Whether you buy a home in the big city or rural setting, crime can happen anywhere! Therefore, please consider securing your new home by installing some security measures.

You just never know who still has a key to your new home. Better to be safe than sorry and have a locksmith rekey or replace the existing locks on all of your exterior doors including garage doors. This is a MUST for all buyers. A Locksmith can rekey all of the exterior locks so you only have one key which opens all of your exterior doors. This is also a good time to add Keyless Entry for convenience! Security experts recommend having at least one deadbolt on all exterior doors.
Don't forget about garage door codes! If you don't have a manual from the seller, just look at the model number on the garage door opener unit and search online for instructions to change the garage door code.
We highly recommend all buyers have this done the day of move in or the day after to be safe.

Don't forget to think about Smart Home Devices!
Criminals are known to watch new people moving in to see what kinds of valuables you’re bringing into the home such as TVs, computers, guns, etc. and then burglarize your home or rob you shortly after moving in. Better to be safe than sorry.
Have questions? Contact us here or email us at SarahMarrinan(at)kw(d0t)com.

Security Measures for Your New Home
You MUST Rekey all of your door locks and change codes.You just never know who still has a key to your new home. Better to be safe than sorry and have a locksmith rekey or replace the existing locks on all of your exterior doors including garage doors. This is a MUST for all buyers. A Locksmith can rekey all of the exterior locks so you only have one key which opens all of your exterior doors. This is also a good time to add Keyless Entry for convenience! Security experts recommend having at least one deadbolt on all exterior doors.
Don't forget about garage door codes! If you don't have a manual from the seller, just look at the model number on the garage door opener unit and search online for instructions to change the garage door code.
We highly recommend all buyers have this done the day of move in or the day after to be safe.

Don't forget to think about Smart Home Devices!
Additional Safety & Security Measures
- Activate/Install an alarm system. We strongly recommend having a security system if you’re buying a single family house or a condo that is below ground, on the first floor or one which has an exterior staircase that people could climb up to get to your unit. It can take a week or more to get an appointment so we recommend calling now and setting up the appointment for the day of or the day after closing. Remember, you’re most likely to get broken into the first week you’re in a new home. Thieves look for people moving in as they know the are generally easier to burglarize as they don’t have many safety features set up yet.
- Add a peep hole. Put a peep hole in your front door if it doesn’t already have one. This isn’t hard to do and can normally be installed by a handyman.
- Secure your patio doors. If you have a sliding glass door, buy a thick wooden dowel and keep it in the door track on the floor when the door isn’t open. We also recommend adding a jimmy plate and an auxiliary lock to any patio doors.
- Install Door Devils on each of your exterior doors. These simple strike plates are highly effective at preventing your front door from being kicked in, even if you live in a condo building. If you’re buying a condo in a small building that has a common door leading into the building, consider asking the HOA if you can install a Door Devil on the building’s exterior doors as well as on the door to your own unit. These items are simple to install with a drill. This is a must have for single family home owners and is a product we install on all of our homes and investment properties.
- Install a metal wrap around knob reinforcer on all exterior doors. We would recommend them on exterior condo doors as well as basement doors or back doors in single family homes or other areas which you think might be of interest to burglars. If you’re buying in a condo building which doesn’t have these, particularly on side or back doors, urge the HOA to install them. They are inexpensive and highly effective at stopping break ins.
- Consider installing a Night Lock on back or side doors you won’t use every day. They are highly effective at preventing someone from breaking in. These are must haves in single family home basement and back doors.
- Add a safety film to your windows. If you have any glass in your front door or windows at or below ground level, We recommend installing a clear plastic film that covers the inside of your window (you can’t even tell it’s there) and makes it virtually impossible to break the glass and enter the home. A name brand to check into is Shatter Safe.
- Add a dusk to dawn lights over all exterior doors and consider a motion detector on the gangway, garage area or other dark areas. Just search for Dusk to Dawn lights on Home Depot, Amazon or at your favorite home improvement retailer. If you’re buying in a condo building, ask the HOA to add these items if they aren’t already in place in the building.
- If you are buying a single family home with a garage and the garage has a window, consider putting a curtain over the window or adding a frosted or reflective film to the glass. You could also change the window to glass block so potential burglars can’t see inside your garage or enter through the window.
Criminals are known to watch new people moving in to see what kinds of valuables you’re bringing into the home such as TVs, computers, guns, etc. and then burglarize your home or rob you shortly after moving in. Better to be safe than sorry.
Have questions? Contact us here or email us at SarahMarrinan(at)kw(d0t)com.