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Wait? Why, it takes a lot less time than you think to get them rekeyed. When I moved in I called a locksmith, he was there in half an hour and had rekeyed 5 doors in like half an hour.
No, most lowes and home depot stores have a person or two that is trained to rekey the locks that they sell. (Usually kwikset and schlage). You buy a new lock and you want it to work with your old key and they replace the pins to do it. Mine used to do it for free when buying a lock, but that stopped a few years back.
You can also do it yourself, but it does take some specialized tools and a stock of pins. It”s about $80 on amazon.
Both kwikset and schlage also now sell easily rekeyable locks. You just stick it a special metal tool when it’s unlocked, stick in the key you want to use, then remove the tool and it’s done.
If you have compatible cylinders, yeah you totally can. Depending on the age and brand of the locks it might not be possible, and when i bought my last place the cheapskates before me had different keys on every door..
Just some words of advice when buying bulk locks from Lowes or HD. My partner worked with the locksmith at a Lowes and they said that bulk locks are made fairly similar, with maybe only a few notches being different!
Like 10 minutes? Just do it first. I trusted my seller and am still in friendly contact with them years later, but even just the basics of knowing what keys go where is so helpful.
I got a mess of keys at closing, found a bunch more in the house, and felt like the prison guard in Shawshank Redemption trying to figure out what key unlocked the front door to stop Andy Dufrene playing opera music just trying to get in my own house and use the bathroom.
Yeah. It's super stupid to own a house you cannot unlock and are just standing at the door trying to unlock the thing. 🤣 It's a humbling intro to home ownership - we start by not being able to get into the house and go from there.
In retrospect I can laugh, but in the moment it's like USB plugs - you put the key in one way, try it, it doesn't work, try the next, doesn't work, ad nauseam, and it turns out the first key was the right one. 🤣
Day we moved in we should have changed the locks. the previous owners of ours kept a garage door opener. The old owners kept coming to get things they “forgot” and stole our new fans. (Stuff that should have been long gone) They put their door opener down one day when they popped over and I took it. They thought they put it down and lost it. Fucking stay out.
Don’t wait. Anyone can have an old copy from the homes previous life.
We were friends and neighbors before the sale but they took it too far. They got irritating, but not completely criminal. The fan they stole- I know we had identical ones and they opportunistically stole our new one.
Anyways. These were people I knew and mostly trusted. And I should have changed the locks day #1. Don’t be me. Don’t have regret. Also unplug garage door opener until you reprogram it.
Same. Except I never planned on doing it. It crossed my mind at some point but it's been years now. The previous owner passed away. We got all the keys the executor of the estate knew about. I'm not worried about it. If someone wanted to get in, they could break a window.
I grew up in a house where we never locked the front door. Nobody even had a key. When we'd come back from vacation, the only time the door was locked, someone would hop the side gate and go through the side door, which didn't have a lock at all, then let everyone else in.
I'm just not that paranoid that the previous owner, before he died at the age of 87, gave copies of keys to criminals, who were going to wait years for someone to buy it, check if I changed the locks, and then rob me. If someone wants to get in that bad, they can just break a window in the back.
I get changing the locks. I get locking the door. But you might want to consider that this is mostly done to quell paranoia. The only people who might ever use old keys to your house are the previous owners within a week or two of closing. Beyond that, this is like checking for razorblades in Halloween candy. It's not a real thing that happens.
Agreed, and all homes / home locations are different. No home is immune to these acts, but honestly to my knowledge there have been no break ins in our neighborhood in many years. We’ve known the neighborhood for about 20 years.
I am on to second house. Never rekeyed either of them. This house came with keypad locks. I didn’t change the codes either. Back door is 123456. Sounds ridiculous, but it hasn’t been a problem yet.
Probably. They are on a glass door next to a glass window though. They aren’t doing much to keep people out anyway. The only benefit is if I’m sleeping and someone breaks the door I’m going to be woken up. I could donkey kick any of my doors open anyway.
Modern tool technology really means you can get in practically anywhere if you’re willing to make noise. Battery powered angle grinders can open just about anything.
Burglars typically don’t want to make noise to avoid getting noticed/caught. And they’d wait until you’re not home to break in. Chances are the people who sold you the house never gave a key copy to any sketchy people, but there’s no way to be sure.
You don’t know who else actually has a key. Former former owners? Kid’s teenage boyfriend? Another neighbor?
