A crime that hits property owners frequently is the vandalism of their residential property. Cedar Park and the neighboring areas are not exempt from this offense. In fact, roughly 15% of American homes are targeted by vandals each year. Vandalism, such as graffiti and smashed mailboxes, can cause expensive damage to a rental home. On top of that, it also breaks a tenant’s sense of security and community spirit, not even counting the potential detriment of property values. So that these things won’t occur, it would be wise for landlords and property owners alike to give top priority to preventing vandalism.
One way that is known to be effective in preventing vandalism is to install and maintain exterior lighting that covers all the necessary areas. Dark spaces catch the eyes of vandals, as they usually choose to do their dirty work without being seen. Motion sensor lights are really effective and are an energy-efficient method of lighting that tenants would appreciate.
If your rental property has fences, vandalism can be prevented by making sure that your fences are outfitted with a secure gate that locks. Vandals usually seek out easy targets, so if they’re forced to smash through a locked gate or scale over a fence just to reach their target, they’d probably prefer to move right along. This simple thing goes a long way to ensuring that they keep off your property.
As a natural deterrent, consider lining your property with bushes or shrubs that have rough bark, thorns, or pointy leaves. The additional greenery will make your property look better while also being a painful challenge to any unwanted visitors trying to get too close to your home.
It may seem peculiar, but choosing the right kind of window coverings help discourage vandals from coming as well. Vandalism is a crime of opportunity; they normally only hit if they think nobody is inside the house. If you see to it that your windows are covered with blinds or drapes, it will make them doubt their decision because now they’re not sure whether there’s a person in the house or not. You can double-down on this technique by also leaving a light or two switched on. It just might show them that it isn’t worth the risk or effort and they’d be better off going for another, easier target.
Ultimately, if vandals do strike, it’s crucial to fix the damage to your property quickly. These sorts of ne’er-do-wells enjoy having their handiwork seene and fussed over. If the defacement to your property isn’t quickly fixed, they could feel stirred up to go back and produce an even bigger, “better” mess. By painting over graffiti, repairing broken glass, and tackling any defacement to your property quickly, vandals will be disincentivized from returning.
By taking the advice written here, you can help keep your Cedar Park rental homes from being the next target for vandals. At Real Property Management Advisors, you can avail of our full-service property management including monitoring your properties on a regular basis and arranging for repairs and maintenance in the event that something would go wrong. If you would like to know more about how to keep your home safe, feel free to contact us online or call us at 512-777-2597 today.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
