[CourtSwagger]

Recently, I received a promotion at work that entails me moving to a new area. Freaking out about selling my current house aside, I have to buy a new house. Unfortunately, this promotion puts me a LOT closer to a major metropolitan area. My question is, what features should I look for in my new house from a security perspective? While the promotion will put more money in my pocket, I don't think a major fortress with a big wall surrounding it or a house with a built in bunker are gonna be in the price range. What would you be looking for?

 

[Fuzzee]

Depends on your and your families needs and preferences. I'd be looking to buy a place outside of town in a neighborhood of people with as good moral compass as I could find. On a plot of land with growing space and a well. Defensible and off the main commuting roads. Near a large water source for fishing and hunting grounds the better.

 

[Verteidiger]

I would recommend a quality security alarm service, one that offers burglary/intrusion alarms, panic buttons, fire/smoke, carbon monoxide, and if your house has a basement, flood water monitoring. I would get one with 24-hour monitoring and armed response capabilities.

I would also recommend steel exterior doors with deadbolts and 3" screws into the door jambs, with similar lockable steel doors on the bedrooms as an upgrade. You should look for proximity to emergency services - police, fire, hospital, etc.

 

[Ripon]

My circumstances were terribly different. In 09/10 I needed to buy a new house because I had to sell my old one as it was tied to my business that failed. I was just lucky enough to get out of both without debt. All I had to my name was my cash assets, by BOL and no income to speak of. It was so hard to qualify I took "what I could get" but still I looked for a safe neighborhood (came close - one side is good / other not so much) and a big yard. The yard came with a fig tree and two oranges. I have great danes so they can roam and I have a huge veggie garden now and have added pear, plum, peach and an almond tree. I still don't eat the figs - gotta figure that one out. If I were able to shop for property I'd want trees, ability to plant trees if not, and a safe area. A good path to bug out on - or multiple paths - that'd be good.

 

[IngaLisa]

I am on 2 rural acres zoned ag, outside of a small town, but 60 miles from a metro area of about 1 million and 25 miles from another small city of 250,000. I am not into alarm systems because if the grid goes down, so does your system. We live a semi sustainable lifestyle. We are able to raise a lot of food on this acreage. If it were up to me, I would be much more rural than I am. I have no problem with isolation and off grid living, but hubby is more of a condo-man, so, I am lucky I have what I have. I guess it all depends where your job is, how expensive real estate is, what your family wants, etc.

 

[Montana Rancher]

1. A house with a well and septic system is paramount.
2. A way to pump water from the well
3. A metal roof and metal or cement walls
4. Plenty of shot guns
5. A big out vehicle

 

[alterego]

Look for a piece of property with a spring fed stream running through it.
That is all.

 

[Meangreen]

I like a window with a view! Preferably a window that when I look out it, I don't become a witness to a crime

 

[Lucky Jim]

...I have to buy a new house. Unfortunately, this promotion puts me a LOT closer to a major metropolitan area...

If travel time is your main concern it depends how far you're willing to travel to get to work.
For example you could buy a house a comfortable 50 miles from your workplace and the nasty city if you're willing to take around an hour to drive there.
Or buy a place just 25 miles away from work and it'll only take you around half an hour to reach it.

 

[paraquack]

I agree with Lucky Jim. If the SHTF and your 50 miles away, and the family is spread out due to school and work, you might be in real trouble. If retired and it's just you and the spouse, as in my situation, that's a diffeernt story. You need to sit down and decide how committed to prepping your are. Is a a main home and Bug in location your only concern because you really believe the SHTF event is right around the corner, or are you prepping because something might happen. Every family must decide for themselves. The problem comes when you buy for regular life and then in a few more years decide to need to take your life to the next step. The cost could be prohibitive and the rest of the family could protest fiercely. IMHO, prepping is like insurance. I watched a Doomsday Prepper episode, where the older couple had over 60 firearms. They didn't seem to have a giant extended family for which they were prepping, nor a giant group of like minded people to protect. But then again, firearms would make great barter. You and your family have to live too. Also I firmly believe you need to have like minded people to form a cohesive group for self protection. In numbers, there is safety. I you're moving, you need to look at new people for your group and that's not the easiest thing to find. I wish you success.

