The Luxury Bel Air Pad of Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon

This stunning home situated in the picturesque Bel Air is reminiscent of an old colonial style country cottage except that it is over 11000 square feet.  With white wooden slats and grey roof tiles with the grey being echoed in the window shutters leading to the red front door, it speaks of well-worn style and old money. The interior however is in complete contrast to the grand old world external facade. The inner home is vast, containing six fireplaces, seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms. 

You’ve recently gotten married, and the studio apartment worked well for you as a bachelor, but you are now looking for something that is a little better suited to you and your spouse. House hunting is more than just finding your dream home. It’s about finding a home that provides both comfort and security. Comfort is per your personal choice, but an area often overlooked is the security aspect. If you are buying into an area that is generally known to be peaceful, apart from a few teenagers who get a little out of hand sometimes, small measures can be taken to ensure that your property is a bit safer.

The area seems fine, but the neighbors have burglar bars

Whether you are a working parent who needs someone to take care of the kids during the day, or enjoying a much deserved second honeymoon with your beloved, no matter the age of your children, leaving them alone at home is a daunting prospect to most parents. In this day and age, having a babysitter is also not enough; more needs to be done to ensure the wellness of your household.

CCTV

You’ve spent months waiting or your precious bundle of joy to come home. The time has finally come, and with a shock you realise that your home is not baby safe. It’s still a while before the little one starts wondering around, but all of a sudden everything in your house resembles scenes from a warzone. Everything is a threat. Apart from the most obvious issues like power outages, the following needs to be taken into consideration when making your home baby proof.

Dangling wires and hanging tablecloths

The moment we think security, we immediately think of safeguarding our possessions against would-be criminals. This is an important aspect, but something that also needs to be taken into consideration when you decide to buy a property, especially in a remote location, is whether it is safe to do so. We would expect that all laws apply in all countries and places, but what would be a condemned building in one country, could just be the standard of living in another.

A house on the lake

Having the best security system, is the first step to ensuring that your home is secure and safe. However, if the system is too sophisticated for the other occupants to understand, they will ignore the equipment or find a way to escape it all the same.  You should note that, the people you live with should be a part of your security plans. Hence, you must be realistic about how much; they are willing to put up with, in the name of better home security. Most importantly, do not make it easy for thieves to access your property.

Steps to enhanced security

1.    Ensure that your home appears active-Burglars are opportunistic, meaning they will wait until you are out of town, to get into your home without a hassle.  The first tip is never to allow mails or newspapers to pile up in your entrance. Instead, request a neighbor or a relative to pick them for you. You should also regulate the interior lights using timers, just as you would if the house was occupied.

2.    Another way to better home security is by laying out perimeter defenses.  This ensures that nobody gets access to your property. You can do this by investing in a high wall or fence. Nevertheless, that you own a high fence, should not make you complacent about enhancing your security.

3.    Illuminate the entrances- Most thieves like working in environments where they are not easily seen. Hence, while fences and security doors may seem like adequate measure against forceful entry, if the entrances are not well lit, they will be able to break in. There is no better way of illuminating these areas than with motion detector lights.  These can be placed anywhere to sense movement.

4.    Ensure the doors are fully secured- Most thieves concentrate to the doors. Hence, the construction of your door and the kind of locks, it features, will either allow or prevent a potential break-in incidence. For all the exterior doors, you should install deadbolt locks. The locks require a key to open.

5.    Guard your home windows- Your house may have a couple of windows. This implies that there are many points of entry.  Burglars know that sometimes you can forget to lock all the windows. Use sturdy locks on all your windows. If you have double hung windows, then, you can use window pins.

6.    Take note of all other entry points- The windows and the doors, are not the only entry points in your homer. Other access points, which burglars are likely to use include garages or any exterior structure that connects to your main house. Some other areas you need to check to better home security include attic, crawl spaces, and any other opening, which may lead an intruder into your house.

7.    Install an alarm system, if you are yet to install one.

8.    Label your valuables- In case, your possessions are stolen, the local police, will locate your valuables.


To better home security, you can employ the above tips.  This will ensure that the security in your home is at its best.