| Buying your first home is a very exciting event that | | | | that would break a window to gain access to your |
| should be carefully planned out. First time homeowners | | | | home. |
| may not be familiar with the dangers of living on your | | | | A silent alarm is not a good idea because prevention is |
| own. The first thing to consider is that you are | | | | always better than repair. If you can convince a |
| completely in charge of everything including the locks | | | | criminal that it is not a good idea to break into your |
| and fire alarms. No one is going to keep track of these | | | | home you may never need anything more. Home |
| things for you. | | | | security systems should have loud alarms to draw |
| Most new homeowners feel perfectly secure with the | | | | attention to anything that happens to your home. You |
| locks that were on the house when they moved in. | | | | should also inquire about monitored security systems |
| The problem with using the same lock is that most real | | | | and incident procedures. |
| estate companies use low quality locks because there | | | | Motion sensitive lights are also a good idea for |
| is nothing to protect so that makes your home easier | | | | deterring would-be burglars because no criminal wants |
| to break into. The other problem with using the same | | | | an audience when they are trying to break into your |
| locks on your new home is simply that you don't know | | | | home. Motion light systems are nothing if the light |
| how many people have copies of your house key. | | | | doesn't shine where it's needed the most. Any foliage |
| House keys are handled by a multitude of workers | | | | that provides cover to any entryways should be cut |
| such as painters, real estate agents, plumbers and | | | | down so criminals have no where to hide. |
| movers. If the locks are changed people tend to focus | | | | A more cost effective yet long term solution to your |
| on style over function opting for the style of lock that | | | | security issues would be to get an attack dog. Most of |
| goes best with their front door. Outside locks should be | | | | the larger K9 species are just as affectionate as the |
| made of drill proof steel and properly installed leaving | | | | cute and cuddly dogs but you get the added security |
| no gaps or spaces between the lock and the house. | | | | of having an aggressive dog. While there is no |
| Another common mistake is that people consider the | | | | guaranteed way to secure a home, at least you have |
| front door locks to be the only point of entry. All of the | | | | a fighting chance with proper preparation because the |
| locks in your home should be replaced with the same | | | | last thing that you want to do is call long distance |
| quality locks that you would install on your front door. | | | | moving companies to move you out of your new |
| Installing windows that can be locked from the inside | | | | home because of security issues that could have |
| are the best choice to deter a silent entry into your | | | | been easily prevented. |
| home but doesn't provide much protection from those | | | | |