7 Tips to Secure Homes during the Holidays

This post is a re-blog from Charles D’Alessandro http://activerain.com/blogsview/2017193/7-tips-to-secure-homes-during-the-holidays and so worth reading as we get closer to having the house full of new gadgets and toys. 

———————————-

Unfortunately, the winter holidays are peak times for thieves and burglars.  Not only are burglaries of homes at their highest during the darkest months of the year, there’s also the added temptation of unoccupied homes full of expensive gifts.

A recent survey found that 39% of homeowners leave presents under the tree long before Christmas Day, with only 7% of respondents waiting until Christmas Day itself to put the presents on display in their homes. If gifts are in full view of passers-by who can see them through the windows, they could provide an incentive for thieves to target the house.

Take greater security measures during the holidays to keep yourself and your property safe.

1.      Don’t hide presents in obvious locations such as closets, under the bed or in the garage.  Instead, hide gifts in an attic.  The average burglar doesn’t have time to climb into your attic.

2.      Keep window shades drawn. If your gifts are easily visible from the street, burglars will be tempted to smash the window and grab the wrapped packages.

3.      Don’t discard whole boxes in your trash.  This gives thieves easy clues about what they can steal from your home.  Instead, break the boxes up into small pieces and place them in your recycling bin or at the bottom of a sealed garbage bag.

4.      Create a lived in look and feel.  Before leaving your home, turn on lights and a radio or television. 

5.      Ask a neighbor or close friend to pick up your mail and newspapers if you go out of town for the holidays.

6.      Lock up.  Make sure all doors and windows are locked.  Consider replacing your locks if they’re worn.  Use deadbolts in entry doors.

7.      Keep the garage, gates, driveway, and sides of your home well lit.  Motion sensor lights work well for this.

If you’re looking for a home already equipped with an alarm system or other security features, I can help you find one.  Call me at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email me atcharles@fillmoresbest.com

Tour around the world

Are all of your travel souvenirs out on display?  Have you got a big world map with push pins at each location you have visited?  People buy amazing things to remind themselves of their travels.  A whole wall of African and Indonesian masks makes a great reminder of every exotic trip you have taken.  Maybe you kept your travel collection to little hand made boxes from every country and they are stacked 5 deep and fill the china cupboard.  I have also been in a home with every wall hung with, albeit beautiful, rugs - every wall in every room including a little one in the kitchen – not on the floors but on the walls.  Probably a fortune in hand made all wool rugs but…..  it was a suburban two story in the middle of the city not a Bedouin home in the middle of the desert. 

Before putting your house on the market, take your souveniers and box them in anticipation of your next home.  Some souvenirs and wall hangings are rude, some are scary and some are so interesting that they will distract Buyers (who will want to purchase you stuff before they think of buying your house).  

Don’t mask the features of your home.

Photo credit:  Fuzzy Travel photo map

 

Lookie Loos

Lookie Loos are often Sunday house shoppers.  They are people who go out to see what their neighbours have in their homes.  Some Sellers will not have Open Houses because they know the neighbourhood “Loos”.   I say, “Bring them on”.  Lookie Loos may have friends and relatives who would appreciate the advanced work and will not be…….

Window Shoppers  

War Games

In a hot market, houses sell quickly.  Buyers will line up to place an offer on a house.  As the evening progresses, the listing agent may come back and ask if you, the Buyer, want to improve your offer.  Others are being asked the same question.  Now it feels like a contest and someone will succeed.  This is called a bidding war.  If you are a first time buyer with a budget, try to stay away from bidding wars as you are likely to get emotionally caught up in ‘winning’.  You may lose sight of what the true value of the home is to you and also the limits that you have set on what you want to pay. 

If you have a Yoda for a real estate agent, you will have with you someone who has wisdom and mastery of the art of buying in a bidding war.  Listen carefully to your agent.  Take time to discuss the market and the price of houses before and during a bidding war and how your personal circumstances will be reflected in the offer(s). Being on the housing warpath may mean losing your direction. 

“Do or not do.  There is no try.”  and  ”Ohhh. Great warrior.  Wars not make one great.” 

 Photo credit:  Star Wars – The Exhibition

Fixtures and furnishings

You may want to strip everything from your house that is not nailed down. If you are asking premium price, Buyers will know it.  Getting your price while keeping all of the appliances, light fixtures, drapes, tracks and garden shed is not a successful strategy. 

Make your sale by leaving things – On The House.

Even Chef Ramsay Has Needs

 

Whether you are an acclaimed chef or a single person specializing in peanut butter sandwiches, the kitchen in your home must meet some basic requirements for Buyers to be interested.  

Buyers evaluate kitchens using three essential criteria

You can have a counter full of fancy gadgets but most Buyers know that these do not stay with the house.  They want to know if the place is clean, can they store their dishes, food and small appliances and finally, is there enough preparation space available to mince, chop and stir. 

You know what this means if you are selling.

Without the basics, the screaming chefs will be leaving your kitchen alone.  

 Photo credit: dinner preparations (DILO)

Alike as two peas in a pod

Only if both you and your selling competition have decided to leave storage pods in the yards.

Consider renting a pod to fill with your clutter and stuff before putting your house on the market.  This is a good idea.

Now here is the caveat:  Please do not leave that pod on your driveway when the For Sale sign is posted.  It is an eye sore.  Potential Buyers and your neighbours will be put off.  Agents and Buyers will not be able to park in your yard.  It sucks up the space and the view.  Have the company remove the pod while you wait for the Sold sign to go up.

You will have the advantage if you remove the pod and are no longer alike as the other “pea”.

Photo credit:  Tagged POD

Two peas in a pod

Have you rented a pod to fill up with your clutter & stuff while your house is on the market?  Please do not leave that pod on your driveway when the For Sale sign is posted.  It is an eye sore.  Potential Buyers and your neighbours will be put off.  Have the pod removed to storage while you wait for the Sold sign.

Store until your sale is in the bag.

Blue Boy and Pinky

Nothing says “Grandma lives here” more than the needlepoint pictures of the Blue Boy and Pinky.  You may have inherited these pictures.  They are dear to your heart.  To a Buyer they just say – old, tired and dusty.  Any old pictures, needlepoint or paint by number, that were completed 40 – 75 years ago need to stored before your house is on the market.  

Let Blue Boy have his day in hallways at the “home”.

The chicken or the egg

What comes first, your neighbourhood or your house?  The old adage of “location, location, location” should tell you that you choose your neighbourhood first and then you look for the house.  You can always renovate and change a home but you cannot change the neighbourhood.

Buy where you want to live.

← Previous Page — Next Page →