Simple Ways to Make Your New Home Burglar-Proof

Every homeowner justifiably fears having their home burgled. According to the US department of justice, there are millions of burglaries every year. As such, it’s completely understandable to want to burglar-proof your new home. But then comes the question: how exactly do you make your new home burglar-proof? Fortunately, there are several easy ways to make a house harder to break into and give you some peace of mind.  We have put together a list of simple ways to make your new home burglar-proof, in hopes of helping you keep unwanted guests out of your home in the future.

Security graphic screenshot computer
Photo by Pixabay

Use Smart Locks

The main benefit of a smart lock is that it doesn’t use a key. Instead, it works by finger scans, keypads, or even your mobile device. This means that there’ll be no lock to pick on your door, making it a lot harder to break in. To make it better, smart locks are so easy to install that they can replace your current locks in minutes. Best of all, there are no keys which you can lose, or give to a friend and have them forget.

The only real downside to using smart locks is their cost; good keypad models are upwards of $50, and mobile device-operated ones, which record the exact date and time when someone used them, are $100 or more. Still, after dealing with real estate agents and finding a new home, there’s a convenience that comes with the cost.

Photo of a door with a smart lock handle
Photo by Pixabay

Heavy-duty locks with locks of deadbolts are great, but a lock without a key is the safest option by far.

Wireless Security System

When trying to make your new home burglar-proof, you should think about responding to burglaries quickly, as well as, preventing them. Modern wireless security systems cover both.

While having the sign warning about a security system in the house won’t be enough to stop all burglars, being greeted by a blaring alarm most certainly will be. Additionally, a wireless system constantly streams the footage from security cameras to an app on your phone. With this, you can check up on your home from wherever you are, and immediately call the police if a threat is detected.

Finally, these systems usually come with sensors for different types of threats as well, such as fire alarms. When it comes to house security, these sorts of whole-house systems are the best you can get. And when it comes to installing them, there are different solutions available for different scenarios.

Photo of two security cameras on a property
Photo by Scott Webb

Peel and Stick Alarms

While whole-house security systems are the best you can get, they have a very big drawback: price. The best security systems tend to be ridiculously expensive, and not everyone has the means to get them.

Much more affordable options are loud peel and stick alarms which you can easily place on doors and windows. They are built to detect when the door opens or vibrations from glass breaking, depending on the exact model; either way, they will blare when someone tries getting into your home. They are affordable, with some models being only $7 per alarm, and are easily installed.

And when you want to enter your home, you can easily turn them off. All in all, there are still many reasons to install a wireless security system, but the cheaper alternative can still be effective at keeping burglars out of your home.

Whole house security systems with cameras can be extremely expensive, so peel and stick alarms are a great alternative.

Properly Hide Your Safe

Hiding valuables in a safe have become a trope for a good reason: it’s effective. However, burglars are very well aware of this as well. If you leave your safe out in the open, nothing’s stopping them from just grabbing it and walking away. So, make it harder for them! Bolt the safe to the ground, which is easy since most safes come with pre-drilled holes.

Additionally, make sure you do this in an inconspicuous spot, preferably behind or under another piece of furniture. The harder it is for a burglar to find your valuables, the better. This is because experts note that every security system has a flaw. No matter how advanced the system is, a burglar experienced enough will find a way through it. As such, it’s important to plan ahead to make sure they can’t find your valuables if they do somehow break-in.

Secure Your Patio Doors

Patio doors can be a weak point for your home, and in order to make your new home burglar-proof, you will need to deal with that. The old fashion way to do this is by putting a broom, baseball bat, or something similar in the track of a sliding door in order to stop it from opening. However, this is both aesthetically horrible and inconvenient, since you’d have to manually remove and replace the “lock” every time.

Photo of an open concept living space with dining area and large windows
Photo by Max Vakhtbovych

A much better alternative is patio locks, both when it comes to safety and aesthetics. In essence, the lock works like a deadbolt preventing the door from opening. Some models even let you lock the door in place a few inches open if you want fresh air. Since patio doors are a great way to expand living spaces, making them safe should be a priority in the long run.

Patio doors are a great addition to any home, but they are a weak point that needs to be considered when it comes to security.

Simple Ways to Make Your New Home Burglar-proof – Wrap up

Home security has always been a big concern, no matter where you live. Whether you live in a sketchy neighborhood or in one of the best, burglaries are a very real threat.

As such, knowing how to make your home safer is incredibly important. From inexpensive alarm solutions to whole house security systems, to simply hiding your valuables, every little bit you do to make your home safer, in the long run, is a great call.

We hope this list of simple ways to make your new home burglar-proof helps you keep burglars out of your home, and we wish you a great rest of your day.

Tre Pryor, Realtor

Tre Pryor is the leading real estate expert in the city of Louisville. He is a multi-million dollar producer and consistently ranks in the top 1% of Louisville Realtors for homes sold. Tre Pryor has the highest possible rating—5.0 stars on Google—by his clients and is routinely interviewed by the local NBC news. Tre Pryor is a member of the RE/MAX Hall of Fame.