I'm moving into a condo that already has an ADT security system installed [but not currently being used].  

This condo [these are single story town houses] is in a small, gated community and all indications are everyone knows everyone and keeps an eye out for suspicious activity.  It is exactly 1 mile from the fire dept [which is on the same artery] and 2 miles from the police station.  This unit does not have a walk out basement but does have full windows in the basement which face the back of the condo.  

I've never had an alarm system before and I'm wondering

1] should I activate this one for $32 a month

2] or buy a stand alone system that would be motion and contact activated, just have a big a$$ alarm and forgo the monitoring?  

3] Is/are there a third, forth... option[s] I should be considering?  

Thanks in advance,

Telephone monitoring can be had for $10/Month if you google it. Cellular is $15-20. There is also IP and VOIP options. If you can't get the installer code, you may have to replace your control board but it'll pay for itself in monthly savings.

So you recommend a monitored system over simply an alarm?  

Do you have a specific vendor[s] that you believe are good?

I did some googling based upon your recommendation; do you know anything about simplisafe?  

Thanks

I have done a bit of research on this but still a bit unclear as who to choose.  It appears that Frontpoint and Protect America appear towards the top of many lists.  How reliable is this information...no clue.  A close friend of mine has been with Frontpoint for a few years and is very pleased while my neighbor uses ADT and is pleased with them.  Another friend chose a  more robust DIY  route, buying components from Amazon and contacting monitoring companies. His monthly monitoring costs are considerably less than what is charged by the security systems I looked into.  I have been looking into the full package in terms of monitoring.  You will have to determine if that is something you want.  Personally, from what I have seen, I like a lot.  If this something you desire, there may be some needed upgrades with ADT which will mean added cost.  You will have to determine how much disposable money you are willing to dedicate.  If none, your current situation may be best.

When selecting a company, it appears that the customer has to be very aware of their actual needs as some of these "deals" may not meet them, thus, there is a end to purchase more equipment. Though I am looking a bit more into the robust DIY using Amazon, at this point I will likely choose Frontpoint or Protect America.  Some of these companies do offer lower monitoring costs than you listed with supposedly free equipment; however, those package deals may not meet your needs.  

Thanks, I appreciate your comprehensive, well thought out response.  I'm thinking along the same lines as you.  You didn't mention SimpliSafe as a vendor you've considered.  I've looked at Frontpoint and Protect America as well and I'm leaning toward SimpliSafe with monitoring [their hardware can be used either way or both].  Monitoring is a bit of over-kill on my part but for $15/mth I kind of think it is cheap belt/suspenders solution.  I thought about DYI but the time cost is greater for me than the dollar savings.  

http://simplisafe.com/

All I know about Simplisafe is what I've seen on the web.  Their monitoring rates are certainly attractive.  Their hardware, though, looks pretty klunky.  I probably wouldn't choose their gear, but as long as it and their monitoring station are UL listed, it should do just fine.

Hmmm, 'klunky'... what do you mean by that?  How does it compare to others' equipment?

A couple of examples might help.  Sensors, especially the door/window sensors (which you're probably going to use more of than everything else put together), are much larger than some other competing options.  Compare http://simplisafe.com/build-my-system?inline=true&width=900&height=660#entrysensor with http://www.homesecuritystore.com/dsc-ev-dw4975 or even http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ion-security-plunger-d? (completely concealed when the door is closed).  Going with a wired alarm can give you even smaller sensors, but it's quite a bit more work to wire them back to the control panel.  I can't tell about the keypad--it looks like there's a lot of wasted space there.  If they need the space for the electronics, they could have made the keys bigger, added a couple of dedicated panic buttons (one for fire, one for police, one for EMS), or something.

On the plus side, Simplisafe is designed to be installed and programmed by the homeowner.  Most other monitored systems are designed to be installed and programmed by an alarm system installer, and the documentation is written to that level of understanding.  I've installed and used the DSC Alexor system in the past (http://www.homesecuritystore.com/alarm-systems/wireless-alarm-systems/dsc-kit495-16cp01? for one kit), and I've been very happy with it.  Like the Simplisafe, the keypad(s) is(are) separate from the control panel, and all the other sensors connect wirelessly.  Unlike the Simplisafe system, it can be monitored by any monitoring company you choose (I used alarmrelay.com).  The system worked well, and I didn't find it difficult to install or program.  However, it wasn't my first alarm system installation, and I'd done quite a bit of reading on the process before I started programming.

