Anyone can see the layout of your home and what you paid for it – Do this to stay safe

November 6, 2021

By Kim Komando

There’s more information about you online than you probably realize. Your hacked passwords, your address, even your credit card details.

Details about your home are everywhere, too. Government sites and resources like Zillow and Redfin list everything from what you paid to the very layout of your house.

That’s very interesting information for a potential burglar. Knowing the layout, the exits and which room is which is valuable for someone looking to get in and out quickly. Bad news for you.

If you haven’t already, it’s high time to secure your home the right way. Kim’s pick is our sponsor, SimpliSafe, and there are a few reasons it stands out above the rest. More on that below.

So, what can someone find out online?

Anyone can check a county’s assessor site to find information on properties. These government-run sites use information from assessors to estimate the value of real property within a county, city, town or village.

Not all assessor sites provide the same information, but they make for a great starting point for anyone who wants to find out more about your property. This information will not usually be used for nefarious gains, but it certainly can be. If a scammer calls, they will use their collected data to convince you they are legitimate.

Details include how much you paid for your home, who else is on the deed, your property’s size and layout, and any other properties you own. Here’s a creepy bonus: Some of the documents you signed when you bought your home are uploaded there, too, so anyone can grab your signature.

Beyond that, real estate sites give even greater detail. Someone may be able to click through an entire photo gallery of your home. It doesn’t matter if you redecorated — the bones of your home are likely still the same.

If you don’t want your home listed on Zillow, head here to find out how to remove as much of the information as possible.

What can you do?

Your best bet is to make sure your home is protected 24/7. Back in the day, installing a home security system meant sitting on the phone with a sales rep, scheduling an appointment for someone to install it, then paying a ridiculous monthly fee. You were locked into a long-term contract, of course.

With SimpliSafe, you pick out what you need online on your time, no salesperson required. The site will walk you through picking out what you need, though. After your system arrives, you can put everything together yourself in about 30 minutes — you don’t even need tools.

Then you can control your entire security system from the palm of your hand with the SimpliSafe app.

Go to SimpliSafeKim.com and get a FREE HD home security camera when you purchase a SimpliSafe system. You’ll also receive a 60-day risk-free trial, so there’s nothing to lose!