7 Home Security Tips Every Florida Homeowner Should Know

Florida's property crime rate is one of the highest in the country. But here's the thing: most burglaries are crimes of opportunity. A locked door with a decent deadbolt stops the majority of break-in attempts. These 7 things will make your home a lot harder to get into.

1. Upgrade your deadbolts to Grade 2 or Grade 1. Most Florida homes come with Grade 3 locks, which is the lowest security rating. A Grade 2 deadbolt costs $75-150 installed and it's a massive step up. Grade 1 is commercial-grade. Good luck kicking that in.

2. Reinforce the door frame. Doesn't matter how good your lock is if the frame splits apart. Grab a door reinforcement kit ($30-50 at any hardware store) and use 3-inch screws that bite into the wall studs, not just the frame. This one fix stops 90% of kick-in attempts.

3. Stop hiding keys outside. Under the mat, in the flower pot, inside the fake rock. Burglars check all those spots. Give a spare to a neighbor you trust or get a smart lock with a keypad instead.

4. Rekey when you move in. You don't know how many copies of your keys are out there from previous owners. Rekeying runs $70-150 per lock and takes 15 minutes. Cheap insurance.

5. Secure your sliding glass doors. Florida homes are full of sliders, and burglars know it. A sliding door lock bar or pin lock costs about $15 and keeps the door from getting lifted off its track.

6. Put up motion-sensor lights. Burglars don't like well-lit homes. Solar-powered motion lights run $20-40 each and you don't need any wiring.

7. Get to know your neighbors. Honestly, the best security system is a neighbor who notices when something looks off. Join the neighborhood watch or just say hi to the people next door.