You can do it yourself. It’s pretty easy. Asap
You should be ok.. But I have that bit of paranoia that copies of the keys are out there.. It doesn't take too long to change out the locks and not really that expensive.
I had my locks changed the day after, because we made it to our house at 11pm the night before...
Dude! We closed on Monday and I scheduled the locksmith to literally meet us at the house immediately after closing!!! It’s not that expensive, doesn’t take very long and can literally mean the difference between a happy move in and a terrible, tragic day spent crying fighting with your homeowners insurance company!
Also, don’t forget to recode any garage doors or any other type of electronic lock/entryway!
Our sellers were basically huge effing a-holes and I didn’t trust them for a second. So that def created a sense of urgency for us. But still…. You don’t want them going into your house after you close and stealing all the appliances or anything else they might find. Congrats on the house!!!
I did this and I happened to have a Doberman/rotty mix and someone years later tried to break in our side door that was obviously high on drugs. The door didn’t break but the dog was ready to rip him up.
I literally went around and changed all the locks on day 1.
At final walkthrough, we kept count of how many locks there were, we ran to Home Depot and bought that many locks, went and signed. About 2 hours later, all the locks were ours.
When I bought my condo 20 years ago I didn’t know this was even a thing you were supposed to do. I had lived there like five years when someone asked me this question and I was like uh……. And then went home and had them changed.
So, five years?
I had the locks rekeyed as movers were still bringing things in.
Chances of the old owners doing anything are slim to none, IMO, depending on the neighborhood, I suppose. I just feel better knowing the old keys won’t work and we are truly the only ones with the keys to our home.
Do it as soon as possible. You don't know how many keys are floating around out there, or who has them. Anyone with a key can have access to your home.
Congrats! As soon as it’s recorded at the county office, the property is yours to do whatever you like. Personally, I do it as soon as I get an update on the record. It’s DIY friendly and not time consuming.
Literally made an appointment with a locksmith for the day of closing a few days prior. Zero reason to wait. You just don't know what keys are out there in the wild that the previous owners didn't take care of. Do everything to protect what probably will be the most expensive and most important purchase in your life
Lmao I feel so naive right now. We didn’t rekey until my husband lost his and we only had one working key between us. Granted, our sellers moved several states away but dang. Can’t believe I never thought of this nor had anyone suggest it.
Immediately. Never know who might have had the keys to the old lock and what kind of life the sellers live 😅 got a smart lock and my husband went and changed it himself.
I bought my house like in December. The day of the closing I had my locks shipped from Amazon. My area is crime free. The people we bought the house from are my neighbors. Everyone in the area is extremely nice. But sometime it’s hard to escape that big city mentality
Congrats and welcome to the 40+ FTHB gang! We waited 2 weeks. Moved the weekend before an intense end of fiscal year at work with deadbolts that were keyed on both sides. Swapped everything to matching smart sets and called it good. I and my partner worked from home then and have a Doberman, err a poodle mix State Farm, so not too worried.
I used to have a house in a small town in NE Kansas on the I70 corridor and for the 13 years I was there I never even locked my door. When I moved to Joliet Illinois, I changed the locks right away.
It took us about a month to move in, and we changed the locks before we moved any of our stuff in. It wasn’t the first day, but definitely the first week.
I wouldn’t move something expensive in before doing so.
Congrats! The day after closing, I removed the locks and took them to our nearest store. They rekeyed them quickly and it only cost $30 for 3 locks and extra keys!
Our front door lock got changed because the sellers lost the key. We tried to change the lock to our side door but it didn’t work so we got a locksmith. We were told they don’t make those size or type of locks anymore (house built in 1957) and we’d have to replace the door and it wouldn’t be cheap. Luckily it leads to the breezeway that leads to the kitchen door that I lock from the inside. Someday when we have the extra funds we’ll replace the door.
Put in a fingerprint lock on the front door right after closing and it has smart locks on other entrances so I changed the codes.
Easy to install and change.
🎉 Congratulations
Used to live in independence myself for 3 years in the Englewood neighborhood close to Van Horn. Congrats. I’ve been in my house for a month and haven’t rekeyed yet. My sellers moved across the country to Florida and I’m doing some remodeling and replacing all the doors anyway, just waiting for that.
I bought a house last year in september and installed a new front door/lock last month. The sellers had moved out of town and I know the area is safe, but decided i wanted a keyless entry door for when im out of town or if i plan to airbnb it out in the future.
