You don't know who has a key to your new house. The previous owner's cleaner, a contractor, a neighbor who watered the plants, the agent's lockbox. None of them are likely to be a problem — and you still shouldn't be trusting your front door to 'likely.' Changing the locks on move-in day is the one security step that costs the least and closes the most doors at once.
Rekey or replace?
If the locks are in good shape and you just want the old keys to stop working, rekey. A locksmith swaps the pins inside each cylinder so a new key works and the old ones don't. It's quick and you keep the hardware. Replace when the locks are worn, mismatched, low-grade, or you want to upgrade to a deadbolt or a smart lock. Most move-ins are a mix: rekey the good ones, replace the bad ones.
The checklist — don't stop at the front door
- Every exterior door — front, back, side, the door from the garage into the house. The garage-to-house door is the one people forget, and it's the one a garage remote gives access to.
- The garage door opener — clear the remotes with the learn button and re-pair only yours. Change the outdoor keypad code. If the opener is old enough to use dip switches, it's worth replacing.
- Any keypad or smart lock — factory reset it and set it up under your own account. A previous owner's phone can still be a key otherwise.
- Sheds, gates, and mailboxes — lower stakes, same idea.
- Key everything alike — one key for every exterior door is a real quality-of-life upgrade and a locksmith can do it during the rekey.
Timing
The best time is the day you get the keys, before the movers come. A locksmith can usually do a whole house in a single visit. If you're renting, ask the landlord — many will rekey on request, and some states require it between tenants.
What a move-in lock visit usually costs
Rekeying is priced per lock and is on the smaller end of locksmith work; replacing hardware costs more because you're buying the lock too. Smart locks are more again. A whole-house rekey with everything keyed alike is a modest, one-time job for the peace of mind it buys. The locksmith confirms the price before starting.
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Common questions
- Should I change the locks when I buy a house?
- Yes. You can't know who has copies of the existing keys. Rekeying every exterior door on move-in day is quick and closes that risk completely.
- Is it cheaper to rekey or replace locks in a new house?
- Rekeying is cheaper because you keep the hardware and only the pins change. Replace locks that are worn, low-grade, or that you want to upgrade. Most move-ins are a mix of both.
- Do I need to do anything about the garage door when I move in?
- Yes — clear the opener's memory with the learn button and re-pair only your remotes, change the outdoor keypad code, and rekey the door from the garage into the house.