August 12, 2026Greater Toronto Area

Do Security Cameras Really Increase Your Home's Value?

What the real estate and insurance data actually says about camera systems, home value, buyer demand, and the kind of ROI that shows up before you ever sell.

Homeowners ask us this constantly when they’re weighing a camera install: is this just a security expense, or does it actually pay me back? The honest answer is both, and the data backs up more of it than most people expect. Here’s what the research actually shows, without the exaggerated claims that tend to circulate.

Buyers already expect it

Security has become one of the most in-demand smart home categories among buyers, not a niche add-on. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, roughly 80% of agents rank security and privacy systems as very or somewhat important to buyers, and about two-thirds of homebuyers say they’d want smart cameras pre-installed in a home they’re considering. In Canada, adoption is already climbing fast: close to 30% of Canadian households have installed some kind of smart security device, according to Made in CA’s smart home research. For a GTA property, a documented camera system is quickly becoming table stakes rather than a bonus.

The resale value picture, honestly

Here the data is more nuanced than the marketing you’ll see elsewhere. Smart security tech doesn’t reliably add a fixed dollar amount to an appraisal the way a kitchen renovation might. What it does move is marketability: HomeLight’s research on home security upgrades found that smart security technology can boost a home’s value by as much as 12% in favourable cases, largely because it widens the pool of interested buyers and helps a listing stand out. Treat that as an upper bound tied to the right buyer and the right property, not a guarantee. The more consistent effect is a home that shows better, photographs better, and answers a question buyers are already asking before they ask it.

Insurance: real, but conditional

Monitored security systems can lower a home insurance premium in Canada by roughly 5% to 20%, depending on the insurer and how the system is certified. The catch that’s easy to miss: most Canadian insurers base that discount on monitored intrusion detection, not cameras on their own. A camera system records evidence after something happens; it doesn’t interrupt a break-in the way a monitored alarm does, which is the distinction insurers are actually pricing. If lowering your premium is part of your reasoning, talk to your broker about exactly what your policy rewards before assuming a camera install alone will move the number.

The deterrence math is the real ROI

The clearest, best-documented financial case for cameras isn’t resale value or insurance. It’s the break-in that never happens. A widely cited study out of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte found that roughly 60% of convicted burglars said they’d avoid a property with visible security cameras altogether, and separate research puts the share of burglars who check for cameras before attempting a break-in at around 83%. That’s not a marginal effect. Avoiding even one break-in, with the cost of stolen property, damage, and the time spent dealing with a claim, is worth more than most homeowners assume when they’re first pricing out a system.

What actually determines the payoff

Coverage that has gaps doesn’t deter anyone; determined burglars notice the camera pointed at the front door and walk around to the side gate it doesn’t cover. The homes that get real value out of a camera system are the ones with coverage mapped to actual entry points and blind spots, hardwired so the feed doesn’t drop, and installed cleanly enough that it reads as a real system rather than a hardware-store afterthought. That’s the difference between a camera that adds genuine value and one that’s just a line item.

If you’re weighing a camera system for a GTA property and want a straight answer on what coverage actually makes sense, request a free estimate and we’ll walk the property with you before recommending anything.