Rekey or Replace? What Every New Homeowner Should Decide First

By Eagle's Locksmith · October 26, 2026

You've just moved in — but who else has a key to your new home? Rekeying and replacing both solve it, in different ways. Here's how to choose.

The problem: keys you can't account for

When you buy a home, you inherit its keys — all of them. The previous owners, their family, a former cleaner, a dog walker, a contractor from three years ago: any of them may still hold a working key. Until you change that, you don't fully control who can walk into your house. Both rekeying and replacing fix the problem; they just do it differently.

What rekeying does

Rekeying changes the pin configuration inside your existing lock cylinders so the old keys stop working and a new set of keys takes over. The hardware on your door stays exactly as it is. Rekeying is the right choice when your locks are in good condition, you like how they look, and your only concern is who holds keys. As a bonus, a locksmith can usually key all your locks alike, so one key opens every door.

When replacing makes more sense

Replace the locks when the hardware itself is the problem: locks that stick, wobble or don't latch cleanly; cheap builder-grade cylinders you want to upgrade; a style change during renovation; or the move to smart locks or high-security cylinders. Replacement is also the moment to fix mismatched locks from years of piecemeal repairs and get one consistent, quality set across the house.

Our honest recommendation

For most new homeowners, rekeying on moving day is the baseline — it's fast, it covers every door, and it closes the security gap immediately. Then upgrade selectively: a high-security or smart deadbolt on the main entry first, and the rest as budget allows. Either way, don't sleep in a new home on old keys.