An Alarm System Could Protect You From Squatters

From New York to Texas and California to Florida, the news has recently been filled with stories about squatters taking up residence in a home they don't own, and refusing to leave. In some cases, the occupation goes on for years. An alarm system can prevent this from happening to you.

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Sometimes, the property may be empty because the occupant has recently passed away, and ownership has yet to be determined. In others, the property is one of several owned by an individual and isn't occupied year-round. Whatever the case, having someone move into your property and then refuse to leave is monumentally frustrating. Many people have found that squatters have more rights than the homeowner!

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The best way to deal with squatters is to prevent their entry in the first place. If they can't get into your property, they can't squat there. A comprehensive security system can alert you to intruders who are trying to gain entry. Since you want to prevent entry, sensors on ground-floor doors and windows and any upstairs doors and windows that may be used as a point of entry are a must-have.

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Another excellent way to protect against entry is glass break detectors. For instance, when an intruder breaks a glass door or window to gain entry, a glass break detector properly positioned and set up as a perimeter sensor will cause an instant alarm. This, coupled with a loud siren may scare the intruders away before they enter your property. Motion detectors are also recommended but only come into play after an intruder has entered the home. Still, we usually recommend that motion detectors be used as a backstop for glass break detectors.

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For preventing squatters in a property that isn't continuously occupied, the best weapon currently available is video cameras. When it comes to video offerings, Alarm.com has the best lineup of cameras and features currently available in monitored systems. With its video analytics, and 2-way communication options, Alarm.com offers a strong deterrent to would-be intruders.

Doorbell cameras allow the user to engage with both individuals who ring the doorbell, and those that are captured moving in the area of the doorbell. A motion detection rule can be set to notify the end-user when activity occurs near the door. The homeowner can then view the area and even speak with any individual who is there. This is an excellent deterrent, as the would-be intruder has no idea if the homeowner is inside, or elsewhere.

To protect your property and prevent squatters from occupying your home, an investment in an alarm system, particularly one with video cameras is one of the smartest moves you can make. Alarm Grid offers video monitoring in several different packages. We offer our Platinum Plan (Self or Full monitoring) and we also offer a stand-alone Video Monitoring Plan that includes video cameras only, no security system required. For help planning a system, email us at support@alarmgrid.com and we'll be glad to assist you!