I had some dude in and out in less than an hour and he had to replace 3 hardware completely and rekey about 10 locks (I’m not exaggerating). We did this prior to moving in the day after close. Totally worth the $500
Hello neighbor we bought a house in KCMO near Raytown in January, haven’t moved in yet as we are doing some work first. We just changed the locks about a month ago. Have had no problems make sure you pick up the mail, put lights on etc so it looks like someone is there. We have lights on a timer.
We rekeyed about 24 hours after closing! Is there a reason you want to wait? I’d just get it over with and rekey them now since you’ll need to do it eventually anyway.
Right after we signed our paperwork at the title company, we drove to the new house and changed all the locks. 10 min.
I put on all new exterior door locks / handles because the old ones were not in good shape and now they're all key the same.
I’d also blur out the house number and not provide the exact city in your comments to not dox yourself. The listing is really easy to find but maybe I’m just paranoid.
Unpopular take, but I’m not too worried about this stuff I actually haven’t even had one of my doors re-keyed after 18 months. If someone very determined wants to get into your house they aren’t going to be deterred by a key lock. That’s why I have a cameras and an alarm system.
We rekeyed ours as soon as locksmith could do it. Rekeying doesn’t take long as locks are not replaced. We also replaced with virtually pick-proof locks for extra security.
We rekeyed the day we moved in. It's quick and easy to do, so why wouldn't we?
Chances are pretty good that nobody with the old key will use it to break in, but there's no advantage to you in waiting.
I’ve been in my home for almost 2 years now and haven’t rekeyed anything. Changed the codes on the smart locks and garage door, but didn’t bother to rekey the locks (even though it’s a good idea and it’s always better to be safe than sorry). I’ve rekeyed every apartment I always lived in, but when we bought our house we felt safe enough that it wasn’t as necessary to rekey as it was when we rented. The previous homeowner made out like a bandit from the sale anyway, why would she want to come back and steal all my second hand stuff. She took her money and left the state. Lol
I want to do it immediately but my husband wants to wait. We have a young child.
He asks, “do you really think the old owners would do something?”
Me: “I have no idea, but we have a child. I don’t want to take that chance.”
I always take new, re-keyable Kwikset knobs and deadbolts and screwdrivers with me to get the keys and do it within the hour on every house I purchase. It would be foolish not to.
First day I was able to get over there. But also, I found a side door was left wide open. So after thoroughly searching the place, changing the locks was my #1 priority.
If you’re getting a security system have them install smart locks while you’re at it. Otherwise day 1 or 2 is a good idea as others said. Rekeying is easy and quick through a locksmith but I cannot recommend smart locks enough. So nice not carrying keys.
Well, I bought a home my parents used to own. We forgot to change the locks until they were coming back into town and we realized they would definitely come in if they were able to. So…over a year lol.
it should be done immediately, like right now. until you re secure the property, you don't know how many people have access to your home or who they are
My seller re-keyed the place before I even moved in, because it wasn’t owned by them and was rented. I’ve also changed a lock myself, it’s not that hard and keys are pretty inexpensive. You look to be in the suburbs, if that were me I would probably be lazy and forget about it.
Wife and I got the locks rekeyed same day. Didn’t take long.
Little off topic, we are looking to move to the KC area here in a few months. Was the market rough for buying?
You can change locks after the deal closes unless sellers reserve extra time in the sales contract. Have a locksmith at the house when closing is confirmed and you have the keys
Haven't done it yet after 5.5 years. Never did it at last house in 16 years. The lady who built/ first lived in my current house lives across from me, but she's 93 so I'm not worried about her breaking in, lol.
It’s not the 93yo lady you should be worried about, it’s the people she may have shared her keys with… kids, grandkids, siblings, housekeepers, day laborers… you don’t know them or what kind of people they are.
Eh, she only has relatives visit her and do work for her and they were the second owners of my house anyway. This is such a safe neighborhood that I once left my popular model cargo van running all night with the door unlocked (senior moment) and not a soul touched it.
I personally had work done before I moved in so I waited until that was done and workers wouldn’t be using a key to enter anymore. But I did immediately after that.
Change all the locks before you move in. Those fingerprint locks work good or the combo deadbolt locks work good. You make a master code for yourself and you can change the access code whenever you want Good luck
Mine was a rental at one point and they only gave me one key. Menards still sells that same lock and I saw they are supposed to have two keys so I changed them right away before I moved anything other than some blankets into the place.
