Buyer advice: Put safety first in your new home
Category Buyer Advice
After you've spent months looking for the right home and gone through all the stress and anxiety of negotiating the price, applying for a home loan and arranging a move, security may not be top-of-mind.
But it's essential to make your family's safety a priority, as indicated by the most recent crime statistics from StatsSA, which show a 40% increase in the number of households that experienced home burglaries in 2024 compared to 2021, and a whopping 86% jump in the number of households that experienced a home robbery, to a total of 209 000 cases.
Those in the process of moving into a new home are especially vulnerable to such crimes as they often have various new suppliers and service providers coming in and out of the property during this time and tend to be more focused on getting settled in than on security. They may also not know the area very well or be aware of what specific safety precautions they need to take.
And unfortunately, even moving to a gated estate or boomed-off area does not completely exempt you from being a potential target for crime. So you need to make sure that your new home is secure and appears "lived-in" from day one of your move. It's a good idea, for example, to hang up curtains or blinds immediately so that your boxes and belongings are not in view to entice would-be burglars.
The next move is to introduce yourself to your new neighbours as soon as possible, find out about your HOA and any local security Whatsapp groups, and interact with the local neighbourhood watch or community policing forum.
As soon as possible, you also need to ensure that your own environment deters would-be criminals. This may entail putting up additional exterior lighting to illuminate all corners of the property, for example, or installing a Smart system to switch on lights and music at certain times even when you are not at home.
If your home doesn't already have one, you should also seriously consider installing an alarm system linked to a reputable security company, as well as security gates fitted with deadbolts at all entry and exit points as well as between the sleeping and living quarters.
Other precautions to take include investing in a UPS to keep your security systems running during power outages, ensuring that your garage door is always kept locked and keeping your important documents, jewellery and cash in a safe.
It is also a good idea to periodically test your alarm, electric fence and security cameras to ensure that they are functioning properly - and take a weekly walk around your property to assess any vulnerabilities such as overhanging branches or shrubs that need to be cut back.
Author: Chas Everitt