When you’re renting out a property in Roseville, you have a couple of important responsibilities, namely to provide a safe and habitable environment for your tenants and also to protect the condition of your investment. Keeping the property safe and secure requires careful inspections, a willingness to invest in good technology, and eliminating any type of atmosphere that would welcome crime or catastrophe.
Here are 3 home security tips we recommend as local Roseville property managers.
1. Inspect for Safety and Security Issues
Typically, you’re inspecting your home before a tenant moves in, after a tenant moves out, and maybe once or twice during the tenancy for maintenance issues. Every time you’re inside the property, take a look around and check for potential security issues. Are all of the windows locked? Do the door locks work? You want to make sure the batteries are functioning in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If there’s a fireplace, have it cleaned annually. If there’s a pool, make sure the fence is secure and the locking mechanism intact.
When you make security part of your inspection process, you can be sure you’re checking off all the right boxes anytime you’re in the house. Talk to your tenants too, so they understand the importance of being vigilant when it comes to protecting themselves and the property.
2. Keep the Exterior Well-Lit and Unobstructed
Security is especially important when it’s dark outside. People tend to get more nervous about their homes when they can’t see who is walking around outside. You’ll need good exterior lighting at your rental property in order to keep it secure. Porch lights should be installed, bright, and working. Research has shown that homes with an outside light on are less likely to be bothered than homes that are completely dark.
Motion lights can be a great addition to detached garages or even the sides of houses or buildings. Make sure the path from the parking area to the property is well-lit. Trim back any bushes or trees that may grow in front of windows. You don’t want to give anyone the opportunity to hide when they don’t belong at the house.
Consider gated entry for multi-family buildings. You can provide your tenants with codes or key cards that will allow them to access the community or the building that they live in.
3. Invest in Security Technology
Technology offers a lot of ways to keep your property more secure. Video doorbells, for example, are extremely popular. You can consider installing one on your front door. Offer security systems as well. Video cameras in common parking areas or at the entry of your building could also be deployed.
Many smart-home devices offer built-in security features. People can see who is at the door by glancing at their phone, for example, even when they’re not home. Often, these things are expensive, but if you can offer the technology to your tenants, they can decide if they want to pay to activate them.
You’ll want to keep your property safe, during vacancies and especially when tenants are living there. If you’d like to hear more about what we recommend, please contact us at Sunburst Properties.