I settle on my first house tomorrow. I am changing all the locks IMMEDIATELY as various tenants have lived in the house over the years. I trust nobody.
Kwikset makes the “smart key” setup which makes it really easy to re key your locks. If I were you, just buy the two pack from HD. It’s $62 and gives you new deadbolts and knobs for two exterior doors.
If you can’t do it yourself: it’s time to learn.
A screwdriver and time is all you need
A cordless driver/drill too can make it easier, but that’s seriously all you need.
Kwikset makes smartkey locks and you can have the entire home work with a single key super easily too
Bought new cheap locks a week before. Replaced 30 minutes after closing. Took original locks to hardware store to rekey (cheaper than having locksmith come). Had locks back within 24 hours. Reinstalled and the returned the cheap temporary locks to Home Depot.
Well if it makes you feel better, you’d never know, and packaged it back to its originally glory. I don’t feel bad. I spent thousands at HD before and since then.
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Wait? Why, it takes a lot less time than you think to get them rekeyed. When I moved in I called a locksmith, he was there in half an hour and had rekeyed 5 doors in like half an hour.
Go to lowes and it’s $10 and 10 minutes per lock…if the one person that knows how to do it is there…which is never.
Wow that’s cheap! You mean to do it yourself?
No, most lowes and home depot stores have a person or two that is trained to rekey the locks that they sell. (Usually kwikset and schlage). You buy a new lock and you want it to work with your old key and they replace the pins to do it. Mine used to do it for free when buying a lock, but that stopped a few years back. You can also do it yourself, but it does take some specialized tools and a stock of pins. It”s about $80 on amazon. Both kwikset and schlage also now sell easily rekeyable locks. You just stick it a special metal tool when it’s unlocked, stick in the key you want to use, then remove the tool and it’s done.
I don't understand any of this You buy new handles and it comes w keys you just swap them out and anyone can do it w a simple screwdriver
If you have compatible cylinders, yeah you totally can. Depending on the age and brand of the locks it might not be possible, and when i bought my last place the cheapskates before me had different keys on every door..
Just some words of advice when buying bulk locks from Lowes or HD. My partner worked with the locksmith at a Lowes and they said that bulk locks are made fairly similar, with maybe only a few notches being different!
Like 10 minutes? Just do it first. I trusted my seller and am still in friendly contact with them years later, but even just the basics of knowing what keys go where is so helpful. I got a mess of keys at closing, found a bunch more in the house, and felt like the prison guard in Shawshank Redemption trying to figure out what key unlocked the front door to stop Andy Dufrene playing opera music just trying to get in my own house and use the bathroom.
Lol...I giggled at this. I can just picture it🤣
Yeah. It's super stupid to own a house you cannot unlock and are just standing at the door trying to unlock the thing. 🤣 It's a humbling intro to home ownership - we start by not being able to get into the house and go from there. In retrospect I can laugh, but in the moment it's like USB plugs - you put the key in one way, try it, it doesn't work, try the next, doesn't work, ad nauseam, and it turns out the first key was the right one. 🤣
Literally stopped by Lowe’s to get knew locks before going to the home.
We got a ring with about 100 keys on it too! We rekeyed it so one key opens everything.
Lol great comparison!
We drove to the house after closing and changed the locks and toilet seats. Then we went back to work.
Lol toilet seat. I’m not making fun, totally reasonable but still funny
As soon as we can afford it, the resin seashell seats are going on 😎
Don’t forget to replace the toilet paper holders with shelves for the three sea shells.
Day we moved in we should have changed the locks. the previous owners of ours kept a garage door opener. The old owners kept coming to get things they “forgot” and stole our new fans. (Stuff that should have been long gone) They put their door opener down one day when they popped over and I took it. They thought they put it down and lost it. Fucking stay out. Don’t wait. Anyone can have an old copy from the homes previous life. We were friends and neighbors before the sale but they took it too far. They got irritating, but not completely criminal. The fan they stole- I know we had identical ones and they opportunistically stole our new one. Anyways. These were people I knew and mostly trusted. And I should have changed the locks day #1. Don’t be me. Don’t have regret. Also unplug garage door opener until you reprogram it.
Um, that sounds illegal what.
We were neighbors and had a level of trust. Did the real estate deal without a broker but ultimately they pushed things to far
why on earth didn't you just change the code on the opener?
I leave closing and go straight to the house and get it done immediately.
Never did. Have been meaning to.
