Whether its the eight hours a day that your working or the eight days in a dreamy resort on a beach, allowing your biggest investment to fend for itself can be stressful! And it is a legit concern; when your home looks empty, break-ins happen.
You could deter burglars by never leaving your house again… OR you could do the next thing and just make it look like someone is there all the time. Here is how!
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Light Up a Room (Through an App!)
- Your parents may still rely on their lighting timers, that turn on at dusk and off at dawn! That old-fashion way still works, but apps are way more fun. They not only turn your lights on and off, but can do so randomly for a more realistic effect, and can be done from almost anywhere in the world! You can replace your current wall switches with these wireless ones and “talk” to your lights from a distance!
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Fake a TV Binge
- Nothing says we are home like the colorful glare of a television in the window. There are small FakeTV gadgets that will project light onto a curtain, and that’s exactly what it will portray to all those who pass by! These devices just plug into an adapter and can either work on a timer or with a light sensor. And the best part about it, these devices are very inexpensive.
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Changes Up Your Shades Remotely
- Leaving your window shades down when you leave is almost like putting out a “Gone Fishin” sign! Check out wireless options to throw some shades on the go. These systems allow shades to go up and down at your command. However, the pricing ranges from about $300 to $500 a window.
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Make Some NOISE
- Burglars can changes plans in a hurry at the first sound of life inside a home. So one option when you are just gone for the day is a noise app, for example, Sleep and Noise Sounds that can play on a homebound phone, tablet, or computer. With noises like vacuuming and a boiling kettle, it can deter a thief who cracks open a window.
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Make Them Ring And Run
- Burglars will often ring your doorbell, and if no one answers, then that is their cue that the house is empty and they can proceed. NOT SO FAST! Now you can answer the door with the Ring Video Doorbell. If someone pushes the doorbell, you can talk to them through an app on your phone. Whether it be a nosey neighbor or a stranger danger, you can say, “I’m in the attic” while you really on the beach. They’ll never know. And even if they don’t believe you, they know they are being watched!
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Try a No-Tech TECHNIQUE
- Not everything requires a gizmo. Here are ways to up your home security without downloading a single app:
- Hire a house sitter
- Ask friends, family, or neighbors to drop in on your property occasionally
- If there’s snow, have a neighbor walk up and down the path to your door. If it’s hot out, ask them to keep your plants looking fresh with regular waterings. And don’t forget to bring them a nice gift from your getaway!
- Invite a neighbor or friend to keep a car parked in your driveway
- Install a fake security camera for as low as $8
- Get a dog! While you are at work or running errands, nothing deters the bad guys and gals away like a barking, sloberry security guard!
- Not everything requires a gizmo. Here are ways to up your home security without downloading a single app:
Freed, Stacey. “6 Near-Genius Ways to Fool Burglars Into Thinking You’re Home.”Houselogic, HouseLogic, 16 Nov. 2017, www.houselogic.com/finances-taxes/home-insurance/burglary-prevention-tips/?pred_search_link_clicked=6%2BNear-Genius%2BWays%2Bto%2BFool%2BBurglars%2BInto%2BThinking%2BYou%27re%2BHome.