from hackers and 7 ways to protect your credit cards on vacation.

What to Know About Holding Open Houses

Back to Will an open house help sell your home?
Will an open house help sell your home?
September 02, 2011

Mark Weisleder

Shutterstock I am often asked whether a seller should agree to open houses when they put their home up for sale. Some say it helps the agent find new clients and does nothing to sell the home. Others say it is necessary to find the largest number of potential buyers. Which is correct?

In practice, there are two kinds of open houses. One is limited to real estate agents, so they can conduct research in the area and be able to recommend the right homes to their buyer clients. The second is open to the general public. This can include nosy neighbours who just want to see your home, buyers who don’t have nearly enough money to consider putting in an offer and even criminals who are there to either steal something from the home during the open house or check out the security system so they can come back later.

Open houses will lead to more exposure for your home and more feedback from potential buyers. On the other hand, since we have so much information available to buyers on the Internet, such as video tours of the entire home, wouldn’t it make more sense to wait for a truly interested buyer to schedule a private appointment to see your home? That shows more commitment.

Still, in a seller’s market, where there are more buyers than available properties, open houses are a good idea so the maximum number of buyers can see the property in a very short time period.

If you do agree to conduct an open house, here are some tips:

• Make sure proper home staging is done in advance so your home appeals to the maximum number of potential buyers.

• Do not stay in the house during the open house. You are more than likely to volunteer too much information, including why you are selling. This will hurt your negotiating position later.

• Make sure your agent will be there the entire time.

• It is not against the law to ask for identification in order to allow someone to enter your home. If they refuse to provide it, tell your agent to refuse them entry.

• Sometimes criminals will come in pairs; while one distracts the salesperson, the other is going through drawers. If a lot of people are expected make sure your agent brings an assistant.

• Ask your agent to check all windows and doors before they leave your home to make sure everything is properly secured.

• Remove all valuables or store them in a safe, if you have one in the home. This includes your laptop and any discs that may have your personal information on them.

• Keep all of your bank and credit card statements out of view, as this could lead to identity theft if someone takes them.

• Take pictures of each room so you can check later if something is missing or damaged during the open house.

Whatever you decide regarding an open house, make sure you are properly prepared in advance.

Also read:

Bully bids a symptom of market madness?

More Mark Weisleder columns

Mark Weisleder is a lawyer, author and speaker to the real estate industry. Email him at mark@markweisleder.com