I did look into them and from what I gathered they are  solid and good choice.  I selected Frontpoint as an option because I know someone who is very pleased with them plus the reviews I was seeing online.  Protect America always appeared with them at the top.  Another thing that consistently appeared was avoid cable package deals like the ones offered by Comcast.  

I also ran across people who suggested looking into your local/regional people as they may be able to match or do better than some of the ideas I have mentioned. Furthermore, you are dealing with a professional. I was about to look into that before getting sidetracked by safe shopping.

If it's a Vista panel (Honeywell) you can probably find a local alarm company who knows how to bump the panel, get rid of the lockout code, & reprogram it for a lot less than $32 per month.
Make sure you ask them for the insurance certificate to give to your insurance company.

Forbes published how to simply safe system can be hacked Link

While it is true that many local companies can hack an ADT system for a lower price.

Be sure that the insurance certificate and "some" type of monitoring is all you're looking for.

Adt has six interconnected monitoring stations manned by a minimum of 1000 people apiece-these are never rotated and serve as peace of mind in the event of a regional disaster or national disaster-you have back up monitoring stations,  this is Adt's bread-and-butter no one can do what Adt does with monitoring.

Adt guarantees their service/ equipment

ADT will give you $500 toward your deductible if you have a break-in and loss.

---

And if you are still looking for a lower rate only, adt will drop those guarantees above.

If I sound like I work for them probably is because I do

We had ADT install the wired system and monitor it for a couple of years. No big problems except false alarms. If ADT can't reach the customer they'll call LE who will come to the house. Just be sure to answer your phone during meetings, church, movies, when the connection is poor/nonexistent, etc. After about two of these incidents the county will start sending you a bill. I know of one false alarm we had that we could not figure out how it occurred (maybe a bird hit the window and set off the alarm?). Not ADT's issue.

The real clincher was when the contract was over (well over 2 years!) we decided to stop the monitoring. The false alarms weighed in on this decision and we wanted to use just the equipment as a stand-alone alarm. ADT entered their code into our system and ADT disabled the alarm altogether. So now there's an alarm system in our home that we can't use. Bunch of BS!

I likely would not have canceled the contract had I known this was the outcome, but now we refuse to be an ADT customer again because of this experience. In fact, we decided against redoing a contract just to get it working again because of ADT and their BS disabling of our system (its probably in the contract, but still BS). Our next home is getting a wired system installed by the builder and we'll get monitoring if we choose to, but not with ADT.

When we sell this house we are going to inform the new owner of our ADT experience and why the alarm is not working. I will recommend they not use ADT. When we get to the new neighborhood, the new neighbors will hear this same story since they'll be looking for alarm service also (new construction).

We've had ADT for 15 years.  No false alarms.  Excellent service and response.

We got it through USAA, who has/had a relationship with ADT.  Therefore, we got a great price.

To me, the service has been a real anxiety reducer and, therefore, well worth the money paid.

So, call your insurance company before you do anything else to see if they have a relationship with an alarm company.

I've read a lot of bad stuff about ADT on the web, but none of it coincides with our experience with the company and their products.  Both have been excellent in our experience.

Sorry about your false alarm experiences, ADT does guarantee service-and will refund false alarm fees.

As to your frustration about the equipment-equipment is owned by ADT,  Unless negotiate it differently at time of agreement, I am sure you would not be frustrated if DirecTV did not allow dish TV to use their equipment/DVR.

If you're willing to give us another shot, I will make it up more than right (can't say much more than that I am not a site sponsor), IM me your info.


Eta-I would not be surprised if you were initially set up from a third-party franchise.   While they are not necessarily evil, they do not have the quality control that corporate does-hence, the USAA member above has had an excellent experience, I know for a fact he is a corporate customer because USAA does not deal with the franchises-I can count on one finger the times I have seen equipment removed from a corporate customer

Want advice from a DCJS certified security sales guy who has never sold a system due to giving the appropriate information?  IM me for details

Considering my recent safe success with a local dealer, I decided to follow some advice and check into the local security (Glessner Security in my area) and I was pleased.  A few of the Sporting stores I frequent have used them for years and are very pleased.   The initial responses to my inquiries have placed them at the top of the list.  I'd suggest giving the locals a call.

