Is Your Neighborhood Going Downhill? How To Stay Safe

Your home is your sanctuary. And not just yours — it’s also where your most beloved ones live. Memories are made in the home. From the smell of your significant other’s signature holiday dish to the familiar sound of your dog barking to greet you home, home truly is where the heart is.

But what happens when your formerly nice neighborhood starts to get a little rough…or even downright dangerous?

You still remember the days when you lived in a nice neighborhood. Maybe it had good schools and fairly easy access to stores and shops. Everyone knew each other, and you trusted your neighbor like a best friend.

But then, everything changed.

Suddenly new neighbors moved in and they seem sullen and suspicious. People start dumping trash everywhere, and all the houses start to fall into disrepair or become derelict. The night time used to sound like crickets and barking dogs, but now you just hear sirens and helicopters buzzing overhead. Crime is on the rise, and it seems like more and more people are doing drugs on the street. You start to get worried about your safety, and the safety of your family.

Since bad neighbors come in all shapes and sizes, but there are some common types that are particularly irksome; no matter all the types of bad neighbors, they can make your life difficult and maybe you are thinking to move. Maybe you can’t afford to move, or maybe you don’t want to move—but you just don’t feel secure anymore.

Over the years, maybe your familiar neighbors moved and either sold their houses to property companies or rented out their old homes themselves. Slowly but surely, your neighborhood started to attract rowdy crowds who might not have the best intentions, and the overall value of homes continues to decline.

Unfortunately, many older individuals find themselves in this situation. They’re on a fixed income, their house is worth less than they owe, and they just can’t afford to move.

If you or one of your family members can relate to this situation, read on to learn how to stay safe when your neighborhood starts to make you worried about crime and your personal safety. You don’t have to be forced out of your home, there are many clever ways to utilize technology and stay safe.

Doorbell Cameras

Once upon a time, purchasing a security system for your home seemed totally out of reach for the average citizen. Cameras, lights, and monitoring were all too expensive to even consider. Now though, there are several companies who have created solutions that make home security affordable.

In fact, there simple systems can replace your home’s doorbell with a motion-activated camera to capture any nefarious activities that make occur at your home. Most of these systems are more affordable than advanced home security systems.

Background Checks

Another great way to stay safe in a neighborhood with high turnover tenants is to keep tabs on your new neighbors.

One easy and affordable way to do that is to use an online background check service like Instant Checkmate. You just need a few pieces of public information, like a person’s name, phone number, or home address, to find out if they are trouble.

Using this method, you can find out if your neighbors have a criminal record that you should be concerned about. Look for hidden red flags like an eviction history, a series of civil judgments, or criminal associates listed in their report. You might even discover social media profiles that reveal dangerous activities.

When you become an Instant Checkmate member, you have access to as many background reports as you want. So, you don’t have to stop at just your neighbors.

When available, background reports include details about their possible relatives and associates, so you can investigate who they spend their time around. Maybe your neighbor has a squeaky-clean record, but their roommate is a complete fraud.

This can help you find out more about the new neighbors that seem suspicious. Do they have a criminal past that you need to know about? This information can be enormously helpful because not everyone who looks suspicious and scary is suspicious or scary.

You might actually discover that your new neighbor is very involved with charitable causes and you have many mutual friends! It’s never fair to judge a book by its cover. But if someone really is bad news, it’s important to stay informed and stay safe.

A Dog

Did you know that the sound of a barking dog can deter would-be burglars? In a recent poll of burglars who are currently serving time in jail for home invasion related robberies, they said that the single biggest deterrent when it was time to choose their victim’s house was a barking dog.

Criminals who might cause your loved ones harm would certainly think twice about barging into a house with a protective dog.

If you’re worried about home intruders, consider adopting a large and offputting dog breed that will scare any potential robbers or burglars. Rottweilers are great family pets, and they’ll also scare off anyone with sinister intentions towards your home.

A Neighborhood Watch Program

Just because a neighborhood has fallen into hard times, doesn’t mean everybody should leave and abandon it. If you ask around, you’ll probably learn that many of your neighbors are in the same situation as you and want to do something about it. Talk to your local police department about how to set up a neighborhood watch program.

Not only will you make friends and learn more about your neighborhood and neighbors, you can also fight crime by collaborating with like-minded citizens. The internet is full of helpful resources for building a neighborhood watch program.

Don’t worry — organizing a neighborhood watch program doesn’t involve donning a cape and fighting crime hand-to-hand. It’s more like a process of looking out for one another. If you see something suspicious, you can alert a police officer or a phone tree of other neighborhood watch volunteers to keep your neighborhood protected. If there are vulnerable people who live in your neighborhood, it’s a good idea to approach them too and let them know that they can also use your neighborhood watch phone tree if they feel unsafe in their homes at any time.

A Home Security System

Did you know that even using one of those little ‘home security systems’ stickers in your window or in your yard can deter criminals from breaking into your house? A fake CCTV sign is a lot cheaper than purchasing a full home security system, but if you are concerned about your family or valuables, there are many state-of-the-art home security systems that can protect your home — even if you are miles away.

Many modern security systems offer the ability to check the security cameras via a mobile app. This means that you can instantly be alerted when anybody enters your property, and if a window or door is broken — the police are immediately notified. A comprehensive home security system isn’t always cheap, but it’s a lot more affordable than buying a new home!

Unfortunately, many people — particularly seniors — find themselves in a less-than-desirable living situation. Thankfully though, there are several very effective precautions that can be taken to keep you safe, healthy, and feeling secure in your home.