Register Real Estate Advisors

With many homes available in today’s real estate market, sellers who hope to attract buyers quickly are looking to home security as a top selling tool. Installing a new security system or updating an older one are appealing ways to increase a home’s value and sales potential. In markets all across the U.S., properties that are protected by security systems in all economic ranges have more curb appeal and rapid sales times than those that are unprotected.

After all, statistics have shown that homes without alarm systems were more than three and a half times more likely to be burglarized than those that had security systems in place. Buyers know how important home security is today, and respond accordingly.

A current, up-to-date home security system draws potential buyers and increases property value. So what security features will yield home sellers the best rate of return?

An inclusive Home alarm system that protects a home from potential intruders and hazards is key. A system should be able to alert home owners to the presence of fire, temperature fluctuations, or carbon monoxide, as well as notifying security personnel and local law enforcement if an emergency occurs. Naturally, the better and more inclusive an alarm system, the higher the home sale value. The best: a professionally installed, up-to-date wireless monitoring system with motion sensors and a security camera in place. Be sure that signage and stickers from the security monitoring company are posted on your property. This will let buyers know that the home is protected before even entering the house.

Security cameras are increasingly popular due to the ability for home owners to monitor their properties via Smart Phone or computer system anywhere. Cameras that feature image storage capacity offer the greatest buyer appeal.

Also greatly enhancing safety and sales appeal is the use of quality deadbolt locks with a Grade 1 ANSI rating. These locks should be on exterior doors as well as on door connecting the interior of a home with the garage. In addition, sellers should make certain that window locks are sturdy, and that garages are equipped with automatic openers. Sliding glass doors should be equipped with sturdy locks as well.

Lighting is another highly sought security feature. The installation of motion sensor-activated external lighting and timed lighting systems that turn on when the home owner is away are also strong motivators for buyers. Lighting is particularly key for back door entries, porches, and drive way areas.

External motion sensors for driveways and door areas that alert the homeowner to any approaching “visitor” are also sought after security features.

A more basic security plus: landscaping. It goes without saying that sellers will want their home to be free of clutter and overgrowth. But keeping bushes and trees neatly trimmed is also a security measure home buyers look for. If you have foliage that obscures your home from a clear street view, you may want to consider having it removed in order to enhance curb appeal. After all, any area that allows a potential intruder to conceal himself from view creates a potential safety hazard.

Home sellers in today’s real estate market should utilize all of these options to increase their property’s appeal to potential buyers. Installing quality locks, a quality security camera, and an overall security monitoring system that includes environmental hazard protection and is technologically state of the art will all be paid back easily in terms of greater home sales value and the rapidity of attracting buyers to the property.

Madison Parker is a security expert whose interests range from personal to home security systems. Get more tips and advice on her Home Security blog!

Look at every home through the eyes of a burglar. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reports that 2.1 million burglaries were committed in 2004. Not all of these situations involved forced entry; many were the result of unlocked doors and windows. Once you close that loophole, though, how can you determine if one house is more vulnerable than another? Well, a residence surrounded by a 15-foot electric fence and patrolled by guard dogs might be a giveaway, but here are some more subtle ways to judge a house’s security.

Entrances should be visible and the exterior well lit. Thieves don’t like to be seen. If a home’s doors and most-accessible windows are visible from the street or a neighbor’s house, they might look for another home. Most homes have outside lights; make sure those lights are positioned correctly. Lighting up the front door and driveway is great, but what about the dark corner of the yard near the living-room window? Use motion-sensor lights in these areas.
Exterior doors must be metal or solid-core wood. A particle-board or similarly weak door will break long before most locks give out.

All exterior locks should have dead bolts with metal strike plates. Dead bolts alone don’t deter burglars. Without a heavy-duty metal strike plate screwed in the door frame to receive the lock, someone could break open the door by busting through the wood.

Watch for old sliding-glass doors. Old doors with worn-out rollers can be lifted off the track, bypassing any lock.
Any fence gates should have locks. Yes, burglars can climb over most fences, but they risk more exposure by scaling a fence instead of quickly walking through the gate.

Look for “painful” landscaping. A good way to discourage a thief from breaking in through a first-floor window is to install a rosebush or other thorn-covered plan under it.

You can’t keep a determined, professional burglar out of a home. However, you can make it less appealing for him to try.

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