Congratulations on the new house. Before you hang a single picture, here's a question worth thinking about: who else has a key?
The honest answer is that nobody knows, not even the sellers. That's why the first thing we tell every new homeowner in Sacramento is the same: change your locks, or at least rekey them, before you move in your stuff.
Who might still have a key to your house
When you get the keys at closing, you're getting some of the keys. Here's who may still have the others:
The previous owners, and their kids, relatives and friends
Neighbors who watered plants or fed the cat while they were away
Past house cleaners, dog walkers and babysitters
Contractors, painters and handymen who worked on the house
Real estate agents, stagers, inspectors and appraisers
Past tenants, if the house was ever a rental
Whoever found the "hidden" key under the planter
Most of those people are perfectly trustworthy. The point is you can't know, and a set of keys costs a lot less than a break-in with no sign of forced entry, which can also be harder to sort out with your insurance.
Rekey or replace?
You have two options, and both make every old key useless.
Rekeying keeps your existing locks and changes the pins inside the cylinder so they work with a brand-new key. The hardware stays on the door; the old keys stop working. It's the fastest and most affordable way to secure a new home, and we cut your new keys on the spot.
Replacing means new hardware. It makes sense when:
The locks are worn, sticky, cheap or just ugly
You want to upgrade to a stronger Grade 1 deadbolt
You want to go keyless with a keypad or smart lock
The finish doesn't match what you want in your new place
Many people do a mix: rekey the back door, garage entry and side gate, and put a smart lock on the front door.
One more perk of doing it now: we can key every lock alike. One key opens the front door, back door, garage entry and gate, instead of the five mystery keys the sellers handed you.
The doors and locks people forget
Everyone remembers the front door. Here's the full list we walk through with new homeowners:
Front door deadbolt and handle
Back door and any side doors
Door from the garage into the house. This one is often the most-used door and the most forgotten.
Side yard gates with keyed locks or padlocks
Sliding glass doors. Most can't be rekeyed, but a security bar or pin keeps them from being forced or lifted out.
Mailbox. If you have your own mailbox lock, it can be rekeyed too.
ADU, casita, shed or detached garage
Not just keys: reset the codes too
Modern houses have more ways in than a key. Spend an hour on these the first week:
Garage door opener. Clear every remote from the opener's memory (most have a "learn" button on the motor unit that wipes them), then re-pair only your own remotes. Change the outside keypad code too.
Smart locks and keypads. Delete every existing user code, or do a factory reset, and set up your own account in the app.
Alarm system. Change the master code and any user codes, and transfer the monitoring account into your name.
Video doorbells and cameras. Make sure the previous owner's account no longer has access.
Lockboxes. If the agent's lockbox or a spare-key box is still on the property, take it down or change the combination.
Your move-in security checklist
Rekey or replace every exterior lock (front, back, side, garage entry, gates)
Key them all alike so you carry one key
Reset the garage door opener remotes and keypad code
Delete old codes on any smart lock, keypad or alarm
Remove the previous owner's access from cameras and doorbells
Check that every door latches and the deadbolt slides without pushing on the door
Give one spare key to someone you trust who lives nearby
Let us handle the locks
QuickTurn has completed more than 1,000 rekeys for homeowners and property managers around Sacramento. We'll come out, rekey or replace every lock you choose, key them alike, and hand you new keys before we leave. Thinking about going keyless while we're there? We install keypad deadbolts and eufy smart locks too.
Request a rekey or new locks, or call us at (916) 573-9859.
