1. Install an Alarm System

You can purchase a DIY security system for as little as 25 dollars online. The least expensive systems are incredibly basic but do one thing really well: sound the alarm! You’ll get a keypad and door sensors (maybe a few window sensors) with your initial purchase; one quick installation later, and your system is primed to shrill if a burglar breaks in. When you free up extra funds, you can add-on to your system: window sensors, wireless keyfobs, motion detectors, and more.

2. Deadbolt Your Doors

Start with your doors. One of the easiest and most cost-effective solutions is to install a deadbolt. Please don’t go with the $3 cheapie from the local dollar store; instead, invest in a quality deadbolt (they usually run about $25). And, of course, use your deadbolt at all times – even when you’re home.

3. Curtail With Curtains

Experienced burglars like to “case” a home before they ever break in, so they can determine whether your goods are worth the risk. One of the easiest things you can do to make your home burglar-unfriendly is to install curtains or blinds (go cordless if you have young children) – and then use them. If a thief can’t see in, s/he will likely move on to the next potential victim.

4. Secure Sliding Doors

If you have sliding doors in your home, place a wooden rod (a cheap curtain dowel will suffice) in the track frame.

5. Lock Up

Free security improvement of the day: lock your doors and windows! (And the garage, too.) This applies also when you’re at home, especially when your guard is down (for example, when you’re sleeping). Even the best locks can’t protect if you don’t use them.

6. Garage Timer

The garage door is one of those security holes that is just too easy to overlook. Maybe you were loading the trunk. Maybe your son was taking his bicycle out on a sunny afternoon. Maybe you were washing the car. It’s easy to leave the garage door open and even easier to forget that you have. The solution: A garage door timer (less than $40) that automatically closes after a preset period of time. 

7. Be Safe

You can buy a small, fireproof safe for under $90. These are perfect for storing important documents, valuables, jewelry and even cash. If the safe is small enough to carry, bolt it to the floor (or a piece of furniture) to make it more difficult for a thief to make off with.

8. Eliminate Flowery Hidey-Holes

Make sure your landscaping does not provide convenient hiding spots for would-be burglars. Trim large bushes and trees that obscure entrances to your home, and eliminate shrubbery around your home’s perimeter. If your green thumb is itching to do something near the windows and doors, plant burglar deterrents: thorny, spiked, and otherwise pain-inducing landscaping.

Thinking of Buying or Selling Real Estate in Whitby, Oshawa, Ajax, Brooklin, Clarington or anywhere in Durham Region.  Contact Team Bryant Today for all of your real estate needs.