Proven: Smart Homes Sell Faster and for More Money

Amidst all the stress and hype you hear surrounding selling your home, it’s hard to know what to believe. But two truths stand out loud and clear – people want their homes to sell faster and for the most money they can get.

We’ve all been convinced by now that high-end kitchens and bathrooms are in demand and an investment that more than pays for itself, but there’s some hard evidence out there indicating that people want more, expect more and are doing something about it. Smart home technology is the trending value-add for buyers and sellers alike.

The ability to use smart controls to customize a home to your own unique lifestyle and preferences translates to faster sales and higher offers.

We always knew it, but here’s the proof

Two 2016 studies by Coldwell Banker revealed that 64 per cent of 500 real estate agents nationwide confirmed an increasing interest in hi-tech amenities, and 60 percent have seen a marked increase in smart home sales. A consumer study of 4,000 potential homebuyers had pretty much the same results. And just to add to that, a 2016 Houzz & Home Survey of 121,000 homeowners, fully one-third added home automation in the last year, and 16 per cent had plans to do so.

A 2015 study by Better Homes & Gardens indicated that more than half of US women – 64 percent of millennial women – think smart technology makes their home safer, more energy efficient and enjoyable. But we knew that. We’ve been designing and integrating state-of-the-art smart technology for some of the premiere homes and families in the GTA.

We even designed the home integration for a client who designs apps for Apple. We mention that because all ‘smart’ technology is not the same. There are a number of highly marketed but not-so-highly functioning offerings out there. And a lot of people use them. The problem is that users need multiple apps and remote controls to activate them and often run into tech problems as the various electronic devices in the house are incompatible and/or can’t properly communicate with one another.

A smart home v. a really smart home – Make the smart choice

Really smart homes need a consultation with an integration expert to determine your lifestyle and preferences. An expert is fully certified and completely conversant in the latest trends and equipment and how all of those things work together – or not. Many so called ‘hot’ technology items seem like a great idea until you discover that they are incompatible with your other systems.

An expert is always up to date and can help you to select state-of-the-art lighting, automated shades, temperature and humidity controls, audiovisual and home theatre/home entertainment systems, home access, safety and security sensors and special equipment like cctv, wi-fi cameras, doorbell video systems, wireless audio and internet programmable thermostats that is both compatible and perfect for your needs and the individual needs of everyone in your house. They can even integrate specialty items like pools, humidity and smoke controls for artwork, or digital wine tracking. They then can install a fully integrated system that lets you control everything – simply – at the touch of a button. They’ll program it based on your unique lifestyle needs and preferences, and even set it so you can carry those preferences with you to your office or cottage and even blends in with your décor.

What options do you have with your touchpads? Do they match your décor? Can you customize your icons? Can you change them to match the décor when your house is sold? Only Crestron touchpads and specialized design and programming skills blend your touchpads right into your walls if required. We worked with an Apple programmer to have that unique ability. So that makes things easy for a new home sale. What about resale?

Simple again, but again, not every integrator is the same. You need to ask the question: how do we get in to reprogram this if we sell our house? Or change our minds or lifestyle? More often than not, integrators will hold back credentials and schematics that give you that kind of access, and let you know clearly what’s happening behind the walls. And it’s a big problem when you go to sell.

Connectrix integrates all the electronic systems in a home or business (audio/visual, lighting, temperature, motorized shades, life, safety, security and networking systems) to work together, talk together and respond together – simply and cost effectively – with seamless, single-touch control. We invest heavily in training, certification and innovation to remain at the forefront of automation technology. And we partner with companies and people who share our philosophies and care as much as we do – before, during, and after the decision process.

So whether you’re a realtor advising your clients on how to get more for their home or from the home they buy, a seller or purchasing a new custom home – speak to an expert, accredited smart home integrator. Ask the right questions. Get the right products that will work together and can be updated easily in the future.

Then sit back and enjoy the comfort, energy savings, safety and simplicity of not just a smart home but a really smart home.