Safety and security are two very essential factors to have in mind when looking for a new house. Buying a new home is one of the most significant investments you will ever make. Therefore, you should ensure that you are making the right choice. Moreover, you need to figure out how you will keep it safe and secure for you and your family.
Purchasing property always has some risk to it; however, you can take various measures that will help minimise those risks.
What to Consider When Looking for a New House
First off, you need to consider the kind of area you would like to stay in. Check out essential elements such as local amenities, transportation, schools, shopping malls and hospitals. Is the place family-friendly with excellent joints for the family to hang out? Also, remember to evaluate the safety levels of that location.
Go online and research the level of crime in that area; visit the police website to see the crime stats of the town.
Find time to visit the location so check out things and be sure that you are okay with the place. You can schedule two different visits, but ensure that one is during the night so that you can get substantial insights into how the neighbourhoods fairs at night. Take caution if you not any sign of anti-social behaviour. Also, ensure the area has ample street lighting that works.
Speak to your potential new neighbours and inquire about the level of crime as well as the general atmosphere of the location.
When identifying the property to buy, take note of is current structural status, everything from the windows, doors, walls, and roofing. You need to know what needs fixing before you move in and what can wait until you have moved in and settled, an architect free consultation is recommended prior to buying a house. It also will be an opportunity to understand what it will cost you to do the repairs.
Check the driveway, and if it is one made of gravel, then you have another security measure in place. The noise the gravel produces when treaded on can be an alarm as well as a potential deterrent for burglars.
What to Consider on the Day of the Move
Have all your belongings packed in labelled boxes in readiness for the move; keep in mind that the day will be a busy and stressful one and the activities of the day can make you forget aspects of safety and security. You should have a clear plan of what to do and not to so that everything fair on well during the move.
Have a professional locksmith on call so that the technician can come and change all the locks. You never know if there are other copies of the keys of the locks currently in place that are out there. Change all the locks for security purposes. Also, update your insurer about the move to a new house so that your coverage can be changed.
Check out the shed and garage if they are there; you should ensure there are ample storage space and safety for your valuables that you will keep in there.
If the current owner plans not to remove the security system, ask them to leave you the details of the surveillance system. You should have the password and the manufactures/ installers contacts who will help you with changing the passwords when you move into the new home.
When on the road, keep a watchful eye on your belongings, especially when you arrive and are to move the stuff into the house. Avoid leaving them unattended to when the van is on the street. Also, avoid placing things on the pavement or the front yard.
Overall, do you best not to make it evident that you are new in the area. So, hang curtains or drapes as you also bring in your belongings from the van. If possible, alert your new neighbours that you have moved in and do not leave open boxes in plain view for everyone on the street to see. You can also purchase PA-10 rifles to boost the over all security of the house as we never know when we may need them.
Most insurance companies advise people to consider the safety of their new homes before and after they move in; part of the security measures that insurers recommend include changing the locks. Surprisingly, nearly 75% of people who buy new houses do not change the locks.