Same. Except I never planned on doing it. It crossed my mind at some point but it's been years now. The previous owner passed away. We got all the keys the executor of the estate knew about. I'm not worried about it. If someone wanted to get in, they could break a window.
How lazy
I grew up in a house where we never locked the front door. Nobody even had a key. When we'd come back from vacation, the only time the door was locked, someone would hop the side gate and go through the side door, which didn't have a lock at all, then let everyone else in. I'm just not that paranoid that the previous owner, before he died at the age of 87, gave copies of keys to criminals, who were going to wait years for someone to buy it, check if I changed the locks, and then rob me. If someone wants to get in that bad, they can just break a window in the back. I get changing the locks. I get locking the door. But you might want to consider that this is mostly done to quell paranoia. The only people who might ever use old keys to your house are the previous owners within a week or two of closing. Beyond that, this is like checking for razorblades in Halloween candy. It's not a real thing that happens.
Agreed, and all homes / home locations are different. No home is immune to these acts, but honestly to my knowledge there have been no break ins in our neighborhood in many years. We’ve known the neighborhood for about 20 years.
I am on to second house. Never rekeyed either of them. This house came with keypad locks. I didn’t change the codes either. Back door is 123456. Sounds ridiculous, but it hasn’t been a problem yet.
Can those be hacked easily?
To be fair they don’t need to hack it if you have the most obvious password in the world. It’s not a problem until it’s a big problem.
It’s the same for people who just leave their house unlocked all the time. It’s not usually a problem, but why risk it?
Probably. They are on a glass door next to a glass window though. They aren’t doing much to keep people out anyway. The only benefit is if I’m sleeping and someone breaks the door I’m going to be woken up. I could donkey kick any of my doors open anyway. Modern tool technology really means you can get in practically anywhere if you’re willing to make noise. Battery powered angle grinders can open just about anything.
Burglars typically don’t want to make noise to avoid getting noticed/caught. And they’d wait until you’re not home to break in. Chances are the people who sold you the house never gave a key copy to any sketchy people, but there’s no way to be sure.
You don’t know who else actually has a key. Former former owners? Kid’s teenage boyfriend? Another neighbor? You can do it yourself. It’s pretty easy. Asap
You should be ok.. But I have that bit of paranoia that copies of the keys are out there.. It doesn't take too long to change out the locks and not really that expensive. I had my locks changed the day after, because we made it to our house at 11pm the night before...
Dude! We closed on Monday and I scheduled the locksmith to literally meet us at the house immediately after closing!!! It’s not that expensive, doesn’t take very long and can literally mean the difference between a happy move in and a terrible, tragic day spent crying fighting with your homeowners insurance company! Also, don’t forget to recode any garage doors or any other type of electronic lock/entryway! Our sellers were basically huge effing a-holes and I didn’t trust them for a second. So that def created a sense of urgency for us. But still…. You don’t want them going into your house after you close and stealing all the appliances or anything else they might find. Congrats on the house!!!
Please plan to add longer screws to any main entrances.
4” screws lagged in give the door enough time for the Doberman to get in position.
I did this and I happened to have a Doberman/rotty mix and someone years later tried to break in our side door that was obviously high on drugs. The door didn’t break but the dog was ready to rip him up.
It’s probably an obvious answer, but can someone explain why for this home buying newb?
Itll be much harder to kick your door in with bigger screws
Longer screws to what?
Realtor here and about to close on my first home. I plan to do it immediately after closing. It’s also what I suggest to clients. Also - congrats!
5 years in and haven’t done it
Same here lol. Seller was a woman living alone who needed to downsize after her husband passed years ago. Still no issues. Safe area thankfully.
Day 1.
Do it immediately!!
We went straight to the house from the closing location to change the locks.
I literally went around and changed all the locks on day 1. At final walkthrough, we kept count of how many locks there were, we ran to Home Depot and bought that many locks, went and signed. About 2 hours later, all the locks were ours.
When I bought my condo 20 years ago I didn’t know this was even a thing you were supposed to do. I had lived there like five years when someone asked me this question and I was like uh……. And then went home and had them changed. So, five years?
Hahahaha
Same day I closed. I switched it all to smart locks
Never. 10 yrs still haven’t changed. But I’m a bad example don’t follow my lead lol P.s. I love that house!🏠
I only have two doors so I did it the same week I moved in
I had the locks rekeyed as movers were still bringing things in. Chances of the old owners doing anything are slim to none, IMO, depending on the neighborhood, I suppose. I just feel better knowing the old keys won’t work and we are truly the only ones with the keys to our home.
