Protect Your Family With These Home Security Tips

by Judy Szablak 02/21/2021

There are a lot of effective ways to keep your home safe, secure, and free from intrusion, but those techniques are of little use if you don't consistently use them.

Technological solutions are well worth considering because they can be activated and monitored from almost any location.

Whether you're at a restaurant across town or comfortably lying in bed on a chilly night, the cost of a  high-tech security system can be worth it, in terms of convenience, safety, and peace of mind.

If the cost or learning curve of using an automated home security system is outside your comfort zone, there are still plenty of simple and inexpensive techniques you can use to keep your family safe and sound. Regardless of the strategies you choose, it's better to err on the side of caution than to assume it'll never happen to you.

Change your locks: If you've just bought a new home or recently moved into one, having new locks installed on your doors is one of the cornerstones of a good home security plan. While some homeowners tend to be rather tight fisted when it comes to lending their house keys to friends, neighbors, housekeepers, and contractors, others tend to be quite liberal with the practice. Each time your house keys have been copied and passed along to people you don't know well (or at all), the overall security of your home has been compromised. If you're not sure which category the previous owner of your home fits into ("tight fisted" or "liberal"), then it would make sense to change the locks on all your doors. That way, you're eliminating the element of doubt and fortifying the secureness of your new home. It will also help you sleep better at night and increase the chances that only welcome guests will pass through your doors!

Get to know your neighbors: By maintaining friendly relations with your immediate neighbors -- especially those that live next door and directly across the street -- they will be more likely to contact you or the police if they see anything suspicious. If you happen to be chatting with neighbors and they mention that they're going away for the weekend or longer, they'll appreciate it if you promise to "keep an eye on their house" while they're gone. Hopefully, they'll return the favor when you're away for the day or out of town for longer. It's a good feeling when neighbors are looking out for neighbors, but -- as is the case with all relationships -- it does require some maintenance. More often than not, however, it's worth it!

About the Author
Author

Judy Szablak

With over 30 years in the industry, Realtor Judy Szablak has been on national television for her real estate expertise on the HGTV Network, featured on Martha Stewart Living Radio "Morning Living” , NPR radio as an expert real estate panelist, It’s Relevant News channel, and quoted in the Wall Street Journal for her in depth knowledge of Fairfield County Connecticut real estate.

She was also on the local NPR radio station (WSHU) as a Fairfield County CT real estate expert. Judy has provided multiple online respected news sources with her real estate expertise including The Daily Easton, The Daily Weston, The Daily Fairfield, The Daily Stamford and The Daily Greenwich, as well as in print in the New York Post. She is a weekly Real Estate Columnist for WestportNow.com, another real estate column "Real Estate With Judy” is syndicated through Hearst CT Media Online and seen in The Connecticut Post, The Danbury News-Times, The Stamford Advocate, The Greenwich Time, The Hour, Fairfield Citizen, Westport News, Darien News, New Canaan News and the Wilton Villager.

 Judy is also the author of the book, The Art of Buying or Selling a Home, available at all major book retailers. Additionally, Judy has been nationally recognized in a number of national real estate trade magazines, some with distribution to over 1 million members. She was featured in Real Estate Today as early as 1994 for her commitment to, and implementation of technology in real estate. Judy appeared in the Certified Residential Specialist Magazine, as she provided advice on marketing strategies and ethics in the article titled "Marketing Makeovers.”

 Judy was also featured in REALTOR® Magazine, regarding image enhancement for Realtors. She was again featured in REALTOR® Magazine, in an article on "Achieving Flow” and operating at optimal peak performance. In another article in the same publication, Judy offered guidance to fellow real estate professionals as she explored the topic of implementing and maintaining personal websites. She has appeared in The Council of Residential Specialists Magazine, which featured her ideas regarding technology. Additionally, Judy authored an article on marketing and technology for the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Online Magazine. On two occasions, in 2015 and 2017, she appeared as a featured agent in Top Agent Magazine. I have a few other websites- www.TheCtrealtyBlog.com www.CtHomesAndRealEstate.com www.BestWestportHomes.com www.ThePetitePowerhouse.com www,SzablakConsulting.com