Homeowners are always looking for ways to boost the value of their property, and while traditional means are tried and true, there’s one more investment you can add to your home: smart tech.
Extremely popular among Millennial buyers, especially, smart technology is one of the features that they’re willing to pay extra for. Smart doorbells for peace of mind, smart speakers for entertainment, or smart fridges for ease in the kitchen– any of these upgrades will add to the value and desirability of your home. When it comes to smart upgrades, one of the first areas homeowners invest in is security. It makes sense – you want to make sure that your home is safe as possible, and smart technology has made it possible to enhance this part of your home to the point where you can monitor and secure it even from far away, with just a tap on your phone.
1. Smart Doorbells
If you’re only starting to dip your toe into smart tech, a smart doorbell is a great place to start. The cost of entry is relatively low, the device itself is straightforward, it offers some tangible benefits and it’s very easy to use. Home buyers will feel safer with this around and it’s an attractive feature. You just install it and then you’ll be able to see exactly who comes knocking at your door. Have an issue with online orders being stolen right off your front porch? Now you’ll be able to catch the perpetrator redhanded. It’s worth the extra cash for that feature alone.
2. Smart Locks
A major safety upgrade, especially if you have children, frequent visitors, or tenants, is to install a smart lock. That enables you to forgo the traditional lock & key and instead, equips your home with an automatic lock and a keypad. What that does is make sure that you can never leave your door unlocked, thus making it safer from the get-go, but it also gives you a greater degree of control over who is able to enter your home. Lock and unlock your home remotely via your phone, or set a code for your keypad. Change it as frequently as you need to, including in between visitors, tenants, or delivery people. No risk of losing a key or having it stolen.
3. Smart Cameras
If you really want to add significant value to your home, smart cameras are also an option. Buyers will pay extra for the peace of mind, and the additional features are incredibly helpful when it comes to overall security. Smart cameras can stream a constant live feed, 24/7, that you can check on any time on your phone. You just need enough bandwidth to sustain it and you’ll be able to keep an eye on your home even when you’re away. For someone concerned about their safety, or who travels a lot, or has pets that are home alone, these cameras might be worth their weight in gold. Smart comfort upgrades But let’s face it, most people opt for smart tech for comfort purposes. Better living through technology is not just a theoretical concept, you can experience it yourself or equip your home with some smart features that will practically sell themselves – and for a great price.
4. Smart Thermostat
One’s comfort is often dictated by the right temperature. Some prefer to keep their house cooler, others run cold and want to crank up the heat. Especially in extreme weather conditions, whether in the summer or the winter, it can be difficult to maintain an ideal temperature inside a home. But not with a smart thermostat. Upgrading your thermostat to a smart device has endless advantages, the most important of which is that it saves you money. For that reason alone, it adds value to your home and it’s an attractive feature for buyers and an easy sell.
But in addition to that, it also makes it significantly easier to maintain an ideal temperature. You can set it to automatically warm up or cool the house when it reaches a certain temperature, time of year, or time of day. It’s very easy to control on your phone, so you don’t need to get off the couch to set it, and if you ever leave home and forget to adjust the thermostat, no worries – you can do it remotely.
5. Smart Lights
The latest in environmental technology are smart lights. They’re pretty self-explanatory, like the thermostats, smart lights can be set to turn on or off, get dimmer or brighter at certain times of day, giving you a yet unparalleled level of control over the lighting in your home. More importantly, you never have to get out of bed to turn off the lights or drive back home to check if you didn’t leave the light on ever again – just turn it off on your phone.
To that, add the cost-saving feature that means that you’ll be saving energy, the environment, and your electric bill. Buyers don’t mind paying more upfront for something that promises long-term savings. The other smart tech people go crazy for? Anything to do with entertainment. From smart TVs to smart speakers and home assistants, people will pay more for the luxury of being able to yell orders at Alexa.
6. Smart Speakers
Smart speakers have become somewhat of a mainstay of U.S. homes, especially in the luxury sector. If you’re prepping a house for sale, investing in a smart speaker is definitely worth it, because it’s on the list of must-haves for many Millennial buyers. While it’s not a necessity, at first glance, you will find that smart speakers actually add a lot to a home, especially for those looking for ultimate comfort and a high-end, luxurious entertainment experience inside their own home. Smart kitchen upgrades: It’s often said that the kitchen sells a house, and it’s true for most people. It’s the heart of the home, and it’s where things need to be in tip-top shape to impress potential buyers. That’s why it’s an ideal place to make investments that will add to the value of your home. We’re not talking about marble countertops, but about smart tech, even in your kitchen.
7. Smart Fridge
A few years back, a smart fridge may have seemed like an over-the-top extravagance, but in 2021, they are becoming more and more popular and commonplace. Add one to your kitchen to make grocery shopping that much easier. No need to stick lists on your fridge, the appliance automatically keeps track of its contents, what you’re running out of, and even what is about to expire.
To add to that, it also has a lot of other practical functions that add tremendous value, like recipes that the fridge can actually read out to you out loud while you’re cooking. It’s like having your own tutorial inside your home, that’s voice-activated, so you don’t need to press buttons and screens with dirty hands.
8. Smart Oven
Ovens have gotten smart, too – the latest generation of smart ovens are not just voice- operated, they can also connect to Wi-Fi and your choice of home assistant. Typically compatible with the entire range of assistants, from Alexa to Google Assistant, the smart oven is easy to control. Just tell it to turn off or change the temperature. Certain smart ovens and microwaves will also doll out helpful recipes and instructions, just like the fridge, so you’ll never overcook your meat again. If that’s not added value, I don’t know what is.
Bottom line
Smart upgrades are a very popular choice for 2021, not just because we’ve been spending so much time at home due to the pandemic, but also because it’s a great way to boost the value of your home. Whether you’re looking at adding smart security features like smart cameras, or cost-saving ones like smart lights, it’s the perfect time to invest in the value of your property.