 

[Infidel]

Personally I'd look for a place out side of the city and lean toward a place with a lot of storage space (attached garage and full dry basement would be great). A brick home would give you more security than stick built but high power rifle rounds will still penetrate. I'd want at least an acre of land 2-3 would be better giving you the option to raise fruits and vegetables. I'd also want a well and would devise a way to get water out of it sans power. I would rather drive a bit to work and get what I want in a house than settle for a shorter drive.

-Infidel

 

[CourtSwagger]

Some great advice so far. Thanks!

 

[Lucky Jim]

This is the kind of place we city slickers dream about having but can't afford (sniffle).
Water (and fish) from a nearby stream or river, enough land to grow stuff to feed a family forever and light from home-made candles, what more could anybody want?
(The red indicates coils of barbed wire to stop any cheeky zombs coming up to the windows and peering in)

PS- if the walls are wood, you can build a bulletproof "nest" in the corner of a room for everybody to dive into if bullets start zipping through the house; it can be made of steel plates or bricks or sandbags. (The sandbag job below was done by a dood as a piece of artistic furniture, needless to say we'd arrange the bags better than that to give all-round protection)

 

[Camron]

I think the security device system with monitoring station services will the best thing for you because in this you can monitor your security as well the monitoring station also monitor your property and take action when you feel unsecured and press the alarm.

 

[Deebo]

A lot depend on if your planning on living the rest of your life there. Yes, a lot of great ponits above, I would for sure go with a metal roof, dig my own well if needed, and have my own septic. There are so many variables, and prepping is just preparing for the future. I am looking at a current homestead, and there are so many pro's and cons.
Location, pro's -close to work.. actually about six hundred yards away..Cons -six hundred yards from work..
-large yard probably three acres. - highway fronted.
- fenced in(my fiances dogs would love the place) - all sand dunes, not many trees tat I have noticed.
- large house, large guest house, large shop, medium garage.
- In an area that has seen some serious growth, and could be worth more in the longrun...
Don't know if this is pro or con, but she's asking 129,000.
I have started the ball rolling on my agent finding the info, and then gonna hit the bank for a loan. Wish me luck..
Oh, and its about 1000 yards away from the river, haven't walked the property yet, so dont know exactly, but its close...
Sorry to jack your thread, just remember, the perfect house will be so expensive, you have to settle a little..

 

[Not Crazy Yet]

Location is the most important aspect. You can have a massive home with state of the art security...etc. but if you are right down the road from a city, when SHTF you are in for trouble. Choose somewhere rural but still close enough to an urban setting that you aren't completely in the middle of nowhere, unless you want that . Also, try to choose a state that will allow you the most freedom in terms of gun ownership, property taxes...etc. there are a lot of factors to choose from but again I say that location is the key, so make a list of all the factors that you have to have, and then do some research on possible states, and then narrow it down until you have a county, town...etc.

 

[Lucky Jim]

Our best friend when house-hunting is Google Earth so we can check out the area in aerial view to see if there's a smelly sewage plant, noisy airport runway, highway or rail line etc just behind a property we're interested in. Also go to Street View so you can "walk" down the street to look at the property close up.
And use Bing Maps aerial photos because they give a great 3D oblique view, drag the map, zoom in close and hit 'Birds Eye'-

BING- http://www.bing.com/maps/

 

[Edwin]

Its depend on that how much security you want there.Because in village that are far away from city you need more security and in city you need less.And i think security alarm with alarm monitoring services are best for the security of your new home.
Brisbane Security

 

[Gunner's Mate]

NUKEMAP3D by Alex Wellerstein use this simulator and then decided your location