Daily Real Estate News  |  September 7, 2007  |   Home Security Systems of the Super-Rich
The events of Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, ushered in a home security system sales boom for middle- and upper-class homes, according to ADT Security Services and the market research firm Parks Associates.

Here are some of the newest high-end approaches to home security:

• Home Security System: a Los Angeles-based firm offering a system that starts at $1 million and includes bulletproof walls, ceilings, and windows. The most expensive option drops gas blankets on an intruder.

• Lagotek: a Washington-based company that designs wireless home automation systems that allow home owners to control everything from lighting and temperature to surveillance and security from a PC anywhere in the world. The touch screen systems cost $10,000 to $15,000 and integrate a host of third-party products, from cameras to locks to flood detectors.

• Döttling: a German-based firm sells safes priced between $55,000 and $160,000. They are designed with 24-karat gold leaf camouflage antique exteriors and include fingerprint and retina scanners.

• SmartWater Technology: allows clients to paint clear liquid — about $65 for a year's supply – onto their valuables, be it a wedding ring or a sizable piece of art. The solution, which subsequently hardens, contains a unique forensic code that glows under ultraviolet light, which allows a serial number, engraving, or company logo to be easily identified. It also makes the fingerprints of burglars easy to pick up.

Source: Forbes, Matt Woolsey (09/06/07)