Do burglar bars/security doors lower property values? (foreclosures, house, listing)
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I live near Houston, in a quiet, safe rural area. My wife is from Trinidad and Tobago, a high-crime country, and she still doesn't feel safe in a home without burglar bars and security doors. Would buying a house in a subdivision and installing those security items reduce the property value and the neighborhood around the house? Would we have to find a house in the country and then install those bars and doors so others won't complain?
The reason many Caribbean homes have them is that people needed to keep their windows open for cool breezes but keep burglars out. Those window and door bars are a pre-air-conditioning feature. Almost no one has a home without air-conditioning in 95% of the southern US.
A closed window can be locked. Other locking mechanisms are available, even sliding glass doors can be protected.
When we moved to our new home we were worried about security. The front door was 2 completely glass-paned patio type doors! We had never seen this before as a front door. All our previous home front doors were 90% solid wood or metal with little glass. We called the local police and they sent a volunteer over to walk through our home to make suggestions. He was amused we were worried because there had been so little crime of any kind. 10 years later doors still there lol. (Later saw this type door on a million dollar home, likely where the realtor owner got the idea for her non-million dollar home).
The reason many Caribbean homes have them is that people needed to keep their windows open for cool breezes but keep burglars out. Those window and door bars are a pre-air-conditioning feature. Almost no one has a home without air-conditioning in 95% of the southern US.
A closed window can be locked. Other locking mechanisms are available, even sliding glass doors can be protected.
When we moved to our new home we were worried about security. The front door was 2 completely glass-paned patio type doors! We had never seen this before as a front door. All our previous home front doors were 90% solid wood or metal with little glass. We called the local police and they sent a volunteer over to walk through our home to make suggestions. He was amused we were worried because there had been so little crime of any kind. 10 years later doors still there lol. (Later saw this type door on a million dollar home, likely where the realtor owner got the idea for her non-million dollar home).
Some people prefer to open windows instead of using A/C when it's the right weather for it. I think even the south has some beautiful cooler months. Nothing like opening the windows up in the autumn after being holed up with the A/C running non-stop for the whole summer. Are windows with screens pre-air-conditioning too?
Maybe it's because we lived in some big cities but I believe in solid physical security. Not paranoid style security but more than just a flimsy window frame to keep people out. Many windows and their frames are woefully weak and provide almost no protection. 10 seconds and someone can be in.
I'm not saying everyone should run and put up bars on their windows but just making the point that many people do not wish to rely on "low crime rate" so hopefully nobody targets me or just keep the place locked up with the A/C on. I guess I'm more culturally aligned with areas where people expect solid physical security for your home. I've also been victim of crime so that might have something to do with my views also. It seems in the US that except for old Victorian type brownstones and Spanish style homes in the Southwest with pretty ironwork, most bars are going to be hideously ugly. That's just how it is and it gives people a very negative impression of it. In many parts of Europe window screens are not used but there are bars. In the US, most people would feel very uncomfortable opening a window without screens but no problem with street level windows very easy to break into. Or ground accessible windows that you can't safely leave open (no problem just use A/C all the time). So i do think a lot of this is cultural.
Looks like the glass with the film needs to be solidly supported with a frame from the rear around the perimeter of the window otherwise you can just break the whole thing in like with the baseball bat - film and all. The window in the video is supported from the rear/inside like that. Looking at my windows now and there is no such frame "lip" behind the panes of glass and I think most windows are built like this so the perimeter of the glass is a serious weak point in this. The baseball bat hits like in the video have huge force so what does the film attach to that can take that force? Not sure how to explain this so hopefully it's clear!
Also, many windows do not lock well at all and have very weak frames. It's a good sales pitch but I doubt it improves security very much. Probably a big waste of money and a false sense of security. Film itself might be strong but too many other weak links in most windows.
If I see many houses in an area with the bars, I think it is a bad area. If I see only one home with them, I figure it is an overly worried person.
I figure it is a high crime area and would be hesitant to buy in that neighborhood. OP - just get a security system if your wife is nervous about crime.
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