Analog vs. Virtual Unlocked Doors
Once upon a time, standard Realtor advice to new homeowners, post-closing, was to change the locks: even if the Seller delivered all known keys to the Buyer, there was always the possibility of neighbors or friends possessing a “stray.”
Now, thanks to smart homes — and specifically, Nest thermostats — there’s new advice: make sure that any passwords are wiped and new ones created.
That comes on the heels of at least one disgruntled Twin Cities seller deciding to create havoc for their Buyer this Spring by altering, remotely, the device’s settings.
Or so I hear through the Realtor grapevine . . .
P.S.: And yes, such actions are: a) illegal; and b) traceable.
Also: given that the garage door/service door is effectively the main entrance for many homeowners, it’s smart to also reprogram any garage door openers and outside keypads.
See also, “Home Thermostat as Trojan Horse”; “Housing’s “Nest” Big Thing?”
