Although you may pride yourself on having a beautiful home that could be featured in Better Homes and Gardens, your home’s beauty can attract the wrong kind of attention. Burglars often target the nicer homes in a neighborhood. Fortunately, with these five tips you can make your home unattractive to burglars while keeping up it’s appearances.
Create the Fear of Dangerous Dogs
Do you have a rabid Rottweiler growling at every stranger who wanders in front of your house? That’s great…, but you don’t need to own Cujo in order to scare off invaders. A “Beware of Dog” sign is enough to put fear into the hearts of most potential thieves. Usually, the thought of an unfriendly canine is threat enough.
The placement of your sign is important. You want it to be visible from somewhere in your front yard, preferably next to an entrance fence or in the grass at the edge of your front yard. Whether you have a friendly Chihuahua, a fuzzy rabbit or no pets at all, a well-placed “Beware of Dog” sign is a great addition to your home.
However, as a caveat to this tip I’d never recommend using a dog as your only means to deter burglars. Studies have proven that dogs, even trained guard dogs, can be wooed by savvy burglars and rendered ineffective. Still, creating the fear of a fierce canine will certainly limit the number of would-be thieves who will target your property.
Get Crafty with Home Security Cameras
There are many new home surveillance camera systems on the market, some of which are affordable and convenient. Investing in a camera is a great idea, but you don’t need to look for a hidden one. You can install a security camera in a visible place and burglars will think twice about hitting up your home.
Many of today’s newer surveillance cameras can also be viewed and controlled via your mobile device, giving you added peace of mind when you’re away. Most them also equipment with infrared night vision and motion activated alerts.
If you don’t want to spend money on a real camera, you can always get a dummy camera. Not surprisingly, they’re much cheaper than the real deal. As long as you get a good quality replica, a thief won’t know the difference. Make it even more convincing by placing an alarm company’s decal on your front window, and he’ll really re-think any bad intentions.
Be Sure to Add Some Light at Night
Good lighting choices make a big difference. At night, a poorly lit yard can be a burglar’s playground. Having bright lighting can be a great deterrent. Houses with a long walkway leading up to the house can benefit from having a bright light at the entrance to the walkway.
Even if your lighting isn’t particularly bright or numerous, you should use it. Leave your porch light on at night. Motion sensing lights are ideal options for front door lighting because they can startle intruders and alert you of someone’s presence.
Another great option for light is add home automation. Today there are smart bulbs and smart hubs that allow you to set timers on your lights and control them via your mobile phone. Using home automation is probably the best way to make sure it always “looks like” someone is at home.
Fences Can Fix It
Building a fence around your property makes it that much harder for intruders to get into your home. Laziness is a common trait among criminals, and most thieves would rather skip your house than scale an 8 foot fence.
Some fences are harder to climb than others, so keep that in mind when considering your options. A chain-link fence with wide gaps might not deter someone, but a smooth wood privacy fence may. To make things even more difficult, you can grow plants with thorns along the fence.
Fences are also a great way to keep children and pets safe while they play outside.
The Wrong Trees Might Spell Trouble
Trees are beautiful additions to a property, but can be alluring to thieves if you don’t place them carefully. When located in front of second story windows, trees can be an easy way for burglars to get into your home. Avoid planting trees under windows, or keep them well-pruned and cut any branches near them.
Shrubbery in front of first floor windows can also be trouble. It gives burglars a place to hide while they peek into your home. Try to limit the amount of dense shrubbery underneath your windows.
With these easy suggestions, you can make your home unattractive to burglars but attractive to visitors. You don’t need to sacrifice beauty for safety.
This article was contributed by Home Security Pages.com. A provider of nationwide home security listings and reviews.
The post 5 Ways to Make Your House Unattractive…to Burglars appeared first on Strategies Online.
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