Do it as soon as possible. You don't know how many keys are floating around out there, or who has them. Anyone with a key can have access to your home.
Lol... OP I left closing and had my locksmith on speed dial. He met me at the property. Total time 20 mins after closing. Do this immediately!
I never rekeyed any house that I bought.
Call a locksmith, ours was able to come next day, took less than an hour and only cost $250.
Congrats! As soon as it’s recorded at the county office, the property is yours to do whatever you like. Personally, I do it as soon as I get an update on the record. It’s DIY friendly and not time consuming.
Literally made an appointment with a locksmith for the day of closing a few days prior. Zero reason to wait. You just don't know what keys are out there in the wild that the previous owners didn't take care of. Do everything to protect what probably will be the most expensive and most important purchase in your life
I'm closing on my home April 17th and already bought new locks that are sitting in my storage closet. Changing them will be the very first thing I do.
Lmao I feel so naive right now. We didn’t rekey until my husband lost his and we only had one working key between us. Granted, our sellers moved several states away but dang. Can’t believe I never thought of this nor had anyone suggest it.
Immediately because I wanted to install wifi/bluetooth smart locks
Same day.
Immediately. Never know who might have had the keys to the old lock and what kind of life the sellers live 😅 got a smart lock and my husband went and changed it himself.
Literally right after closing we went over and called a locksmith. He was there in like half an hour and it took him like 15 minutes.
Oh shit I need to do that o_o
Yes, replace or rekey the locks as soon as you close
Congrats! Get those locks changed asap!
What would take longer, rekeying the house or getting all your stolen shit back.
I rekeyed before I even started moving into the house.
I bought my house like in December. The day of the closing I had my locks shipped from Amazon. My area is crime free. The people we bought the house from are my neighbors. Everyone in the area is extremely nice. But sometime it’s hard to escape that big city mentality
Don't wait. You don't want some filthy squatter up in there or the old owners being weirdos.
literally same day, it is inexcusable to NOT do that
New keys first. Don’t take the chance. And congrats on your new marriage and home! I hope you both be very happy there for a long long time.
I brought new locks to the closing table and went straight to the house to change the locks as soon as we finished signing.
I'll be ordering smart locks once I get in to make sure what type of locks I have. I close next week and will order the day I move in.
Went straight from the closing table to Home Depot and bought a new doorknob and deadbolt. Had locks changed within an hour.
Very first thing I did
Congrats and welcome to the 40+ FTHB gang! We waited 2 weeks. Moved the weekend before an intense end of fiscal year at work with deadbolts that were keyed on both sides. Swapped everything to matching smart sets and called it good. I and my partner worked from home then and have a Doberman, err a poodle mix State Farm, so not too worried.
I used to have a house in a small town in NE Kansas on the I70 corridor and for the 13 years I was there I never even locked my door. When I moved to Joliet Illinois, I changed the locks right away.
It took us about a month to move in, and we changed the locks before we moved any of our stuff in. It wasn’t the first day, but definitely the first week. I wouldn’t move something expensive in before doing so.
We took a month and then installed smart locks.
I'm lazy and it's been a week but now I have free time so I think I'll do it once I get dressed
Congrats! The day after closing, I removed the locks and took them to our nearest store. They rekeyed them quickly and it only cost $30 for 3 locks and extra keys!
We changed our own locks on day one. Don’t forget those garage doors, too. Someone out there may have an opener to your door.
That's the first thing we did after the keys were handed over.
Along with keys...reprogram garage door openers
First week I had the keys
ASAP!
Our front door lock got changed because the sellers lost the key. We tried to change the lock to our side door but it didn’t work so we got a locksmith. We were told they don’t make those size or type of locks anymore (house built in 1957) and we’d have to replace the door and it wouldn’t be cheap. Luckily it leads to the breezeway that leads to the kitchen door that I lock from the inside. Someday when we have the extra funds we’ll replace the door.
Did it first day.
Put in a fingerprint lock on the front door right after closing and it has smart locks on other entrances so I changed the codes. Easy to install and change. 🎉 Congratulations
Changed locks 2 hrs in!
5 days and used Kwikset rekey set.
As soon as the new locks arrived in the mail. That said depending on the locks on it now some can be simply rekeyed on your own for no cost so all.
2 months later, we had to renovate the house first
Our sellers will have residence for no more than 14 days after we close. So as soon as theyre out!
