Triangle Area Real Estate News & Information

The holiday season is a time for family, friends, food, and fun. Unfortunately, it’s also a time for thieves. With so many people exchanging gifts, thieves know that homes are full of new electronics, jewels, and other valuables at this time of year. So, as the holidays wind down, it’s a good idea to see what precautions you can take to protect your valuables.

Year Round Suggestions

Don’t make stealing easy. The harder you make it for thieves to get to your valuables, the more likely they will abandon your home for an easier one. Let’s look at steps you can take to discourage any potential thieves.

1. If you have a security system, use it every night and whenever you are away from home during the day. Make sure that there are security signs by each exterior door to warn the thieves. Some people who don’t have security systems post security system decals just to ward off thieves.

2. Lock all doors and windows at night and whenever you are away from home. Secure all windows with a secondary blocking device that prevents the windows from opening more than 6 inches. Don’t tempt a thief with an open upstairs window. He just may find a way to get to that window.

3. Never leave a spare key where a thief can find it (above the door, under a mat or flower pot, etc.). Thieves know where to look.

4. Never leave a ladder outside or easily available to thieves. They know that upstairs windows are not often wired to a security system, and they will enter that way.

5. If you have sliding glass doors, insert a wooden bar in the track to prevent the door from opening if the lock is picked.

6. Use motion-detector flood lights to light up the front and back lawns and any dark areas near doors and windows.

7. Trim all trees and bushes near doors and windows. Thieves prefer to be hidden while they break into a house.

8. Keep blinds closed at night, and never let delivery people inside the front door where they may see your valuables.

9. Vary your routine. If you normally park a car in your driveway at night, keep doing so even if you go out of town. If you can’t, ask a neighbor to park his car there while you are gone. Thieves notice when a routine changes. It is a signal that the residents are away.

10. If you received large valuable gifts such as a large flat-screen TV, don’t put the box out with the trash. Cut it into smaller pieces and place them in a garbage can. The intact box advertises that your house contains new valuables.

11. Don’t leave notes on the front door. They are a clear sign that no one is home.

12. Consider buying and using a home safe if you have valuables such a gems, jewelry, and guns in your home. Install it away from the master bedroom and closet, the places most thieves will look first.

13. Check your doors and locks. Most doors are relatively easy to kick in and most locks (even deadbolts) are not secured by sturdy enough screws to block entry.

14. Consider using a house-sitter while you are away. That person could come to your home for a few hours every evening, making your home appear occupied. Of course, your house sitter would need to be a trusted friend.

15. Have your phone calls forwarded while you are away. Thieves often call a house to see if anyone is home before breaking in.

    When Travelling

Don’t let on that you are out of town. If thieves know that you are out of town, your house moves to the top of their list. If you are going to be away for a few days, take the following precautions:

1. Do not advertise your travel plans. Do not put that message on voicemail, your answering machine, your email responder, or any social media site. And make sure your children keep it off social media as well.

2. Ask a neighbor to collect your mail and any papers, packages, and flyers that may be left at your door or on your driveway. A collection of papers in the driveway is a clear sign that no one is home.

3. Use timers for lights, radios, and TVs, to give the impression that someone is home.

Prepare for the worst

Prepare for the worst. Even if you take all of the above precautions, your possessions could still be stolen. Taking the following steps will help lessen the pain and hassle of the theft.

1. Engrave identification numbers on the backs of valuables such as TVs. Doing so will help identify your property if it is recovered by the police.

2. Take photographs of jewelry and other valuables. The photos can be proof of ownership and condition at the time of the theft. Update the pictures annually, and store them online, not just on your computer (which could be stolen as well).

3. Write down serial numbers of electronics and other valuables. The police and insurance company may need them.

4. If you have a jewelry appraisal, keep it in a safe deposit box.

5. Check your insurance coverage. Make sure that your limits are adequate. Many policies only have a basic amount of coverage for electronics, jewelry, and guns. You may need to add a rider to be properly covered.

6. Consider installing motion-detector cameras. They could help identify the thief.

7. Make complete backups of your computer hard drive and store the backups out of sight or online in case your computer is stolen.

Following the steps above will likely prevent thieves from taking your belongings. And that is the goal.

Happy New Year!

If you are considering buying or selling a home, give us a call. My partner Andrew Palumbo and I both have extensive real estate and construction experience.