New construction homes often come with the promise of better design, modern features, and, according to many residents, a stronger sense of safety. But not all new homes in Florida may be as safe as residents assume.
Home security company Vivint surveyed over 1,000 U.S. new-home residents with FBI burglary data, revealing that many new-home residents believe they’re secure simply because their property is newly built, but burglary trends tell a different story.
Americans Underestimate the Risk of Break-Ins in New Construction Homes.
More than half of new homeowners (53%) assume their property is secure simply because it’s newly built, revealing a potentially dangerous gap in home security awareness.
39% of new-home residents have made zero home security investments. Among them, 51% say it’s because they feel safe enough.
Over 1 in 5 new home residents (21%) have installed fake security equipment like cameras or signs to make their home look secure.
Nearly 75% of new construction residents can’t identify their neighborhood’s crime rate but still feel “very safe.”
Residents of newly built homes were 43% more likely than those living in older homes to report a break-in or attempted break-in.
39% of new-home residents invest $0 in security measures, and 21% rely on fake cameras or signs.
31% of new-home residents delayed security measures because they “felt safe.”
In some Larger cities in Florida
Tampa: A burglary rate of 298.5 per 100K—more than double the national average of 130.9.
Miami: Not ranked due to limited FBI reporting, but statewide patterns show residents underestimate risks.
Orlando & Jacksonville: Follow similar trends of new-home residents skipping security measures despite local crime rates.
Among ages groups, more than half of residents living in new construction homes (53%) believed their property was secure simply because it was new. Gen Z residents were the most likely to assume new equals safer at 59%, followed by millennials (55%) and Gen X (43%). Over half of new-home residents (53%) also said this belief influenced their decision to move into a new home. A third reported that a realtor, landlord, or builder told them that the home was “safer because it’s new.”
