New Homeowner Security Checklist in Colorado Springs: 8 Things to Do Before Move-In Night

1. Mailbox Lock: Request a New Key from Your Local USPS

Most Colorado Springs subdivisions built after 1990 use USPS-owned Cluster Box Units (CBUs) rather than individual curbside boxes. The seller does NOT own the lock — USPS does. You must visit your local post office (the one serving your new address) with your deed or closing documents and formally request a new key. USPS will change the lock and hand you 3 new keys, usually free of charge. Do not skip this: mail theft is rising across the Front Range, and the previous owner’s key technically still opens your compartment until USPS changes it.

If your new home has a curbside box instead, a locksmith can install a locking mailbox ($80–$140 + hardware) in the same visit as any other service.

• ✓ CBU cluster box: request new key at local USPS office (free, 3 keys)
• ✓ Bring deed / closing docs / ID to the counter
• ✓ Curbside box: install locking mailbox ($80–$140)
• ✓ Update address with USPS Mail Forwarding same day

2. Reset the Garage Door Opener Code and Keypad PIN

Every modern garage opener (Chamberlain, LiftMaster, Genie, Craftsman) has a "learn" button on the motor unit that wipes all paired remotes and keypad codes. Press and hold it for 6–10 seconds (varies by brand — check the label on the motor) until the indicator light blinks. Then re-pair only the remotes you intend to keep and set a new 4-digit keypad PIN. If the home came with a Smart Garage hub (MyQ, Aladdin Connect), change the account password or factory-reset and re-enroll under your own email. A prior owner’s app login will otherwise still open your garage remotely.

Do NOT overlook the attached-garage entry door into the house — this is the #2 break-in point after the front door. Rekeying or replacing that deadbolt is covered in the rekey-vs-replace article.

• ✓ Hold "learn" button 6–10s to wipe all codes
• ✓ Re-pair only the remotes you will use
• ✓ Set a fresh 4-digit keypad PIN (avoid 1234, birth year)
• ✓ Factory-reset MyQ / Aladdin Connect apps

3. Smart Doorbell: Install New or Factory-Reset the Existing Unit

If the seller left a Ring, Nest, Arlo, or Eufy doorbell mounted to the wall, do NOT just add it to your account — the seller’s account still owns it until they formally transfer it. Ask in writing for the seller to delete the device from their account (takes them 30 seconds in-app), then factory-reset the unit and enroll it under your own credentials. Otherwise, recorded video from your front door may be flowing to the previous owner’s phone for weeks.

If no doorbell is installed, this is a natural moment to add one. Hardwired units draw from the existing doorbell transformer; battery-only units work on front doors that never had a doorbell. Factor in Colorado’s cold-weather ratings — most doorbells are rated -4°F, which matches a typical winter along Pikes Peak foothills.

• ✓ Request the seller delete device from their app
• ✓ Factory-reset (usually 10s hold on setup button)
• ✓ Enroll under your own account and 2FA
• ✓ Check Wi-Fi signal strength at the door before permanent mount

4. Rotate Keypad Deadbolt Codes and Hunt Down Spare Keys

If your new home has a keypad deadbolt (Schlage Encode, Kwikset SmartCode, August), delete every user code and create new ones. Manufacturer default codes (0000, 1234, 9999) are the first thing opportunists try. Create one master code for you, separate codes for each family member, and one-time codes for cleaners or dog walkers.

Next, track down every physical spare. Ask the seller in writing: "Are there spare keys with neighbors, dog walkers, cleaners, or a hidden key outside?" Check common hiding spots — under mats, fake rocks, inside grill handles, above door frames, in potted plants. You are not likely to find them all, which is why a rekey is still part of the checklist — but finding the "extra" set the seller forgot about saves time if you ever need to match the old key schedule.

• ✓ Delete all user codes, set new ones
• ✓ Unique code per family member (for app audit log)
• ✓ Ask seller in writing about spares with third parties
• ✓ Search under mats, fake rocks, grill handles, planters

5. Re-Code Vehicle Transponders if a Car Conveyed with the Home

Occasionally a vehicle is included in a home sale — a classic car in the garage, an RV, a work truck on the property. If that happened, assume the previous owner kept a spare key and may have a working remote-start or app-based unlock (FordPass, MyHyundai, Toyota Connected Services). Take it to a mobile automotive locksmith to have all transponders reprogrammed so only your keys work, and reset any manufacturer app to your own account. Cost runs $150–$350 per vehicle depending on the immobilizer system.

6. Audit Window Locks and Sliding Door Locks

Window locks are the most overlooked security layer. Walk every window in the house and confirm the sash lock engages fully — worn vinyl window latches become loose over time and fail silently. Install secondary pin locks ($3–$10 at any hardware store) on bedroom and ground-floor windows. Sliding patio doors should have a security bar (Charlie bar) in the track — simple wooden dowels work fine. None of this costs much, but it closes easy entry points a rekey does not address.

• ✓ Check every sash lock engages firmly
• ✓ Install pin locks on ground-floor windows
• ✓ Add a Charlie bar or dowel to sliding doors
• ✓ Replace any cracked or painted-shut window hardware

7. Check the House for a Forgotten Home Safe

Roughly 1 in 8 homes have a bolted-down safe the seller forgot about or could not open. Walk the basement, master closet, and any attached workshop. If you find one — especially a legacy floor or wall safe — a locksmith can non-destructively open, rekey, or recombinate it for $125–$300 depending on the model. Do NOT drill or force it yourself. Many older safes contain legal documents, heirloom items, or in rural Colorado homes, stored firearms that must be transferred per federal and state law. If you find a locked safe, document it and call a professional before opening.

8. Build a Secure Master Keyring and Emergency Contact Card

Finally, organize what you now have. Create one keyring with a single master key after your rekey, label spare keys for a lockbox at a trusted neighbor or family member’s home, and write an emergency card listing: garage opener model, alarm company, water shutoff location, main breaker location, and your locksmith’s number. Put it in the kitchen "junk drawer" — not inside a locked safe you might get locked out of. Future you will thank present you.