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New Homeowner Lock Changeover Checklist

A practical move-in checklist for Cupertino homeowners deciding what to rekey or replace. No fake phone, fake storefront, fake rating, or unverified hours have been added.

Guide illustration

Why change locks after buying a Cupertino home

Every previous owner, prior tenant, agent, and contractor may still hold a working key or garage remote. A lock changeover closes that gap without assuming anything about who kept a copy.

Start with the primary entry points: front door, back or side door, and the garage entry door if the garage connects to the house. These see the most key hand-offs over a property's history and are the first priority on move-in day.

Next, check secondary access: side gates with keyed hardware, storage or shed locks, and the mailbox lock if the cluster box assignment did not change automatically. Each of these can be rekeyed in the same visit as the main doors.

If the home has a smart lock or keypad deadbolt already installed, plan to factory-reset the code and re-pair any connected app before relying on it, since old codes and paired devices may still work otherwise.

Before requesting help, note the lock brand or style if visible, whether any hardware looks damaged or mismatched, and which access points are the priority for day one versus later in the week.

Questions

Do I need to rekey or fully replace locks after buying a home?

Rekeying is usually enough when the existing hardware is undamaged and current with your door prep. Full replacement makes sense if hardware is worn, mismatched, or you want a security or smart-lock upgrade.

Which doors and access points should be checked at move-in?

Front and back exterior doors, garage entry door, side gates with locking hardware, and any mailbox or storage lock the previous owner had a key to.

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