Houses with no one in residence attract crime … and unlocked vacant houses, especially with valuable contents, virtually assure things will go missing in the dark.  It’s critical to protect your property throughout your project, and here are my tips for keeping everything safe.

It isn’t uncommon for vandals and thieves to strip wiring, plumbing, appliances, even remove cabinets and uproot landscaping from an unoccupied property. As if that weren’t bad enough, they may leave behind running water and damage that jeopardizes load-bearing frames.Even in good neighborhoods, overnight you can lose costly material and be left with a seriously compromised structure – even the city may be taking an interest toward possibly condemning it if it’s left in bad enough shape.

Your first step after acquiring the property should be to secure it. Don’t leave anything of value in the property until that is done, including tools and building materials.

Establish a lock-up procedure, make it a priority and hold everyone accountable. Also instruct everyone to lock-down if the working crew goes off-site during the day even for a brief period – it only takes a couple of minutes for valuable goods to walk away forever.

Get a construction lockbox (basic lockboxes are available at home improvement stores).  Lock the windows as well as all doors, secure any means of access including holes and weak points.

Don’t tempt fate. Keep all uninstalled items not only locked up, but out of sight from the windows and doors, even if you need temporary window covering such a low-cost mini-blinds. Uninstalled appliances, granite slabs, vanities, countertops, cabinets, toilets … anything that can be carried away may go missing if it’s spotted from a window by an opportunist, plus damage to a window or door. In fact, don’t deliver and install appliances until the end of the rehab.

Property thieves are professionals, too. In higher-crime neighborhoods with more professional thieves eyeing your property you need extra security procedures.

• In higher crime, lower cost housing areas don’t install appliances until one day before the close of escrow. Be sure the listing says the appliances will be installed.
• Also, in lower cost and higher crime areas copper exposed outside the house should be painted to match the house, or painted white or black, to help be sure it isn’t spotted and stolen. The copper may be cheap, but the damage thieves do removing it can run into the thousands.

With a major construction project, especially in higher-crime areas, it may be worthwhile to rent a chain-link fence to put around the property and keep it padlocked until construction is done. If the property is a major remodel project this is often a must. Check with the city for any permits and ordinances.

In most cases loses from theft are preventable with common-sense precautions. Take these tips to heart and keep your property safe.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve heard of being stolen from a construction project?

Contact Andy Werner, real estate investor with broad & deep experience with flips, rentals, wholesaling, and more, and share his knowledge at http://www.streetwisepropertyinvesting.com/contact/