Your home security system should be the most important appliance in your home. One of the first investments that you should make after purchasing a new home is a home security system. Now more than ever, with drug use among America's youth holding at a steady pace or rising, a home security system should be on top of your priority list.

As an ex home security system salesman, it always amazed me how many people would purchase a home security system after they had been victimized. The main problem is, people have the true ability to think that crime will not happen to them. I would have to say that at least 6 out of 10 times that I went to an appointment, it was after an incident of some kind. Most people, if not all, like to think they live in a nice neighborhood, so they think that they don't need a home security system. The problem is, I can tell you first hand that crime happens everywhere. Lots of times crime happens in a neighborhood without anyone but the victims knowing about it. People don't always like sharing bad news with their neighbors, especially if they are not on speaking terms. Industry statistics show that chances are that if you are burglarized, it is by someone who is familiar with your home or neighborhood. Usually it is someone that lives in the neighborhood or maybe knows someone in the neighborhood.

A home security system has four objectives:

1. Deterrence

Statistically you are 3 to 4 time less likely to have an intruder enter your home if you have a home security system sign on your front lawn and stickers on your windows.

2. Minimum loss

If someone is brave enough to enter your home after seeing the lawn sign, they don't believe that you actually have a home security system. You can go to ebay right now and purchase an ADT yard sign and stickers, which means that every yard sign you see does not mean that the home owner has a home security system. If a intruder decides to enter your home and the alarm sounds, chances are he is not going to stick around very long, he may take an item or two, be he won't be able to go shopping in your home because he knows the police have been called.

3. Avoid a confrontation

The last thing anyone wants, is to return home only to have an intruder in the house. If you have a home security system, if someone broke into your home, when the alarm sounded he probably left. If you arrive home and your alarm is sounding, you know not to enter the house.

4. Fire protection

The home security system of today has abilityilty to have smoke detectors connected to it. ADT actually calls them smoke communicators. If smoke is detected, the home security system alerts the monitoring station and a representative calls your home, if someone does not answer the phone, the fire department is dispatched.

Insurance companies offer up to a 20% discount for having a home security system, that being said, the investment you make, will eventually be paid for by your insurance company. Overall, a home security system should be strongly considered if you are a new homeowner or if you have been in your home for 20 years, it is a investment that is worth every penny.