Press ‘Home’ — Selling Properties With Smart Tech

 

Please enjoy this article from guest author Suzie Wilson  of  Happierhome.net

There are many advantages to home automation: ease of use, better accessibility, and let’s face it — there’s something cool about a fireplace that starts up when you clap. What you may not have foreseen, however, are the benefits that technology provides when selling a property.

The Role of Tech

 In almost all areas of life, it’s clear that the pandemic has increased our reliance on tech. This is no less true in the housing market, where the need to actually step inside a property has been somewhat reduced by the use of 3D walkthroughs, video-chat tours, virtual open houses, and Zoom realtor consultations. This is good news for prospective sellers as, in the wake of COVID, housing sales have bounced back to levels unseen since pre-2008. If you are looking to sell your property, physical limitations need not slow you down.

Techniques for Selling

 Faced with an indeterminate lull in house sales, realtors have adopted a number of methods to convert your home into a digital product ready for purchase. For the sellers themselves, this means the usual rules (e.g., creating a clutter-free environment, minimizing furniture, and repainting), but also adapting your home to appear more photogenic. In some ways, the process of a virtual viewing is more rigorous than in real life. A shrewd real estate agent will want to 3D scan your property using a high-optical lens. They may also want to stage a virtual broker’s open house using a self-shot video tour. At a minimum, you’ll need to make sure lights are turned on, fans and screens are off (these can interfere with feeds), blinds are open, and surfaces are clear.

The Smart Home Landscape

 Smart tech isn’t just for selling properties; it can also add value. By how much is unclear, though studies put the price contribution of installed home systems anywhere between 5% and 35%, depending on the device. What is more clear, however, is the surge in demand: Smart home spending was at $76 billion in 2016 and is on course to reach $158 billion by 2022. Those looking to invest in a full home system should consider choosing and sticking with one of the market leaders--Google, Amazon, Samsung, and Apple. All signs indicate that we’re moving towards “integrated systems,” where devices can speak to each other seamlessly, so long as they are from the same brand.

 Choosing a Smart Speaker

 The staple device for any smart home is a speaker (or display). For Amazon, this means the ‘Echo’ powered by Alexa. For Google, this means the ‘Nest Hub.’ These central systems can connect with home appliances such as coffee makers, lamps, TVs, or plug sockets and are almost entirely voice-controlled. When picking one, make sure to do some research into its compatibility with other devices. After all, you’re investing in a full home system, not just one product.

Automated Appliances

 In 2020, it was estimated there were 200 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices, meaning physical objects embedded with sensors and software for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data over the internet. That list includes just about every household appliance you can think of: TVs, fridges, locks, security cameras, speakers, radiators, and more. According to Hippo, convenience is the most significant factor in smart home device usage, at 46%. For those looking to speed up their property sale, consider switches, wall outlets, blinds, lights, and thermostats. Especially in large properties, buyers want to save time and energy. If your home system can provide both, it might help encourage an offer.

 Life has evolved quickly in the real estate market. You might look at the introduction of devices into the household with some hesitation but there is no doubt: if you want to buy or sell under current circumstances, it pays to have technology on your side.

For more information on this topic, please visit happierhome.net.