why so many security systems? (insurance, new house, living)

[pjoseph2]

It saddens me to say this.

"Land of the free, home of the brave"

has now become

Land of the paranoid, land of debt!

Always thought the alarms were a hassle, personally.

[lpc123]

Originally Posted by thesonofgray

Brinks (on, I'm sorry, Broadview) plays these really scary commercials where vulnerable and completely helpless pretty young women are about to be attacked brutally (possibly raped, beaten, and then murdered in the most SAW 3 like way possible) by a big burly angry looking man who busts down the door of these typical but nice, seemingly safe suburban homes. And the only thing that saves them from this incredibly awful fate????? The squealing alarm from Brinks (oh, sorry, Broadview) and an uber-concerned call from some handsome looking man in a super-futuristic call center: "Is everything ok? No? Ok, I'll call the police but also stay on the line so I can listen to your untimely and tortuous death."

Like this: Sarah Haskins in Target Women: Broadview Security // Current

It terrifies me and I'm not even pretty young woman! Good thing there's Brinks, er, Broadview Security to protect me!

LOL!!! Very funny. Thanks - you made my day!

[eileenkeeney]

I know that the home inspector, who inspected my home, was teamed up with Broadview security, and right in the middle of the thing he wanted me to sign (instead of as a separate form by itself) was a statement authorizing them to give me a sales call.
(Actually this irritated me a lot, the way he had that integrated in with the stuff I really did need to sign, and I should have had him remove that before I signed anything. But it was maybe 3 calls max I got, and they don't call me anymore.)

I very much dislike the way security systems are marketed.
I so often get these calls saying I "Won" a contest I entered. But really I didn't "Win" anything. Basically they will install a system for free, as long as I agree to pay for a year of monitoring.
If it was really a contest and a prize, they would install it even if I did not want to buy monitoring.

But I may get a system, if I can find one that does not use marketing methods I find distasteful.

Maybe just having a quick dial 911 on a cell phone, that is always on my person, would serve me as well (and for cheaper) than a security system.
I don't care that much about stuff, so it is mostly me I want to protect.

Those I know who have systems, have issues with "false" calls and charges.
If someone tries to break in, but is gone (without leaving evidence of a break in) before security arrives, that is a false alarm.

[CptnRn]

@eileenkeeney, That is annoying and very unprofessional that your home inspector slipped that paperwork into the other forms you needed to sign. I'm sure he did it to get a kick-back on the sign-up. Many companies will install a basic system for free if you sign up for a 1 year monitoring contract. You should file a complaint against him with the licensing authority.

Austin has very low numbers of violent crime incidents but is higher then most places in property crimes. http://malford.ci.austin.tx.us/police/zipcode/zipcode/indx_nindx_zip_1209.pdf (broken link) Most of those property crimes are theft of items that are left laying around unsecured, and burglary of vehicles, also often unlocked. Burglary of houses or businesses is less common but it is still a problem. I know this because I researched it in detail and spoke to APD about it.

If security systems are more common in Austin it must be because there is a general awareness that property crimes area problem.

P.S. in my experience if there is an alarm and you do not answer the phone to clear it with the monitoring company, they do not send out any security to check on it, all they do is call the local law enforcement agency, in my case APD. So that is an additional delay waiting for them to notify APD, then for APD to dispatch a patrol car, who will eventually show up. And will fine you if you have too many false alarms each year. Also APD requires you to purchase an alarm permit, with an annual fee, and will fine you if you do not have one.

[woodinvilleguy]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

P.S. in my experience if there is an alarm and you do not answer the phone to clear it with the monitoring company, they do not send out any security to check on it, all they do is call the local law enforcement agency, in my case APD. So that is an additional delay waiting for them to notify APD, then for APD to dispatch a patrol car, who will eventually show up. And will fine you if you have too many false alarms each year. Also APD requires you to purchase an alarm permit, with an annual fee, and will fine you if you do not have one.

Our house was built with a security system in it and we ended going with a local monitoring service that someone here recommended.

All the systems are monitored by UL facilities. We have had 2 times it has gone off when we were out of town and our house sitter set it off. The Cedar Park police came to the house withing single digit minutes of the falled response to the alarm company call. No charges just a scared friend that got frazzled because she entered the wrong code.

[LOVES YORKIES]

We use Sloan security system - $110.00 per year - I believe they are located in Buda. It is a central alarm system and we are well satisfied.

[Gorfml]

Security systems are a big waste of money. Quit being scared of the world...

[Gorfml]

Well u gotta do stuff like that when u are selling a product that basically nobody needs...

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by Gorfml

Well u gotta do stuff like that when u are selling a product that basically nobody needs...

Yeah...i bought a Security Company sign at a garage sale for $3 a few years back & planted it next to the garage. At this point I've invested about 6 cents a month for security.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by Gorfml

Security systems are a big waste of money. Quit being scared of the world...

If you've got nothing, then you've got nothing to loose.

Otherwise, I disagree. Austin has one of the highest property crime rates in the country. A security system does provide a home owner with additional protection against that. Have you ever had your home burglarized? I have, here in Austin, it is a really unpleasant feeling to know that someone has gone through your house, intruding into your private world, selectively removing all of your most valuable and sometimes personal items and leaving the remains ransacked.

The small cost of a security system is the easiest thing you can do to provide you with additional protection against those intrusions.

I also sleep very soundly at night, as does my wife. We don't wake up at every little noise, so for us it provides an additional comfort level knowing that it will wake us up if an intruder enters. We could do the same thing by getting a guard dog, but given our experience with pets, we know that could easily cost us more money in the long run, especially when they get older, and be more trouble and bother meanwhile.

It is a personal decision, like anything else. We think it is worth it.