Houses Get Robbed More Often Than Apartments? 5 Reasons (Explained)

When your house or apartment gets broken into by burglars, you feel unsafe in your home, on top of having valuable items stolen from you.

Even though the chances of getting robbed can depend on your location and the crime rate in your area, the type of residential property you live in can also have an impact.

Generally, houses get robbed more often than apartments. Here are 5 reasons why!

1. Houses are More Isolated

One of the main reasons why houses get robbed more often than apartments is that they are more isolated.

This is because houses are commonly standalone buildings with plenty of yards separating them. This makes houses feel more private and secluded – and easier to break into.

For example, when burglars break into a rural house, there are rarely neighbors to see them breaking in.

Meanwhile, apartments are residential units that are located inside a large building. If you live in an apartment, you have next-door neighbors nearby, with just walls separating your home from theirs.

Because of this setup, burglars are less likely to target apartments. With neighbors going in and out of the building, there is a higher chance for a burglar to be seen and caught if they try to enter an apartment.

Even more, burglars are much easier to identify when five neighbors saw them walk into the building rather than by a neighbor 3 miles down the road.

2. Houses are More Accessible

Houses are easier to access from the road and through a back or front door. Burglars can sneak up to a house and get inside much more easily than in an apartment.

You don’t have to find parking in a private lot or walk three blocks to then try and get into a locked building like you do with an apartment.

Robbing an apartment means the burglar must get into the building first – unless they are trying to rob ground-floor units.

If a burglar tries to break into an apartment, having to enter the building first means they are already risking getting caught by the other people who live there.

Also, apartment buildings usually require keys, keycards, or entry passcodes. Most apartment parking is private, too.

That means you are more likely to be robbed by neighbors in your apartment building than by strangers off the street.

Are Apartments Safer Than Houses? (Check out our 12 Main Reasons why!)

3. Houses have More Entry Points

If you live in an apartment, you only have one main entry point: the main door.

On the other hand, you have multiple entry points to your home if you live in a house.

Apart from the main door, most houses have a lot of windows that can be accessed from ground level, which gives burglars more entry points for them to break into.

They can also break into the back door, garage door, or even the lower basement windows. Upstairs windows, if they are not too high, can also provide burglars access to the house.

Unless your apartment is on the ground floor and has windows, it is highly unlikely that a burglar can get in any way other than the front door.

4. Houses are Bigger

Since houses are bigger, burglars quickly assume that they hold many valuable items such as electronics, jewelry, and expensive collectible items.

The bigger a house is, the more it will attract burglars.

They can simply break into one room in the house through a window, steal whatever they can from that room, and then quickly get out.

If the house is too big and has many rooms, burglars are less likely to get caught, especially if there aren’t many people living there.

On the other hand, apartments are usually small, and their layout is quite simple. Some may have one to two bedrooms, while some are studio units.

Plus, it is unlikely that they would even be tempted to burgle an apartment with far fewer valuables or expensive items. For them, it would be a high-risk burglary with very little reward.

5. Apartment buildings have More Security

In today’s world, where there are a lot of available high-technology security devices, it can be easy for anyone to install some equipment to make their home more secure.

That is if they are willing to spend extra for added security.

On the other hand, almost all apartment buildings these days come standard with security devices such as hidden cameras and alarms.

They also require a keycard or access code entry to enter parking garages or the apartment building itself.

Some apartment buildings, particularly the more expensive ones, even offer tenant concierge services. If the tenant has a visitor, the concierge staff rings them up to confirm if they are expecting someone or if it’s okay to let the visitor up.

This adds to the security of the building because non-residents simply cannot enter the building without going through an actual person first.

Read These 5 Reasons Why 2nd-Floor Apartments Are Safer (Explained)

Reduce the Likelihood of Being Robbed:

If you choose to live in a house, do whatever you can to make it more secure.

Here are some tips to avoid being robbed at home:

• Install additional locks on your doors and windows, and keep them locked.
• Always lock your doors and windows even when you leave for a bit or just hang out in the yard or at home.
• Install curtains or shades to keep your valuable items out of sight.
• Keep your bushes and shrubs well-trimmed to eliminate potential hiding spots for burglars.
• Never post on social media when you are going on vacation.
• Close the curtains and leave the light on when you go out to make it look like you’re home.

Of course, it’s always best to install security devices such as hidden cameras, motion sensors, and alarms, but they can be quite expensive.

Even if you can’t afford all these technologies, doing the abovementioned things can go a long way in keeping your house safe from robberies.

Sources:

Are You More Likely To Get Robbed In An Apartment Or House?

Apartment Burglaries Vs. Single-Family Home Burglaries