I’ve actually specified fingerprint locks for a couple of clients—one was all about the “spy movie” vibe, the other just wanted to stop losing keys. Mixed results, honestly. The tech’s cool, but sometimes it’s finicky if your hands are wet or you’re carrying groceries. Ever had a client ask for facial recognition? That one still feels a bit much for a front door…
Title: Locked Out Drama—What Would You Do?
- Good call on being cautious with fingerprint locks. I’ve put in a handful for folks who were tired of hiding keys under flowerpots. They’re slick when they work, but yeah, wet hands or even a tiny bit of dirt can throw them off.
- Totally get the “spy movie” appeal. Most people love showing them off for about a week, then they’re back to using the backup code anyway.
- Facial recognition? Had one neighbor ask about it after seeing some ad. Honestly, feels like overkill unless you’re guarding a vault—or just really into gadgets.
- I always tell people: no matter how fancy the lock, keep a backup plan. Hide a regular key somewhere only you know, or give one to someone you trust. Tech is great till it glitches and you’re standing in the rain with groceries.
- If you’re set on going keyless, combo keypad locks seem to be the sweet spot. Less drama, fewer dead batteries, and you don’t have to worry about smudgy fingers or the camera recognizing you in your pajamas.
- At the end of the day, nothing’s totally foolproof. Just gotta pick what annoys you least.
You’re not alone—lots of us have been burned by “smart” locks that aren’t as smart as they claim. Don’t sweat it.
I get the love for keypad locks, but I’ve actually found them a bit clunky in some homes—especially if you’re juggling groceries or have kids in tow. Here’s a little twist: I’ve started integrating smart locks with voice assistants (think: “unlock the door” as you walk up). It’s not perfect, but it’s surprisingly handy if your hands are full or you’re coming in late. Of course, you still need a backup plan, but sometimes the right tech can actually make life easier, not harder. Just depends on your setup and how much you want to tinker.
I hear you on the keypad locks—mine always seems to get stuck when I’m carrying a mountain of laundry or wrestling with a pizza box. Tried the voice assistant route too, but my dog once triggered it barking at the mailman... not ideal security-wise. Still, I like having options. Ended up keeping an old-school spare key hidden outside just in case tech decides to take a day off. Sometimes low-tech is the real hero.
Honestly, I get the appeal of a hidden spare key, but I’ve seen too many break-ins where that’s the first thing people look for. Even the “clever” spots aren’t as secret as we think. From an investment standpoint, I lean toward redundancy, but with a bit more security—like a lockbox with a code, maybe tucked somewhere less obvious. Tech can be glitchy, sure, but at least you can change a code if you’re worried about someone figuring it out.
I’ve had tenants lock themselves out and try to jimmy windows or doors, which ends up costing more in repairs than just having a backup plan that doesn’t involve hiding keys under rocks. Low-tech is great until someone else finds it before you do... Just my two cents.
