Are you smarter than a smart home?
Maybe "dumb as a doorknob" is about to be a joke of the past. From doorbells, locks and blinds, the home just got smarter.
According to U.S. & World Report News, there are plenty of reasons to invest in smart home upgrades to use now, or increase the value of the home when it is up for sale.
Subbing permanent features with technology is the biggest key factor in making a big profit off of a smart home.
Realtor.com listed smart technology, energy-efficient appliances, USB outlets and garage outlets as items that attract the Millennial buyer, the biggest buying generation.
"Appliances such as smart thermostats, smart doorbells, and more that can be controlled from an app are all the rage," said Kerron Stokes, a real estate agent with Re/Max Leaders in Colorado said to Realtor.com. "Connectivity is king when putting a house on the market these days."
Since the introduction of the smart doorbell, smart devices have been coming out of the woodwork and into the home.
Home Depot even has a “smart home” section on their website. Voice assistants like Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa can connect to devices in a home and be controlled via voice.
A 2017 survey from T3 Sixty and Coldwell Banker said that 91.3% of brokers and agents said they would benefit from the incorporation of smart home technology into marketing of a home. Meanwhile, 82% said they believed smart home technology streamlined a sale.
Here are some smart home upgrades that can attract buyers:
Automated blinds and curtains
Smart lighting
Climate control with smart thermostats
Built-in speakers with app control
Smart locks
Smart garage door opener
Smart appliances