Most homeowners wouldn’t dream of leaving their front door wide open and unlocked all day.

So you just closed on your dream home and the moving truck is on the way?  The best advice is before you get too settled change the locks and garage access codes.

There isn’t any way to know who has spare keys and/or the codes to access the property.

It’s not unusual for the old homeowners to hand out keys to kids, neighbors, and family.  The number of keys sitting multiplies by the number of years the owner lived in the home   Changing the locks is the only way to secure the property.  It’s a good time to investigate other options to access your home without ever owning an old-fashioned key.

Smart keys, blue tooth technology offer today’s homeowners the ability to monitor and unlock (as well as lock) their doors from anywhere.  If you’re not sure about what type of key you have- do some research.

Smart technology is great but power and wifi disruptions require alternative ways into your home.

Keyless entry and smart technology are popping up on lots of Cincinnati area homes but remember some locks require power and functioning internet connections to work so it may be wise to have at least one door with key access.  A recent 17-hour internet failure in our neighborhood brought the message home when wifi enabled locks failed.

Do some research before the closing so you can make the right decision based on your needs.

Too many decisions to make and don’t want to change all the locks right away-then think about rekeying the current locks.  In some cases, you may be able to do-it-yourself or you may have to hire a professional locksmith.