The One Thing You Have To Do The Minute You Move Into Your New Home

When you get the keys to your new home, the first thing you want to do is take a moment to savor that new home smell. You want to unpack, and turn what belonged to someone else and make it yours. Before you do any of that, though, you should do one thing: change the locks, or at least get them re-keyed.

Imagine for a moment, how many people might have keys to your new home. It could just be the sweet old couple from whom you bought the home, but it might also be their children, or their grandchildren. Previous contractors, or housekeepers, or gardeners could have access to your home.

Today, there are several modern alternatives to old-fashioned locks. Of course, if you prefer the old-fashioned way, we’ll tell you how to save money.

Whether you’re installing a new lock or rekeying the old, experts recommend that you have a doorknob lock, but also a deadbolt. Doorknob locks offer little in the way of security. Deadbolts have a much larger bolt that secures your door to your wall. A determined burglar will be able to break most deadbolts, but they would have to be very determined and have the right tools.

We’ve come a long way since the basic lock and key, though. Today, there are a multitude of smart locks that virtually eliminate the need to search for your keys. With some, you enter a combination, and some have key fobs. With some, you can open and lock your door from an app on your phone. One big advantage to a smart lock is that you’ll never have to give a key to a contractor or a friend. With many, you can let them in remotely, and with others, you can assign them a temporary code, which can be deleted from the system. All have key back-ups, in case your WiFi or electricity goes down. Here’s what CNET recommends if you want to change the locks to smart locks:

If you want to go the old fashioned route, here’s a video that will show you how to change the locks in your new home, which can save you a lot of money.

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