If you’ve ever been halfway across town thinking, “Wait… did I lock the front door?” this episode is going to be your new best friend.
In this conversation, we’re breaking down the smart locks that are actually worth buying in 2025—after more than 30 different models were tested in real homes, over real weeks, with real everyday annoyances. No tech fluff, no marketing hype. Just what works, what doesn’t, and how to pick the right lock for your front door.
We’ll get into:
Why a smart lock is one of the easiest “quality of life” upgrades you can make
Whether you’re in a luxury home in Miami, a townhome in the suburbs, or a condo you grabbed before rates went crazy, a good smart lock gives you:
Remote access from your phone
Keyless entry for family, guests, cleaners, and dog walkers
An activity log so you know who came and went and when
The smart locks that actually made the cut
We’ll walk through the real-world winners and who they’re best for:
The best overall smart locks for most homeowners
The budget picks that still feel premium and reliable
The renter-friendly retrofit options that sit on top of your existing deadbolt
The Apple Home Key–compatible locks for people who want to tap their iPhone or Apple Watch and just walk in
The more specialized options for people who care about design, lever-style doors, or all-in-one video doorbell + lock combos
What this actually looks like in day-to-day life
We’ll talk about real scenarios:
Letting a contractor or cleaner in with a temporary code instead of leaving a key under the mat
Kids who always forget their keys but somehow never forget the fingerprint or keypad code
Being out of town and unlocking the door for a friend from your phone in seconds
Wi-Fi vs Bluetooth vs Thread (without the headache)
We’ll keep it simple and explain:
When Wi-Fi is super convenient—and when it murders your batteries
Why Bluetooth is fine for a lot of people but sometimes needs a “bridge”
Where newer standards like Matter and Thread fit in, and why they’re a big deal for reliability and battery life
Security, batteries, and “can this be hacked?”
We’ll talk about how smart locks stack up against traditional locks, why you should still have a physical backup key, and some common-sense ways to keep things secure without becoming an IT department.
How to pick the right smart lock for you
By the end, you’ll know which bucket you’re in:
Busy family that needs rock-solid reliability and multiple ways to unlock
Luxury homeowner who wants the lock integrated into full smart-home scenes
Renter or conservative owner who wants a minimal-hassle retrofit
Apple-first buyer who just wants to tap their watch and hear that sweet “click”
And because I’m a real estate agent in Miami, we’ll also connect it back to property value and lifestyle—how smart locks affect showings, investor properties, out-of-town owners, and that subtle “this house is dialed in” feeling buyers get the second they walk up to the door.
If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your front door, this episode will save you a ton of time, a bunch of Google searches, and at least one bad purchase.
If you ever want to buy or sell a property anywhere in the world, our team would be honored to help get you to your next destination.
Until next time, stay curious, stay hungry, and as always… stay ALL IN!
Amit Bhuta
COMPASS
ALL IN Miami Group
Licensed Real Estate Agent
(305) 439-3031 Mobile
amit.bhuta@compass.com
ALLinMiami.com
