Examine Home Security While Apartment Hunting in Texas - Home - Home Security

One of the big mistakes that happens in the course of apartment hunting is people tend to forget about security. Unless there is some glaring deficiency in a building, or if the apartment is located in a particularly scary neighborhood, people tend to look first at design and size and forget about safety. After you sign the lease and start writing checks, it's too late. Here are some ways to check if the home security is adequate in the apartment building or complex where you're renting.

1. Take the entire tour. You might drive your real estate agent nuts, but you should take the time to examine not just the apartment and the view, but the grounds and common areas, too. Every apartment can seem safe on a sunny afternoon, but you should know if the areas have adequate lighting at night. The only way to know is to come back at nighttime and see the apartment from a different point of view. See if you would feel safe entering by yourself and making your way to your unit.2. See what home security features are already built-in. A landlord that has considered home security in Texas important -- even in rental units -- will already have taken some precautions. The locks will tell you a lot. Have the locks been changed from the ones used by the previous tenant? It's no bother to switch locks with another empty unit, so ask for that favor even if there are no quality deadbolts installed.

3. How do tenants' guests enter the building? Your biggest worry may not be from intruders, but from people let in by other tenants. There are always some people claiming to have forgotten keys or lost the main key to the building. If there is no way to distinguish unwelcome characters from harmless visitors, you may want to reconsider the safety precautions in the building.

4. What is the policy on home alarm systems? Some landlords in Texas don't want any tampering with an apartment, all the way down to a wireless home alarm. If you feel like some motion sensors or window guards would make a big difference in terms of your peace of mind, don't hesitate to demand the right to protect yourself. If your landlord becomes territorial and starts to act irrationally, don't give in. It's your safety hanging in the balance.

5. The common areas and emergency procedures loom large. Stories of mail and package theft in big apartment buildings are becoming common. Look over the locks on the mailboxes and also the fire escapes. How hard is it for someone to get up the fire escape? If there is potential access by someone on the street, that may be a greater security risk than an emergency precaution.

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