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The 4 Best Home Security Investments of 2017

Written by Posted On Thursday, 01 June 2017 10:47
The 4 Best Home Security Investments of 2017 iStock

Home security is important—we all know that. But with millennials moving into the housing market, it might be a great time to start thinking about what features can add the most value to your home while also providing the security you need.

Here are four of the best security investments you can make in your home this year.

1. Thoughtful Landscaping

To make your home both more secure and more appealing, be thoughtful about your landscaping. When considering landscaping in a security context, you want to ensure your house’s windows and doors are visible from the street and neighbors’ houses to keep burglars from entering your home unseen. Also, try to minimize overgrown bushes and trees since these make ideal hiding places, and consider planting thorny bushes like roses, firethorn (pyracantha), or raspberry under windows to deter entry. The side benefit of this landscaping is that it also looks great.

As for value, the return on investment on good landscaping can be huge—simply upgrading your lawn to seed grass can have a cost recovery of over 400%.

2. Security Lighting

Lighting also plays an important role in both security and curb appeal. A well-lit house is both pleasant to look at and hard to break into. Outdoor security lighting should cover areas like porches, garage doors, and backyards. Motion sensing lights make some of the best security lights because the sudden activation can startle potential burglars and cause them to flee. Smart lighting is another option—the ability to turn lights on and off from a smartphone is great for long vacations.

Great outdoor lighting is part of a great landscape, which can increase the value of a home by as much as 11%.

3. Security Cameras

Security cameras are great for securing your home while also making your home more attractive to potential buyers. They may want the added security of a camera system but not want to deal with installing it themselves, so having it done already can be a nice selling point.

A lot of camera systems are on the market. While most any camera will get the job done, there are some features you can look for to make sure your investment really pays off. High resolution is important for delivering a clear picture, and night vision can make a big difference as well. Wireless cameras allow for greater placement options and a cleaner look. Finally, smart cameras that offer apps and cloud storage for video are the most convenient—and don’t forget, smart tech is very appealing to the younger crowd.

When shopping for security cameras, consider both indoor and outdoor cameras—outdoor cameras can deter would-be crooks, while indoor devices can allow you to monitor young children or nannies.

4. Smart Smoke and CO Detectors

Smart smoke detectors are a great investment for home safety. Many of these smoke detectors will speak warnings to you rather than cause a panic with an ear-splitting alarm. Other great features include the ability to communicate with each other to tell you which room smoke has been detected in, the ability to send alerts to your smartphone, and the ability to be silenced from your phone—no more hunting for the right alarm and silencing it manually.

Installing smart smoke detectors can get you insurance discounts as well, depending on your provider.

Do you have other security-related projects that have helped you get a good return on investment? Share in the comments below.

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Krystal Rogers-Nelson

Krystal is a freelance writer living in Salt Lake City, Utah.   As a contributing expert at ASecureLife.com, she specializes in home and personal security, family safety and sustainable living. She is also a homeowner who enjoys DIY house projects, gardening and spending time outdoors with her family.

www.asecurelife.com/

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