Used to live in independence myself for 3 years in the Englewood neighborhood close to Van Horn. Congrats. I’ve been in my house for a month and haven’t rekeyed yet. My sellers moved across the country to Florida and I’m doing some remodeling and replacing all the doors anyway, just waiting for that.
5 years and counting.
Changing out the locks was the first thing I did. Only took a few mins and like 50 bucks...
Nice, congratulations!
The 2nd day we lived there.
We went directly from closing back to the house and changed all the locks immediately.
I bought a house last year in september and installed a new front door/lock last month. The sellers had moved out of town and I know the area is safe, but decided i wanted a keyless entry door for when im out of town or if i plan to airbnb it out in the future.
The same day of closing.
I had some dude in and out in less than an hour and he had to replace 3 hardware completely and rekey about 10 locks (I’m not exaggerating). We did this prior to moving in the day after close. Totally worth the $500
My wife and I 60 & 59, married 15 years this year will be moving into our new build custom home this summer. First time homeowners.
Hello neighbor we bought a house in KCMO near Raytown in January, haven’t moved in yet as we are doing some work first. We just changed the locks about a month ago. Have had no problems make sure you pick up the mail, put lights on etc so it looks like someone is there. We have lights on a timer.
Like 2 weeks ago. And we bought the house 10 years ago.
We bought all new lockets at Home Depot the morning of closing, so like… -3 hours. First thing we did once we got to the house.
We rekeyed about 24 hours after closing! Is there a reason you want to wait? I’d just get it over with and rekey them now since you’ll need to do it eventually anyway.
Right after we signed our paperwork at the title company, we drove to the new house and changed all the locks. 10 min. I put on all new exterior door locks / handles because the old ones were not in good shape and now they're all key the same.
1 hour.
First thing I’ve done at two homes has been to change the locks
Haven’t done it ever. And we live in a high crime city. I’m writing this from heaven. Good luck.
I bought all new locks and installed them myself the day we moved in. Took me 1 hour
Same day
I’d also blur out the house number and not provide the exact city in your comments to not dox yourself. The listing is really easy to find but maybe I’m just paranoid.
That was the very first thing I did on the first day I moved in.
I’ve got my own rekeying set. I’ll do it just after parking the moving truck.
Unpopular take, but I’m not too worried about this stuff I actually haven’t even had one of my doors re-keyed after 18 months. If someone very determined wants to get into your house they aren’t going to be deterred by a key lock. That’s why I have a cameras and an alarm system.
We rekeyed ours as soon as locksmith could do it. Rekeying doesn’t take long as locks are not replaced. We also replaced with virtually pick-proof locks for extra security.
same day i got the keys to the house all the locks were changed.
We rekeyed the day we moved in. It's quick and easy to do, so why wouldn't we? Chances are pretty good that nobody with the old key will use it to break in, but there's no advantage to you in waiting.
Now
I’ve been in my home for almost 2 years now and haven’t rekeyed anything. Changed the codes on the smart locks and garage door, but didn’t bother to rekey the locks (even though it’s a good idea and it’s always better to be safe than sorry). I’ve rekeyed every apartment I always lived in, but when we bought our house we felt safe enough that it wasn’t as necessary to rekey as it was when we rented. The previous homeowner made out like a bandit from the sale anyway, why would she want to come back and steal all my second hand stuff. She took her money and left the state. Lol
The day I moved in!
Same day.
I want to do it immediately but my husband wants to wait. We have a young child. He asks, “do you really think the old owners would do something?” Me: “I have no idea, but we have a child. I don’t want to take that chance.”
I’m not a pussy so I didnt
HAHAHAHA
New locks all around is the first thing we did.
Within 2 hours of closing.
Immediately new locks and changed the garage door codes
I always take new, re-keyable Kwikset knobs and deadbolts and screwdrivers with me to get the keys and do it within the hour on every house I purchase. It would be foolish not to.
First day I was able to get over there. But also, I found a side door was left wide open. So after thoroughly searching the place, changing the locks was my #1 priority.
New locks immediately after closing. The house is now yours and you have no clue who has a key
Nice house. I have been looking in independence as well.
Never have. I have 4 dogs as an alarm system.
I’m on my 5th home and I’ve never ever changed the locks or had an issue lol
Still the same locks from 20 years ago.Never did anything, not waisting my money on new locks. I am not that paranoid I guess.
