The Move-in Security Checklist

Why the first week decides everything

The gap between “we just moved in” and “we got around to security” averages months — and it’s exactly the window when a home is most exposed: unknown key holders, default codes, an unconfigured network, and a house whose patterns scream new occupants. This checklist is the same 21-point sequence we build into every New Home Security Setup, ordered so the highest-risk items close first.

Day one — access control (points 1–7)

1. Re-key or replace every exterior lock. Agents, contractors, previous owners, their dog-sitter — you cannot audit old keys. This is the single highest-value hour you’ll spend.
2. Change every keypad and garage code, including the garage remote pairing — previous owners’ cars may still open your door.
3. Reset the alarm system if one exists: new master code, new user codes, remove old phone numbers from the call list.
4. Locate and test every exterior door lock, including the forgotten side and basement doors.
5. Check ground-floor window locks — note any that are painted shut, broken, or missing.
6. Secure the garage-to-house door like an exterior door: deadbolt, and keep it locked.
7. Find the spare-key hiding spots the previous owner used — fake rocks, ledges, planters — and retire them.

Week one — network and eyes (points 8–15)

8. Change the router’s admin password and WiFi password — the ISP defaults are on a sticker anyone photographed.
9. Create a separate network for smart devices (guest network or VLAN) so a compromised gadget can’t reach your laptops.
10. Update router firmware — most units ship years behind.
11. Mount your first camera on the front approach — see our Camera Placement Guide for the geometry.
12. Cover the rear approach with a floodlight camera on the fence line.
13. Add contact sensors to the garage door and any hidden entries.
14. Set motion lighting on dark sides of the house.
15. Test every alert on every phone in the family — an alert nobody receives is a sensor nobody owns.

Month one — patterns and papers (points 16–21)

16. Automate presence: lights on evening schedules from day one, so “home” and “away” look identical.
17. Meet the neighbours on both sides — still the most effective security network ever deployed.
18. Photograph valuables and serial numbers; store the file off-site or in the cloud.
19. Check exterior sightlines: trim the hedge that hides your front door from the street.
20. Review insurance requirements — some policies discount for specific measures you now have.
21. Walk the perimeter at night once: you’ll find the dark corner, the humming gate, the blind spot no daytime walk reveals.

Make it stick

Print this list, stick it on the refrigerator that came with the house, and cross items off physically — completion rates triple when the list is visible. And if you’d rather walk in with all 21 points already planned for your exact floor plan — devices chosen, positions marked, network mapped — that’s precisely what our New Home Security Setup delivers before you unpack a single box.