How to Feel Safe in Your Home When Living Alone for the First Time
Living alone for the first time can be a new and sometimes intimidating experience. It is only normal to want to believe that your home is safe. Unfortunately, people who live alone have been robbed, harmed or even killed by unwanted intruders. On the surface, this might not sound very encouraging. The good news is that there are measures you can take to help ensure that you will not be the victim of these types of situations which can also make your home a safe dwelling.
Choose to Live in a Safe Neighborhood
If you have to live alone, then do not buy or rent in neighborhoods without first checking to see what kind of crime exists in these areas. If you do not do your due diligence in this respect, then you could be walking blindly into a dangerous living situation. Fortunately, numerous websites and apps exist which can help you to determine the relative frequency and types of criminal activities going on within a neighborhood that has grabbed your interest. Additionally, many of these resources can be used to continue to monitor criminal activity in your neighborhood, effectively keeping you updated and informed, so that you can decide if it is necessary or not to move to a safer neighborhood.
Get a Weapon for Protection
When it comes to living by yourself, owning a weapon for your own personal protection is a smart idea. You should always be prepared to defend yourself if someone attempts to breach the perimeter of your home. However, the further you can distance yourself from an intruder while protecting yourself the safer you will be. This is why many people who live alone spend time looking at handguns and even more intimidating AR-15 rifles online. Although, it is seriously important to know your rights and what to say to the police if you are ever forced to use a gun for self-defense. It is essential to understand that there is no law on the books labeled self-defense. All cases of using deadly force to repel an attacker, even in your own home, is called homicide. Whether it is justified or not is generally going to be the decision of a jury. This is why enrolling in a weapons safety course can benefit a gun owner considerably.
Home Security
There are a few important measures to take to make your home unattractive to intruders. A home security system that cannot easily be circumvented, such as one that operates online and cannot easily be disabled by having the alarm wires cut, is a good start. Motion sensor lights that make noise when people approach your home are also a great deterrent. Remember, intruders do not like it when attention is being brought to their person as they execute a home invasion. Some intruders will simply see the alarm company sign outside a home and move on to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Safe and Secure at Home
Living alone can be a very safe prospect. You do have to plan ahead to make sure your home is a safe, secure place that is not inviting to intruders. Plus, it helps to be an active participant in your local neighborhood watch or to be the one leading the effort. With each additional layer of security you attend to, the safer you will generally be in your own home.