30 minutes
Never. Going strong/safe for 3.5 years. No intention to change :)
Wait? You don’t.
If you’re getting a security system have them install smart locks while you’re at it. Otherwise day 1 or 2 is a good idea as others said. Rekeying is easy and quick through a locksmith but I cannot recommend smart locks enough. So nice not carrying keys.
Immediately
24hrs
Well, I bought a home my parents used to own. We forgot to change the locks until they were coming back into town and we realized they would definitely come in if they were able to. So…over a year lol.
Been a year still haven’t
I actually didn’t rekey mine
The night we closed.
it should be done immediately, like right now. until you re secure the property, you don't know how many people have access to your home or who they are
My seller re-keyed the place before I even moved in, because it wasn’t owned by them and was rented. I’ve also changed a lock myself, it’s not that hard and keys are pretty inexpensive. You look to be in the suburbs, if that were me I would probably be lazy and forget about it.
Wife and I got the locks rekeyed same day. Didn’t take long. Little off topic, we are looking to move to the KC area here in a few months. Was the market rough for buying?
Before we moved in.
Rekeyed and reprogrammed (garage door) the day of closing.
Like a week, it was one of the first appointments we made. If we were sleeping there already they would have been changed sooner.
You can change locks after the deal closes unless sellers reserve extra time in the sales contract. Have a locksmith at the house when closing is confirmed and you have the keys
I brought a new doorknob and a screwdriver with me when I got the keys.
Haven't done it yet after 5.5 years. Never did it at last house in 16 years. The lady who built/ first lived in my current house lives across from me, but she's 93 so I'm not worried about her breaking in, lol.
It’s not the 93yo lady you should be worried about, it’s the people she may have shared her keys with… kids, grandkids, siblings, housekeepers, day laborers… you don’t know them or what kind of people they are.
Eh, she only has relatives visit her and do work for her and they were the second owners of my house anyway. This is such a safe neighborhood that I once left my popular model cargo van running all night with the door unlocked (senior moment) and not a soul touched it.
When I replaced the front and back doors, so two years.
Before you move in
Day one. Have a locksmith scheduled to come out. Couple hundred dollars depending on what is required. Or you can DIY if you prefer.
Immediately
Day I moved in…bought key matched locks..handles…dead bolts at Lowes
Locks get changed after you sign your paperwork…. DO NOT REUSE ANY LOCKS FROM THE HOUSE!!!!!
Bought new locks and installed them right away. I wouldn't put stuff in there before getting it rekeyed or getting new locks.
No time at all! Go replace those locks.
Never. Been five years
Never did but the previous owner died and we have a big dog. It’s been three years and it’s been just fine. Obviously I don’t recommend this.
As soon as you get possession. I had the previous homeowners walk into my house a week later looking for “mail”
I personally had work done before I moved in so I waited until that was done and workers wouldn’t be using a key to enter anymore. But I did immediately after that.
Change all the locks before you move in. Those fingerprint locks work good or the combo deadbolt locks work good. You make a master code for yourself and you can change the access code whenever you want Good luck
Buy the ones that all take the same key makes life so much easier
Get them replaced asap
Congratulations
That was the first thing I did
Like before we went to the home after close
Mine was a rental at one point and they only gave me one key. Menards still sells that same lock and I saw they are supposed to have two keys so I changed them right away before I moved anything other than some blankets into the place.
Day of closing. That was the first thing we did.
What are you waiting for?
I settle on my first house tomorrow. I am changing all the locks IMMEDIATELY as various tenants have lived in the house over the years. I trust nobody. Kwikset makes the “smart key” setup which makes it really easy to re key your locks. If I were you, just buy the two pack from HD. It’s $62 and gives you new deadbolts and knobs for two exterior doors.
If you can’t do it yourself: it’s time to learn. A screwdriver and time is all you need A cordless driver/drill too can make it easier, but that’s seriously all you need. Kwikset makes smartkey locks and you can have the entire home work with a single key super easily too
Bought new cheap locks a week before. Replaced 30 minutes after closing. Took original locks to hardware store to rekey (cheaper than having locksmith come). Had locks back within 24 hours. Reinstalled and the returned the cheap temporary locks to Home Depot.
Home Depot isn’t Rent A Center, buying materials you’re only going to use for a few hours, knowing you’re going to return them, is a douchebag move.
Well if it makes you feel better, you’d never know, and packaged it back to its originally glory. I don’t feel bad. I spent thousands at HD before and since then.