Batcaves. Bulletproof shutters. Laser curtains. The world of high-end home security is as advanced as they come.
Today’s luxury home security systems address everything from chemical attacks and seismic events to unwanted intruders and flash photography. And biometric access? Expect it at every access point.
Just take Residence 950 in San Francisco, for example. Listed at $45 million, the home takes the crown as the Bay Area’s single-most expensive property on the market. And the luxe compound’s security measures certainly fit the bill.
The home boasts nine security cameras, a Batcave-like garage entry, biometric keypad access and an enterprise-level firewall used by the likes of tech giants like Dell.
The home even has its own museum-grade, double-height art gallery, so high-profile residents don’t have to leave the house to host exclusive events.
According to Greg Malin, CEO of Troon Pacific — the builder of Residence 950, among other high-end properties on the West Coast — these are just a few of the extreme security measures today’s luxury real estate buyers are looking for.
“We’ve seen interest in safe rooms, blast-resistant floors and walls, as well as exterior security measures like radar that is capable of detecting a person or security cameras that can follow intruders,” Malin said. “Things we typically do include are biometric entry systems — including secure access to wine rooms — cameras with video recording and long-term storage, unique access codes for trusted individuals and enterprise-level firewalls.”
Malin said Troon Pacific has even considered things like anti-photography measures and “man radars.”
“Once we considered installing a counter-flash in our homes, which minimizes the possibility of flash photography — something that would be attractive to high-profile homeowners or celebrities,” Malin said. “We’ve also considered man radars, where different security protocol go into effect when a person is detected, license plate recognition for gate access, and security laser curtains that protect valuable artwork. If someone gets too close, an alarm is triggered.”
Jason Haber, an agent with Warburg Realty in Manhattan, has even seen security protections specifically for chemical attacks.
“An apartment had one room equipped with a safe space in the event of a chemical attack,” Haber said. “Basically, you run into the room, turn on a button and a tent pops out of a built-in closet. You run in the tent, and it protects you from the attack around you.”
Other things he’s seen? Bulletproof shutters and “trapping” mechanisms to keep intruders from fleeing.
Val Steele, the listing agent for Residence 950, said security has become a top priority for luxury home buyers in recent years.
“Buyers at this price point expect a sophisticated security infrastructure to be in place at the time of purchase,” Steele said. “A buyer wants to know when traveling their families are safe at home. Also, buyers in this category take long vacations and are off-property for extended periods of time.”
Security is important to the average homeowner though too, and while most can’t afford Batcaves and biometric access, new technologies like the Ring video doorbell, the August smart lock and the Notion home monitoring sensor can give some much-needed peace of mind.
Notion, a cookie-sized sensor that detects water leaks, temperature changes and open doors and windows, even integrates with the Nest home thermostat and HomeAdvisor, in case you need a contractor to fix that leak.
According to Notion’s cofounder and CEO Brett Jurgens, the tech can be installed in 15 minutes or less and can protect homeowners from everything “from break-ins to broken pipes.”
