The Day After Closing on a House in Texas? Don’t Miss These 7 Critical Steps

Best move is to rekey the main locks right away.

Couldn’t agree more - rekeying is always my first step, even if the keys “look” new. I’d add: take inventory of every lock on the property, not just the front and back doors. Sheds, gates, even old mailboxes can be overlooked. I once found a key that fit a neighbor’s garage... talk about awkward. If you’re on a budget, hardware stores sometimes have rekey kits that aren’t too pricey. Just takes a bit of patience and YouTube.

Funny you mention mailboxes - I once bought a duplex where the mailbox key turned out to open both units’ boxes. Made me wonder how many neighbors had “universal” access over the years. I get the appeal of saving cash with DIY kits, but after fumbling with those tiny pins for an hour, I just called a locksmith. Worth it for my sanity. Anyone else ever find random keys taped inside kitchen drawers? Always makes me a little suspicious...

Title: The Day After Closing on a House in Texas? Don’t Miss These 7 Critical Steps

I’ve definitely found random keys stashed in weird places - kitchen drawers, taped under shelves, even once inside a light fixture. Always makes me wonder what they were for, and if I’m missing some secret compartment or old lock somewhere. I usually end up testing them on every door and window just to be sure.

About the mailbox thing, I get the temptation to DIY, but after pricing out the kits and factoring in my time (and frustration), it’s not always the bargain it seems. Locksmiths aren’t cheap, but at least you know it’s done right. Plus, if you mess up a lock install, you might end up paying more to fix it later.

Curious - when you move in, do you rekey *every* lock (garage, shed, side gates), or just the main doors? I always debate whether it’s overkill to do them all, but then again, you never really know who might have an old key floating around...

I get where you’re coming from on the random keys - every house I’ve bought or worked on seems to have at least one “mystery key” that never fits anything obvious. Once found a set taped behind a breaker panel, which was a little unsettling. You do start to wonder if there’s some hidden crawlspace or old lock you’re missing.

On the rekeying question, I tend to err on the side of caution, especially with investment properties or rentals. Main entry doors are non-negotiable, but I usually include garage and any exterior-access sheds too. Side gates are a bit of a gray area for me - if they lead directly into the backyard or somewhere someone could access the house, I’ll rekey them. If it’s just a fence gate with no real access, sometimes I leave it unless the lock looks sketchy.

You’re right about the mailbox - DIY seems cheaper until you factor in time and potential headaches. Had a client try to swap out their own mailbox lock and ended up breaking the latch, which cost more to fix than just hiring someone in the first place.

Honestly, you never really know how many copies of those keys are floating around. Previous owners, contractors, neighbors... it adds up over time. It might feel like overkill to rekey everything, but peace of mind is worth something too. At least after that first round, you know exactly who has access.

If you ever do find out what those weird keys go to, let us know - there’s always that hope it’s for some secret wine cellar or hidden safe... but it’s usually just an old padlock rusted shut behind the shed.

Those mystery keys are the stuff of legend. I swear, every time I close on a place, I end up with at least one key that looks like it belongs to a submarine or something. Never found a secret wine cellar yet, but hey, hope springs eternal.

- Totally agree on rekeying everything you can think of. I’ve had tenants hand me back keys I didn’t even know existed - makes you wonder how many are out there.
- Sheds and garages? Non-negotiable for me too. One time I skipped the shed and found out later the neighbor’s kid had been using it as his “clubhouse” for months. Lesson learned.
- Side gates... yeah, depends on the setup. If it’s just a fence to nowhere, I’ll risk it. But if there’s any way into the backyard or house, I’m not taking chances.

You do start to wonder if there’s some hidden crawlspace or old lock you’re missing.

Peace of mind is worth a lot, especially when you’re juggling multiple properties. And yeah, mailbox locks are deceptively tricky - learned that the hard way too.