It is a sad fact that sometimes houses are broken into after buyers close escrow and are moving into their house. This happens because a house that is advertised for sale has a sign and lockbox, which could be indicators for thieves that a house is vacant. There could be other factors as well, but I would like to briefly talk about how to secure the house you just bought. Below is a list of things to do:

1. Setup your alarm systems on the same day you switch utility services
2. Put alarm stickers on your windows and doors and stake the alarm sign in your front lawn (provided by your alarm company)
3. Rekey exterior doors
4. Add a 2 x 4 piece of wood to the inside of your garage door with fasteners  provide extra security to that entry way. You basically want to use hardware fasteners that let the wood rest perpendicularly to the door and make sure the wood is long enough to span past the width of the door. You just made a home made barricade. If you need to get through, simply left the wood and pass through the door. At night, put it back and be secure.
5. Put window coverings on all windows to discourage people from looking inside. Home Depot sells vinyl blinds for less than $6 per blind and they are easy to install and inexpensive. Just measure your windows first, buy them, and install them. You just need a step-up ladder and a screwdriver (SUPER easy!).
6. Use lamps and radios with store-bought timers (i.e. you plug it into the outlet, then plug the appliance into the timer) in rooms and garages. Vary the times these appliances turn on to make it seem that there are people inside the house.
7. For the garage, add metal shafts that lock the metal roll-up door to the metal track (i.e. the skeletal track that the metal garage door’s wheels use to move back and forth) to prevent somebody from forcibly opening the garage door. Some newer homes have them built-in, but any cylindrical piece of metal that you can wedge between the railing and the metal roll-up door could work. To test, install the hardware and try opening the garage door with your garage door opener. It should stutter first but remain closed. Call your manufacturer first and see if they have these security products. While a DIY job might be cheap and fast, it could void your warranty, so getting the right hardware might be worth it.
8. Add pieces of wood the same length as the window track and lay it down so the windows have extra security. This also works great for sliding doors.
9. Add motion-sensor flood lights to the front of your house that will turn on whenever something moves. It might turn on a lot, but when it turns on at the right time, it will reveal any unusual activity taking place in front of your driveway.

While nobody is foolish enough to break into an empty house (with nothing inside), a thief/robber might wait until the new homeowner moves some stuff inside the house and leave to do the deed.

While termite, home, and roof inspections plus the Realtor’s Agent Visual Inspection are common inspection reports the buyer will read before purchasing, it is really up to the buyer to make sure that all entry points and windows of the house are secure and not compromised.

It’s always good to check for weaknesses in windows or other parks of the house– you do not want that to be an entry point. Weak or broken windows can be temporarily secured with screws (that prevent the window from being opened) or plywood nailed into the walls, covering the window completely. I’m not suggesting to push hard against the window to see if there is a weakness, but just make a visual assessment, open and close the window, maybe press against it and see if the wall is giving or if it is staying put (which is what it should do). If there is a weakness, find the appropriate contractor to make the repairs. Honestly, if someone really wants to break in, they will find a way, but it is your job to make it difficult for them to make them think twice about messing with you.

I hope you find these tips useful not just for moving in for the first time, but also for securing your home in general. None of these security tips cost more than a few bucks so consider using them. Discouraging the opportunity hopefully will deter the crimes.