Although it would be nice to think that you can fix something if you make a mistake, some mistake are just too big to remedy. In some cases, these mistakes can be tragic. Following are some of the most significant mistakes that people make in regard to their home security:

1. Leaving Doors Unlocked. It only takes two seconds to lock your door. It should be a habit. It doesn’t matter if you are just gardening in the backyard or running to the store for 5 minutes in the middle of the afternoon, lock the door. Often, a burglar rings the doorbell. If there is no answer, they jiggle the knob. If the door opens, he lets himself in and starts ransacking the place. They can do the same thing with windows.
2. Not Setting Alarms. You shouldn’t assume that a break-in occurs only when you are gone. A person seeking money for drugs won’t care whether or not you are home. So, keep your alarm on when you are home, and disable it only when you have to go out momentarily.
3. Being Too Cheap. Don’t settle for a cheap lock. Many locks can be picked easily by using what’s called a “bump key.” Remember, you get what you pay for. So, spend the cash on a good lock for your front door. There is a dramatic difference between a lock that costs $20 and one that costs $60.
4. Keeping a Ladder in the Yard. Keeping a ladder in your yard is just like leaving your front door open with a “Welcome, Burglar” sign on your home. An intruder can easily use that ladder to get into your home. At the least, lock up the ladder.
5. Hiding Keys. Even the least imaginative criminals know that people hide house keys under fake rocks, flowerpots, and welcome mats. Instead, make the small investment into a keyless lock, or buy a lock box.
6. Putting Your Valuables on Display. Use caution when you display expensive items. This is especially the case if these items are visible from the window. If you don’t want to move these items, ensure that you keep the shades lowered.
7. Keeping Your Garage Unlocked. Don’t leave your garage open or unlocked. You keep a lot of valuable stuff in there, and a burglar also could gain access to your house through the garage.
8. Not Using Lights at Night. A dark yard or home is a sign that no one is home. In other words, it is the perfect time for a thief to get into your house. Set up timed and motion-sensitive lighting on the exterior and interior of the home. Also, leave a radio or television on when you are gone.
9. Leaving Deliveries Out or Not Cleaning the Yard. Another sure sign that you are away and that your home is open for burglars, is a pile of mail or newspapers on the front stoop. An overgrown lawn communicates the same message. So, ask someone to grab your mail, park a car in your driveway, and mow your lawn when you are on vacation.
10. Displaying Your Good Trash. If you see a neighbor place a large Sony box with a television printed on it or a Dell cardboard box on the curb, you can easily deduce that they just purchased high-end electronics. Robbers know this, too, and they know that something valuable in the home is worth stealing.
11. One more home security mistake is particularly worth mentioning:
    Putting Your Life on Social Media. Avoid posting your trip on social media while you are away. Wait to share your photos until after your return home. Because burglars are looking for those posts, too, and use them to target empty homes.

For more information about ways to keep your home safe, contact us today.

Powered by HomeActions for Laura Schein Rossinow, Broker Associate, Keller Williams Realty, Newton, MA