Vacant Home in Fresno? Secure It Before It Gets Broken Into (This Happened to Us on Roosevelt Ave)

If you have a vacant home in Fresno or anywhere in the Central Valley, this is the most important thing you will read today: it will get broken into. Not might. Will. The only question is when — and whether you have secured it before it happens.

I am not writing this as a hypothetical. I purchased a property on Roosevelt Avenue in Fresno that had been vacant. It was broken into while we owned it. I have seen the same thing happen on properties throughout the Valley — in Clovis, in Madera, in Hanford, in neighborhoods that people assume are safe. Vacancy is the signal. Once a property looks empty, it becomes a target.

How They Get In (Every Access Point)

Most people think about front doors and windows. Those are the obvious entry points, and yes, they need to be secured. But there are access points that most homeowners never consider — and that experienced squatters know how to exploit.

Crawl spaces and subfloor access. Homes with raised foundations have crawl space vents and access panels underneath the structure. Squatters will crawl under a home, locate a weak point in the subfloor — often near a bathroom — and drill or cut through it to gain interior access. This happened to me on a property I purchased. The entry point was completely invisible from the street or from a casual walkthrough of the exterior.

Windows. Every window needs to be locked and, in vacant properties, ideally secured with a secondary locking mechanism or boarded. Ground-floor windows are obvious targets. But second-floor windows accessible from a fence, tree, or adjacent structure are also vulnerable.

Garage doors. Manual override mechanisms on garage doors can be triggered from outside with a wire through the top seal. If the garage connects to the interior of the home, a compromised garage door is a compromised home.

Sliding doors. Standard sliding door locks are weak. A piece of cut-down wooden dowel in the track is cheap and effective. Without it, a sliding door can often be lifted off its track from outside.

Roof vents and attic access. Less common but documented: entry through roof vents or attic hatches on single-story homes. If the attic connects to the interior, it is an access point.

What to Do Right Now

If you have a vacant property, take these steps immediately. Change or rekey all exterior door locks. Install door reinforcement plates on all entry doors — the door itself may be solid, but the strike plate and frame are often the weak point. Board or secure all ground-floor windows. Install a crawl space vent cover with a locking mechanism on every crawl space opening. Walk the perimeter and look for any opening larger than 6 inches at ground level.

If you cannot do this yourself, call me directly at (559) 281-8016. I will either help you secure the property or connect you with a trusted contractor who can board it up, rekey it, and secure every access point — including under the house. I have done this on my own properties and I know who to call.

If There Is Already a Squatter

Do not attempt to remove a squatter yourself. In California, squatter removal requires a formal unlawful detainer (eviction) process even if the person has no lease. Attempting a self-help eviction — changing locks while someone is inside, removing their belongings, cutting utilities — can expose you to civil liability. Call an attorney first. I can refer you to one who handles exactly this situation.

If You Want to Sell the Property

If you have a vacant property that has been broken into, vandalized, or occupied by a squatter — we buy those. We purchased the Clovis property described elsewhere on this site: double homicide history, two-year squatter, no water, no sewer, full of trash. $200,000 cash, as-is, no inspection. Call (559) 281-8016.