Just Moved to Atlanta? Rekey Your Locks Before Unpacking

Moving to a new home or apartment in Atlanta is one of the few times in life when changing your locks is not optional — it is a basic security step that most people skip because they are busy and assume the landlord or previous owner handled it. They rarely did.

Here is what you need to know, and why the first week in your new place is the right time to call a locksmith.

Why You Cannot Trust the Locks That Came With the Property

When you move into a home or apartment, you have no way of knowing how many copies of the keys exist. Consider who may have had access before you arrived:

• The previous owner or tenant
• Their family members and roommates
• Real estate agents (listing agents typically have keys; in Atlanta, some listings cycle through multiple agents)
• Contractors, cleaners, or maintenance workers who were given a key during the listing period
• Property managers and building staff (if renting)
• Neighbors who were given a spare “just in case”

Any of those keys still works on your lock right now. Rekeying the lock makes all of them useless — permanently — without touching the hardware.

Rekey vs. Replace: What Is the Difference?

Rekeying means a locksmith removes the lock cylinder and replaces the internal pins so that only new keys work. The hardware stays in place. It is faster, less expensive, and equally effective as buying a brand-new lock — because the security of a lock comes from the key profile, not the hardware casing.

Full replacement makes sense if the hardware is worn, damaged, or below the grade you want (standard builder-grade locks on Atlanta rental properties are often Grade 3, the lowest residential rating). If you want to upgrade to Grade 1 deadbolts or add smart locks, a move is a natural time to do that too.

Cost in Atlanta: rekeying typically runs $20–$35 per cylinder plus a service call. Replacing with similar hardware runs $75–$150 per door. A full smart lock upgrade (hardware + installation + app setup) runs $150–$300 per door depending on the brand.

Which Doors to Prioritize

At minimum, rekey every exterior door that uses a key: front door, back door, garage entry door (the door from the garage into the house, not the garage door itself), and any side entrances. A single locksmith visit can handle all of them — J&M typically completes a full exterior rekey in 45–60 minutes.

If you are moving into a condo or apartment in Midtown, Buckhead, Old Fourth Ward, or anywhere with shared building access, also check whether the building’s common area keys match your unit key. Some older Atlanta apartment buildings use master-keyed systems where building staff keys work on all units. Ask your property manager directly.

Atlanta Neighborhoods Where This Is Especially Important

Property turnover in Atlanta’s high-demand rental markets — Midtown, Virginia-Highland, Ponce City Market area, Inman Park, East Atlanta Village, Decatur — moves fast. Short listing-to-close timelines mean there is often less time for proper key auditing. In these neighborhoods it is common for a property to have exchanged hands two or three times in the past few years, each time with a full key set issued.

If you are buying in Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, or Marietta — areas with more single-family inventory — the issue is contractors. New construction and renovation-heavy properties often have had a dozen keys cut over the course of a build or remodel, most of which were never collected.

Book It Before Your First Night

J&M Locksmith serves all of metro Atlanta with same-day and next-day availability. We rekey all exterior locks in a single visit, provide new keys on the spot, and can upgrade hardware or add smart locks at the same time if you want.

Call (404) 824-3777 to schedule. Most rekeys take under an hour. It is the easiest security decision you can make on move-in day — and the one with the most immediate impact.