4 Smart Devices to Upgrade Your Home

Buyers love seeing homes with upgrades, whether it’s a brand-new gas stove or a thermostat that can be adjusted from their desk at work. Smart devices have increased in use and are now popular features with homeowners because of the convenience they add to the home. These “smart” devices are technology that can be operated remotely or automatically adjusted to improve the living conditions or security of the home environment.

Installing smart technology in a home can be a great way to appeal to home buyers. However, with so many types, which ones do homeowners decide to install in their homes for maximum return? The most popular smart devices for homes are the following four.

Smart Thermostats

A smart thermostat is one of the most popular devices to add to a home. These thermostats provide users with more options for temperature control than before. Smart thermostats add convenience because they can be accessed with an app via smartphone or tablet. The remote connectivity allows homeowners to access their thermostats from anywhere, so they can adjust the air conditioning for any reason. Smart thermostats also learn the user’s schedule, factor in climate conditions, and automatically adjust based on it. Some can be synced into an entire home system for automatic adjustments for bedtime, leaving the home, or arriving home. This helps homeowners save energy and reduces the cost of utilities.

Smart Security Alarms

Many people like knowing that their home has extra protection, and security alarms often fill that need. Homeowners have multiple types of security alarms to select from. Smart ones now notify a homeowner directly if they sense something has changed. Sensors can be placed on windows or doors and sound an alarm when they open unexpectedly to scare off any would-be intruders. Sensors like these are relatively inexpensive and can be incorporated into an entire home technology system. Their use gives homeowners extra protection and makes them feel more secure in their homes. They can also be part of a home child-proofing plan.

Smart Locks

The old key-based locks are moving aside in favor of new methods to keep intruders from breaking down doors. Smart locks can operate in several ways. Two of the more common ones use a fingerprint or numeric code to access a housekey or unlock the door. These replace the doorknob on a home’s front door. Smart locks that scan a fingerprint typically store a number of fingerprints, so everyone who lives in the home can use it. Another option uses existing key-based locks but covers the locking mechanism on the home’s interior to control access. The smart lock then connects through Wifi and an app to enable a homeowner to control access–even if they are not home.

Smart locks allow another family member or trusted friend access to the home without giving them their key. They’ll record when a home is locked or unlocked and can be operated remotely in case you forget to lock the door.

Smart Garage Doors

Smart garage doors remove the need for remote controls that can often be finicky and not work properly. Something a smart garage door can do is sense the homeowner’s car is within a certain distance of the home. As they approach, it will automatically open to allow them entrance. Some smart garage doors also let the homeowner manually open them through an app. This feature can be helpful for letting someone into the home from far away.

Smart devices are home upgrades that may not be on top of a home buyer’s “want” list, but they can be a “wow” factor that closes the deal for buyers. They see it as a perk of buying the home. Moving forward, more homes are deploying smart technology; soon, it won’t be a perk but something as expected as a refrigerator and oven.

Updated January 2024