Smart Times Ahead

Smart Times Ahead

By Patty McNease, Director of Marketing with Homes.com.

Recent reports forecast that smart home automation will turn into a $19 trillion industry in the ensuing years, led by Google’s recent $3.2 billion investment of Nest Labs, creators of smart thermostats and smoke detectors (Los Angeles Times).

This is an important fact for real estate professionals to know, because it won’t be long before it becomes commonplace that house hunters are inquiring as to whether or not smart home technology is installed.

A smart broker will learn the lingo now and understand how everything works, because a tech-savvy client may choose another direction if they feel their real estate agency isn’t keeping up with these technological advancements.

Many people are still confused about smart automated systems. Sure, they’ve seen them on TV and perhaps heard some people talking about them on social media sites. Some may even have family members or friends that have already implemented some of these into their home. It’s up to the real estate professional to alleviate their clients’ fears of the systems and become their all-knowing home technology advisor. Homes.com wants to help identify these trends with their smart home technology survey. Enter here to complete the brief, 10-question survey for your chance to win $250!

Growth of Smart Technology

A quick search through Google will show you thousands upon thousands of smart home automation tools and options on the market that range from the very simple to very complex. Something like a programmable thermostat is considered smart technology, with options to activate it from your mobile or tablet device.

In fact, the ability to connect to a central system is the key to a successful smart home. This means that you would be able to control all the home’s systems and appliances through a click of a button.

Today’s automated systems can control all sorts of things in the home—HVACs, appliances, lights, locks, electronics and the security system—and it can all be done through apps on a phone or tablet.

Even if you are away from the home, you can call in and lock the doors, shut the blinds, turn on the dishwasher, dim the lights at night, record your favorite TV show, turn on your sprinkler system or control the temperature of the heating and air conditioning. Inside the home, control panels or your computer can allow you to do these same things and impress your guests.

More advanced smart homes may have security systems complete with cameras, motion sensors and a link to the local police station or a security company. New security automated systems are also now offering key cards and/or fingerprint identification in place of conventional locks, making it harder for someone to break in.

A new smart refrigerator even lets you manage your inventory by creating a list of groceries and automatically adding items to it. If you are at the store and forget the list, you can simply access it from your mobile device.

Embrace the Technology

If you are a broker selling a home with smart technology, make sure you take the time to go over all it can do with the sellers so you can offer an expert opinion on the features when showing the home. Hearing a house has an automated lighting system will make a house hunter stop and listen, but if you can’t explain how it works, that interest will quickly vanish.

Understand what makes having these in the home so great and express those feelings when talking with clients. Many millennial homebuyers are seeking the latest and greatest technology and gadgets and as the “new face” of the buyers market, you want to impress them with your knowledge of smart technology.

You can also cater to the green buyers because a smart home benefits the environment. Less power usage leads to higher sustainability and reduces pollution. These systems will also reduce energy bills, allowing you to control when lights and systems are on, and more importantly, off.

Remember, smart technology is the future of homes so it’s important that you learn to appreciate all it can offer your buyers. A home with the latest gadgets and smart technology will pique the interest of a homebuyer and may lead to a quicker sale at a better price.

What is your experience with these home technology amenities? Take the Homes.com survey about smart home technology for a chance to win $250.

Interested in more details on this topic? Click here!

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2014. All rights reserved.