Getting the chance to settle down in a home is a huge step for any American. After all, in a world where moving beyond renting an apartment seems tougher and tougher, the chance to have one’s very own property to protect is a major accomplishment. And after settling all of the tasks involved in closing a deal and solidifying mortgage payments, it’s tempting to just kick back and relax. However, it’s crucial to remember that another major part of having a new place to live is making sure that one’s family is safe.

Caring for loved ones means being concerned about home security, since no one wants to experience the turmoil and pain of a break-in where priceless family memories or crucial elements to work and leisure time are stolen. And the very real fact about break-ins is that they more often than not leave those with homes feeling like strangers in their own living space, a bit timid and scared about their own surroundings. It’s crucial to be proactive, ensuring that your own household never has to experience that kind of nervousness or recovery time after a break-in occurs.

Fortunately, sprucing up home security is a breeze. Following a straightforward checklist is one great way to make certain that there is nothing wrong afoot. Here are the basic elements to look for when checking out a new home.

Replace light bulbs. Indoors and outdoors, since the best thing to invest in when it comes to safeguarding a home is a timer that handles all of the lighting for the entire house. Make sure that there are working light bulbs, as this will mean that tricking robbers into thinking a home is occupied at all times a whole lot easier.

Teach the whole family how to use the home alarm system. There should always be the back-up of technology there to safeguard a property, but sometimes, the trouble is that not everyone in the house has actually figured out how to set it. And sometimes false alarms spook people into forgetting to use the very thing that keeps robbers from succeeding most of the time. So sit down with everyone, go over the process step by step, and stress the point that the pin code or password is something to be kept in the family.

Talk to the neighbors. Especially if you’re new to an area. Find out what the history of crime has been like, if there are any break-ins that have happened recently, and determine if there’s a neighborhood watch that can be joined. Being active in the community is a great way to get settled in a new place, and it’s an even greater way to prevent the stresses of home invasions from happening.

Deadbolts. This is the biggest misstep people make: locking the regular lock, but neglecting the deadbolt. It’s considerably more difficult to break down a door when a deadbolt is engaged, so a couple of seconds can mean the difference between effective home security and something more lacking. Don’t make that kind of mistake.