How to protect Vacant Home while rehabbing

[Lei L.]

Just start to rehabbing and would like to know what is the most effective way to secure a vacant property in rehabbing stage. I read about the topics online and it seems that Dog, CCTV, light are useful. Without Wifi, a camera is not possible. I am thinking about the electronic dog barking alarm with motion detection but don't know what to choose. Any product recommendations? I don't see a product with real good reviews in Amazon.

Fake CCTV and fake Tv light are also considered. I plan to add them to the security package.

I know Simplisafe and might try one. However, I wonder what accessories do you choose? Is it really useful from your experience? Where can I find the promotion/discount code for Simplisafe? I remember the BP podcasts used to advertise it.

Thanks.

[Adonna Pruette]

We have absolutely had all tools stolen from a reno in progress property. Now my rule is if the guys leave it, they know for a fact it might get stolen. I'm usually on the job site everyday and every single day I have to remind them to not be lazy and pack their tools out with them. A few choose to hide them on site but I always ask them if they can afford to replace that item tomorrow morning after it's gone. I'm vigilant about it because those tools that got stolen the very first time all belonged to me. Thieves aren't honorable and they don't care how much you paid for an item or if it's a sentimental tool for someone (grandpa's hammer, etc.). 

Beyond that, hvac equipment is never on site until the day it's to be wired up. Any brand new copper piping isn't brought in until as close to the end of the job as I can push it. Any other building materials are brought in as close as possible to when it's needed. Only very heavy and difficult to move materials are usually laying around when I'm working on a place. Even then, it's probably locked up in the garage. Even plywood is brought inside the house and locked up at the end of the day. I run long days on my rehabs so my guys are usually on site by 8 am or so and I'm there by 10am. They leave at 5 pm and I'm probably there until 8 pm or later. I always leave a radio and a light on. I get really friendly with all my neighbors and make sure they have my phone number. I always get the mail and make sure the grass is cut every week, bushes are trimmed, etc.. I put motion sensor security front porch lights (and sometimes back porch lights too) on every house I do as well. Those are turned on and left on the entirety of the project as a deterrent. Every window and door are locked and personally checked by me at the end of the day as sometimes the guys can get careless and forget to check one. Every outside door has 2 locks on it - a doorknob lock and a deadbolt. I have a metal pipe cut to go in the track of sliding glass doors so it can't be forced open easily. I always leave outbuildings empty and unlocked. The garage door is always locked. 

None of these things are guarantees but we haven't been stolen from since I've started doing these things. Knock on wood. I also focus on middle class properties and try to stay away from anything less than that these days. I suggest that you walk your property and think like a thief. Where would you try first? Where can you get in unseen? Are there bushes that need to be cut back or taken out to provide less cover for potential burglars? Try to get a door or window open yourself. Is it ridiculously too easy or really difficult? Approach it from their standpoint and that should help you know a bit more about what you need to address.