Security concerns for vacation property

   / Security concerns for vacation property #1  

bucktaker

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Apr 20, 2010
Messages
913
Location
Sw Ohio
Tractor
Kubota L5740
Currently Wifey and i are looking at lake front property in East Tn 225 miles from our main home .
I have found a nice lake front lot that has a old cabin on it now. Definetly a tear down situation. The homes on either side are old and in disrepair but usable vacation homes. One was recently purchased and shows signs of light renovation. Both have signage for security camerasa and visable cameras. The surrounding neighborhood is old trailers, modulars and general low income. I do not understand why people store junk in their yard and porches......

Conversly this is a great lake access lot and has potential. My current ideal would be to tear down the cabin and place a smalll 2-3 bdroom cabin/ a modest lake front home. How do you combat breakin's vandalism? is this worth the headaches/heartache? How do I find out the current crime rate of a certain neighborhood?

I am thinking built in hidden cameras, exposed cameras and sercurity systems during the build of course but how do you protect a off the main road vacation home.


Just thinking out loud
 
   / Security concerns for vacation property #2  
I wonder if you could spend a little time at the local 'watering hole' and start to get a feel for the locals. You can't beat a set of eyes/ boots on the ground keeping things under control while you are away. The right person will not only keep an eye on things but word will get out that your place is protected by 'one of their own'. If anything did happen you would have a much better chance of sorting out who was involved if you had an ear to the local grape vine. A random check of the place while you are away can be helpful not only for vandals but also for random acts of terrorism by mother nature !:thumbsup:
 
   / Security concerns for vacation property #3  
groundcover's advice is really good. I'd also call the local police, introduce myself, ask for more driveby's while the construction material is out there,
and ask for their opinion as to what works best.

Most break ins happen at night, but in remote areas, if no one is around, they'll come in the daytime too.
Lots of exterior lights, a good alarm system with exterior flashing lights and siren, wake the neighborhood up even if no
one is there, the crooks likely aren't totally sure who's around.

Have both visible and hidden cameras. They'll just rip the visible ones off your wall, only a couple screws hold them in and the cable is easy to cut.
so hide another camera as best as you can.

If you will be away from the cabin for long stretches, if you can befriend someone honest nearby to check on your place, for some cold cases of Heineken or whatever,
that really is helpful too. As pointed out, mother nature's terrorists can do a lot of damage to a wood structure if you let them.

Sounds like you may be buying at just the right time, as the neighborhood hasn't been "discovered" yet. Good luck, sounds like a wonderful adventure.
 
   / Security concerns for vacation property #4  
Real strong doors with double deadbolts (keyed on both sides of door) and windows as small as you can live with, steel guards over the windows. Even better than the steel guards would be steel shutters secured from inside. If they can't get in they can't steal anything, if the windows are small and they do get in, the double deadbolt would keep them from being able to open the door and carry stuff out.
Vandalism is also a big concern, if they can't steal it, a lot of them will just try to destroy it or deface it. Security cameras and an alarm system would be highly recommended.
 
   / Security concerns for vacation property #5  
IMHO- If the new house/cabin would mean a hefty annual property tax bill and you only plan to visit once per month, you might be able to break even in 10 years by buying a medium sized 5th wheel camper and used truck to pull it with. Just demolish the cabin and pull the camper back and forth. No monthly water bills or electric bills and no worries of finding a busted water pipe or broken window each time you visited.

But- if you were planning to visit every weekend or were going to retire there in a few years, then a new house/cabin would be the best choice.
 
   / Security concerns for vacation property #6  
I would be concerned about your immediate neighborhood as they will have the best opportunity to mess up your plans. They don't have to go out of there way to detail your habits.
Dennis
 
   / Security concerns for vacation property #7  
I have never had a "vacation" home but several relatives have and the word vacation brings with it the idea of work your a^^ off every time you visit fixing, mowing, painting etc. Personally I wouldn't build till I was going to live there full time. The camper or motor home idea works for me, no high property taxes for seldom used assets and no danger of vandalism. Bring a generator and full water tanks and you are good to go for a weekend. I have seen really good looking motor homes sell for $10K or less with less than 20K miles on them. If you have a truck already to pull a camper trailer that could be the way to go, but remember that you have to park it when not using it, so if you have to pay to put it in storage somewhere that would be a negative for its use also.
If you do decide to build, put something on it will minimum upkeep requirements, in other words, limit the areas to paint, limit the wood for squirrel, woodpecker, termite damage, limit the burglar entrance opportunities as described in above posts, put in security cameras that upload video to a DVR and auto call you should a break in occur. I wont stop the damage and break in but may allow you to put the thief away so he cant do it again. Cameras have to be situated so they can watch each others back and enclosed in steel cabinets fastened so that they are difficult to rip off. They have some sophisticated systems today with internet communications to do everything from monitor, call police, turn on lights etc to thwart a would be thief, but they aint cheap.
 
   / Security concerns for vacation property #8  
With the cordless tools available today crooks will often skip the hardened doors and windows and just take a saw and make their own door ! If someone has time and motivation they will get in. The more layers you can put in the way the better off you will be.
 
   / Security concerns for vacation property #9  
There is the window security film that you can apply to the windows also, there is a product called burgler bomb that releases tear gas if someone breaks the beam or trips a tripline. There are also the strikmaster door security products that will reinforce your doors against a kick in.
 
   / Security concerns for vacation property #10  
There is the window security film that you can apply to the windows also, there is a product called burgler bomb that releases tear gas if someone breaks the beam or trips a tripline. There are also the strikmaster door security products that will reinforce your doors against a kick in.

Sliding glass doors are always an invitation to disaster, and we all want them for the view. Strengthening the rear door, usually the one on the deck, and any sliders back there would be my first priority. If you have double hung windows, you can always drill them and put a brass pin in. And yeah, I'd make the front door steel and seriously tough. You would be so pissed if someone get in there and wrecked your place, if you have the ability to plan from the beginning, it sure makes sense to do, within some reasonable budget. If you want good protection, you might even add a percent or two to the cost of your home;it's all where you want to prioritize. When you get your first estimate for a dock, you had better be sitting down. I have done vacation lake boating with my wife in places with docks, and all the elaborate stairs to get to them if your house is up a steep hill. Serious amount of wood. But if you are handy, no problem.
And if you can build new, at least for a few years you really can take a vacation...:thumbsup:

Otherwise I think the motorhome approach is very attractive assuming there is power, water and septic onsite.
 
 
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