Moving into a new (but pre-loved) home is a wonderful experience: you’ve saved your dollars, done your research, and then made a huge commitment to your future and your lifestyle.

Many times the details of changing the locks are overlooked, but it’s essential.

The first thing you should do is contact your local locksmith and re-key or change your door locks. If the previous owners were like most people, then neighbours, friends, even co-workers, might have a set of keys to your house. It makes sense to change the locks, or even to install deadbolts. The easiest solution is to call you locksmith and have her re-key the locks for you – or change older locks to more secure deadlocks.

unless you want a different key for each door in your home, buying new hardware is not very practical. When it comes to securing your home, real estate agents, brokers and inspectors will recommend a locksmith, after all a locksmith specializes in locks, latch locks, window locks and such. It is the best money someone can spend when moving into a newly purchased home.

If you choose not to change the locks in your home, you may be making life easy for any former tenant or friend to gain entry, and you may lose precious objects as a result. Peace of mind comes from having the locks changed.