I just sold my house and moved into an apartment.
After some research I went with this:



http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA5381K38387



Lots of features,all wireless. For under $200 to my door

You do know that a pro can enter through the front door & then use the 30-second delay to rip that self-contained unit off the wall & throw it in the toilet tank before it transmits anything, right?

I guess you don't know you can change the delay to anything you want....

Then you need to find the panel......

 I did not.  What do you do to avoid that?  Is there a product/security company recommendation?  

As noted in the post above yours, you can probably adjust the delay between when the alarm trips, and the system dials your monitoring company, to reduce the risk.  Even then, though, you have to have an entry delay on the system to give you time to disarm the system before it goes off.  The only good way around this is to use a system which has the keypad(s) separate from the control panel, and put the control panel in an out-of-the-way location like a closet somewhere.  That way, even if an intruder destroys the keypad, the system can still dial your monitoring company because the "brains" aren't affected.

The only wireless systems I know of that are designed this way are the Simplisafe and the DSC Alexor (one source is http://www.homesecuritystore.com/alarm-systems/wireless-alarm-systems/dsc-kit495-18cp01, although there are a number of different kits available there, and quite a variety of other sensors).  The Simplisafe is marketed as being easy for the end user to program, but I haven't used one.  I have used an Alexor and have been happy with it.  You can use an Alexor with any monitoring company you want--I used alarmrelay.com and was very satisfied with them.

Just curious, what was the source of the false alarms?

All in one panel/keypad combos suck, because they are usually found right next to the main entry door (which has a delay).
When you have a keypad by the door & separate panel in the basement (or attic, closet, garage, etc) it wouldn't matter if they smashed the keypad because the panel would still dial out before they found it.

With the DSC (Alexor or Impassa) you can still make it work by hiding the main unit somewhere & using a second keypad by the front door.

I don't know anything about Simplesafe.

I have considered building a  wireless  home security system.  The DSC control panel the way to go?  I have seen the Simons stuff but only because I have seen it with some of the national package service dealers. I am considering 15 door/window sensors, 1 motion sensor, garage door sensor, several glass break sensors, and some environment sensors.

I have Simplesafe for about two years now and I would highly recommended it. Easy to in stall and it works great. I have glass break, motion, fire,  panic buttons, door and window sensors. There sperate key pad and cell phone controlled center sold me and I can use there app to remote set  and disarm view my settings and make my own changes.you can add devices or disable devices yourself. I also have key chain remotes. Buy it install it and if you move take it with you, you own it. Did I mention it is all wireless.

We have used Protection 1 for the past 10 years for equipment and monitoring. I refuse to pay more than $25 for both hard line and cell monitoring and each year Prot 1 and I have a conversation about this. We bought our equipment from them and about two years ago updated system to a combination hard wire and wireless. Glass breaks and additional motion sensors are wireless all other switches remain hard wired. We did get a new control unit and keypad. We do not do the interactive smartphone system.

In my conversations w Prot 1 I remind them that since I bought my equip and paid them for their labor to install they are not needing the infllated monthly rates to recoup equip costs. They agree and a manger over rides the monitoring cost increase. Twice I have had to ask to speak to the CEO by name when a customer service person decides to play hardball, in each case a manger intercedes and sees we have been a loyal multiple year customer. Like the ADT employee mentioned having a national presence does offer some level of back up in case of a regional storm or disaster taking down a monitoring center.

I have gun safe, however they are only designed to slow down a criminal so I depend upon the alarm to notify LE and shorten the time the criminal has before they exit a smash and grab. Our local police have very little activity so an alarm in most cases does get a fairly quick response/investigation.

If I was to do an alarm on a new home I would do a wireless install myself and select a monitoring service based upon service and price. I understand the alarm companies need to realize a profit, so a reasonable monthly fee for service is fair.  I don't have a good feel for ADT though as they have door to door guys who see my Prot 1 sign and try to sell me on upgrading my system, beating the existing monitoring cost, and having it completed by end of the week without ever asking if I am pleased with my current provider! I hate door to door sales as I would never want to intrude on a strangers evening or weekend time so why should I allow someone to intrude on mine?

Good luck!