Home security systems are considered by insurance companies to be a valuable addition to your home. In reality, when a security system is installed in your house, most insurance companies offer up to 20% discount on your monthly premiums. Insurance premiums are competitive, and one of the main discounts is the installation of a home security system in your house.
A community filled with homeowners protecting their property and families creates a desirable living environment with a professionally designed and monitored home security system, particularly when a home is being put up for sale. Property experts estimate that home security measures could add twice as much to the house’s value as the initial outlay of capital on security measures.
Highly visible security systems should be prioritized when upgrading the home security features in and around your home with a view to adding value to the house and offering maximum protection. While tight security is critical, security measures should not distract from the overall appeal of the property as creating a prison-like environment for your home could have a negative effect on buyers and cause them to doubt the area’s security. Modern home security features have developed from heavy, cold reminders of the security and safety challenges we face to attractive features that can add to your home’s value.
Here are four security features that can increase the value of your property, while offering protection at the same time:
Security gates and boundary walls
Highly visible safety measures include a spiked or electric-fenced boundary wall with a single entry point guarded by an automatic gate, clearly visible and controlled from the inside of the building. Make it a point to include security measures that add to your home’s curb appeal and value, such as an elegant electronic gate with an unusual design, or maybe one that is made of wrought iron. It is possible to cover metal spikes on a wall with artificial leaves and other decorative features.
The areas around the entrance, patio, front and back doors should be well-lit with bright lights. Properties within gated communities also hold a higher property value. The safety measures in place to protect owners and their homes are an important benefit of owning property in a gated community. Most gated communities, in addition to the gate or wall surrounding the area, have security guards to control the entry. Such additional security features will add value to the property because they offer more protection to people.
Motion-detected exterior lighting
When it instantly lights up a dark driveway, a dark sidewalk, or even a dark section of your yard, a motion-detected exterior light will draw your attention in its direction. While you may not want outside lights to glow throughout the night in your room, if someone is lurking around outside, you’re going to want the lights to turn on right away and call your attention to who’s out there. Not only that, if you’ve got to go out in the middle of the night to investigate a sound or let the dog out, you’re going to be less likely to injure yourself or trip because the lights will turn on automatically. Once you sell the house, the new owners will appreciate the additional layer of security as they find their way around the driveway and yard and will be grateful for the motion sensor lights.
Video surveillance cameras
Video surveillance cameras, both wired and wireless ones, inside and outside the house, are arguably the most attractive security measure that is capable of increasing the value of your property. Although video surveillance cameras are readily available and affordable, many people believe that security cameras are for the wealthy and well-known only, but in reality, everyone can benefit from the technology. If you have cameras around the house and yard, especially around highly targeted areas like garages or street-hidden doors, you will have access to different areas and be able to monitor everything in real-time and high-definition any time you’d like, regardless of where you are. Warning signs for the armed response and CCTV cameras are also visible indicators of tight security.
Secure windows
Through installing window sensors together with the rest of your home monitoring system, you can provide an extra security layer which sends an alarm whenever a window is opened above or below a certain level. Unnoticeable burglar bars that match the style of cottage panel doors, transparent burglar proofing made of nearly unbreakable thermoplastic or retractable trellis-type safety measures designed to suit windows also offer additional security. Secure windows with sensors make it difficult to enter homes and alert residents.
Your security system will help you feel safe while you’re there and make sure you know that when you’re away, you’re protecting your house. Technological advances now allow you to check up on what’s going on in your home from any web-enabled device from anywhere you are.
Each of these security measures represents a real time, cash, and other capital commitment, which add up to a substantial investment, and the notion of not having to make this investment can influence the purchasing decision of many prospective buyers and raise the value of the property.
Additionally, see How Securing Your Home Can Help You Lower Insurance Costs.
