Real Estate Camera Debate.. Eye In The Sky or Blind Eye??

Abstract

SHOULD YOU SET UP CAMERAS IN YOUR RENTAL PROPERTY? This is a question that comes up often and unlike so many decisions we make and test to solidify best practices, the jury is still out on the use of cameras. Despite the fact you own the building, cameras within someone's private living space opens a whole can of worms that could lead to much bigger problems. Using ballpark figures of $100 a month for the camera service and a similar cost to set up and run your wifi, you're looking at an extra $2400 in expenses each yearand that's just for one camera. Although you might think a camera says "I don't trust you", they've become more and more common in our society and that perception is likely outdated. CON: CAMERA INQUIRIES FROM TENANTS Tenants might feel more comfortable once they come to accept common area cameras, but this could lead to time-consuming annoyance in the form of anxious inquiry. "My package should've arrived yesterday but I didn't see itcan you check to see if it was on the camera?" "I saw a suspicious car in the driveway yesterday and now I'm missing somethingcan you check to see if they got out of the car?" "Someone knocked on the door while I was in the shower. Can you see who it was?" "I heard something really loud late last night and I'm pretty sure it's the tenant in 2B againcan you check the camera to see what he was up to?" These types of issues can be time consuming and reduce inefficiency. IN SUMMARY: Cameras are becoming more and more common in our society and when it comes to your property, thinking about the value that cameras might add is completely appropriate.