Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa June 2013 | Page 38
RESIDENTIAL
You cannot just rely on the police to respond,
their average response time in comparison to
a private company is worse. When you have
decided, the alarm must be installed and include
windows and doors, as well as motion detectors
and panic buttons placed in easy locations. You
can also request mobile panic buttons.
Almost every home is surrounded by a wall
or fence. If yours has any holes or damage, get
them repaired as soon as possible. Electric
fences are always a good idea. Placed at the top
of your wall or fence they are a major deterrent
for would-be burglars. Post signs on the fence
that your house is monitored 24 hours a day.
Another option is to have a guard dog, and to
post a sign that your house is protected by a
guard dog who will bite on sight.
Parking is a major plus to any property. A
car on the kerb is not ideal and presents a
security threat from break in or outright theft;
it will also increase your insurance premiums
exponentially. A garage or even a carport
will not only increase the value of your actual
house but also protect your car and lower your
car insurance premium. If this option is not
available to you, consider finding out about
garages in the area that are for rent, the need for
property goes hand in hand with the need for
parking. If you do have a carport or garage, then
you should consider installing an electric gate
or door, this way you will not have to step out of
your car when entering or leaving your property.
At some point you are going to go away and
leave your property unattended, whether it’s for
one night or ten. There are measures you can put
into place to ensure the home you left is the one
you come back to.
Don’t advertise you’re away. A home with no
one in it is an ideal target for a burglary. If you
make it look as though your house is occupied
while you are away, burglars will pass it by and
look for an easier target. One option of course
is to have someone look after your house while
you are away but failing that there are things
you can do to mimic an occupied home.
Automatic light timers that turn on and off will
simulate your normal routine. Look for timers
that have battery back up so the timer will not
stop if there is a power failure. You can also use
a timer for your radio or TV. Either have your
calls forwarded or turn the ringer down so it’s
not audible. Arrange to have your lawn cut or
trees trimmed while you are away so the garden
doesn’t look like a jungle and give away the
fact that the house is empty. Ask a neighbour
or friend to pick up all your mail daily, a full
mailbox is a clear sign that the house is empty.
Always park your car in a garage, that way
someone looking for patterns will not know
your car is gone. Never leave notes on your
door, you are leaving a note that may as well
say ‘come in’ to a burglar. In the event of your
home being burgled while you are away ensure
the security company knows you are not th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