Things To Look For in a Secure Chicago Home for First-Time Buyers

• March 18, 2016
• by Carlos Lopez

Buying a home in Chicago for the first time is exciting, whether you’re a long-time resident or new to the area. But as you create your “must have” list, it’s important to make sure that home security in Chicago is one of your priorities. Here are 3 items to keep in mind that could help you find a safe and comfortable home.

Lighting around the house and street: Ample lighting on the property, whether it’s motion lights, garage lights, or landscape lights, can help to deter burglars from targeting the house. But the lights on the street are as important as the lights on the house you’re looking at. We recommend driving by a potential home at night to see how well the street lights illuminate the neighborhood, and if surrounding homes are well-lit. This is also a good time to see how active the neighborhood is and if neighbors feel comfortable walking around at night.

Safe landscaping: Curbside appeal is what gets most buyers in the door, but it’s also important to pay attention to how the landscape improves security or makes the home a target. Some details to pay attention include: Do trees and shrubs block a door or window’s visibility from the street? Are there spots that are easy to hide in or behind? Is a tree planted close to the house, making it easy to climb up to the second story? All these questions can help you determine whether or not the home’s landscaping hinders or helps a burglar get into the house.

Alarm system: An already established alarm system in the house can help you save time installing one later on, and can also give you piece of mind that the previous homeowner cared about securing the house and property. However, it doesn’t need to be a deal breaker: by contacting Security Doctors, we can install a system quickly for you. 

Overall, buying your first dream home should have everything you want, including safety and security.  To help you secure your first home,  contact us.

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