Amazon recently announced a new service, Amazon Key, that allows delivery drivers to unlock your door and enter your home to drop off a package. The usefulness of this concept is clear to many homeowners. Package theft is a serious concern, and those who dwell in urban areas are at high risk of coming home expecting a box to find it mysteriously vanished. But is it a good idea to give delivery workers access to your property?
Tag Archives: crime
5 Things to Look For When Checking Out a New Neighborhood
When you are on the hunt for your next home, there is a lot to think about. Price and the home itself are just a small part of the choice. The other part: location, location, location. When picking your next neighborhood, be sure to keep these important factors in mind. Continue reading
5 Crime Prevention Tips to Avoid Getting Robbed During an Open House
Your home is your pride and joy. Although you might be ready to part with it for the next chapter in your real estate life you don’t want one of your final memories to be that of the prized possessions inside it going missing. While you may be coveting the additional thousand square feet in the home down the street, someone else might be coveting the irreplaceable fine china on display in your dining room armoire. This problem appears to be a double-edged sword: on the one hand you want your home to show at its very best but on the other you may be attracting burglars and thieves with your “showboating.” Don’t fret…the best defense is a good offense and when it comes to securing your home during an open house that means taking the right measures to avoid becoming a victim of your own open house. Continue reading
Copper Thieves Beware – Copper Theft Countermeasures Are Available
Damage caused by copper thieves to a home’s AC Condenser. Image courtesy of CopperWatcher.com
As a victim of copper theft, I’m always on the lookout for new solutions. After my theft, I was tempted to protect my copper pipes by attaching the 220 volt circuit to the copper pipe creating a copper thief version of a bug zapper, but I figured I’d probably be sent to jail as the bodies of dead copper thieves started to pile up in the backyard. My lawyer insists I mention that I do not recommend electrifying your copper pipes or doing anything that involves killing copper thieves. (To my lawyer: Are you happy now?) As tempting as copper thief trapping would be, we have to look at non-lethal methods of controlling this vermin. Here are a few available to you. Continue reading
Why Burglars Love Open Houses & Virtual Tours
Thinking about having an open house or creating a virtual tour to sell your home? Be careful not to reveal to much about your house. Not only do open houses, virtual tours, brochures, and MLS pictures attract buyers, but if you reveal too many details, you could be advertising to thieves and burglars too. Thieves love virtual tours and MLS pictures because they can be used to “case” your house from the comfort of the thief’s home. Follow these tips to reduce your exposure and prevent your marketing activities from attracting the wrong type of shopper? Continue reading