Take some simple steps to discourage criminals from choosing your home as a target.

  1. Consider investing in an alarm system if you don't already have one. If you do, make sure you have a panic button feature you can easily use in the room you use as an office.
  2. Your home should have deadbolts with full one-inch bolts on all entry doors. These should be installed in addition to existing locksets. If you have a door with glass panels within three feet of the lock, you should have a double-cylinder deadbolt, which. requires a key on both sides so that a burglar cannot simply break the glass and reach through to unlock the door. If a door has conventional glass panels, consider replacing them with shatterproof glass or with polycarbonate material.
  3. Secure your windows with locks. You can mount locks on the corners or sides of windows to keep them secure even when partially open. You can also do this with window pinning (inserting a pin or nail above a window so it can't be opened) or track fillers (such as a wooden pole placed into the track of the window).
  4. Make sure all porches, entrance areas, and yards are well lit. Turn on exterior lights when you're home at night, plus interior lights when you're away in the evening.
  5. Prune any shrubbery that hides doors or windows. Remove tree limbs that allow access to reach second story windows.
  6. Keep window blinds or curtains closed if at night or when you're not home. This minimizes a criminal's opportunity to peek inside and shop around.
  7. When someone you don't know comes to your door, ask to see their identification before opening the door. You'll need a peephole in your front door, or a secure screen or glass outer door for this.
  8. When you're out of town, make your home look occupied. Install timers on indoor lights so that they're on in the evening. Instead of stopping your mail or newspaper delivery, ask a trusted neighbor to take care of picking up both every day. Keep a car parked in the driveway. Arrange for someone to shovel snow or mow your yard.
  9. For a detailed security analysis of your home, contact a bonded professional locksmith who is an accredited member of a National Locksmith Association. At no cost to you, your police and sheriff's department will be glad to help when needed. Call them immediately if you see, hear or have a good reason to suspect that a crime is being committed.
  10. Organize a neighborhood club and agree to keep an eye on each other's property. Ask people to call 911 when they see suspicious activity or crimes in progress. Remember that block clubs are not just for people who own single-family dwellings

(Sources: Washington Real Estate Safety Council, San Diego REALTOR®, July 2002; National Crime Prevention Council, Kwikset, National Safety Council)

This article is part of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS'® 2006 REALTOR® Safety Week Kit.