Building Your Own Smart Home: 5 Must-Haves

By Mark Spain Real Estate

The concept of a ‘smart home’ used to feel out of reach to most homeowners. But with dropping prices and improving functionality, smart devices are moving from desirable to essential. From knocking items off your to-do list, to saving you money, to helping to keep your family safe, Mark Spain Real Estate has compiled a list of must-have devices to help you start setting up your smart home.

Not only do these devices make day to day living a little more comfortable; for potential home sellers, some of them can increase the value of your home.  This is a simple advantage that catch the eyes of buyers! 

Digital Programmable Thermostat

 These devices were the first commercially viable smart home tech for the same reason that they should be your first purchase: they are simple and immediately save you money. The installation process for these is a quick and easy DIY project, and you’ll notice the difference right away. You can take the time to program the heating and cooling around your work and sleep schedule to optimize your savings. Alternatively, you can let the device learn your schedule for itself and just tweak it when you feel the need. With “away” and “eco” functions you can be comfortable knowing that you’ll never pay to needlessly change the temperature of an empty house.

Smart Vacuum Cleaner

 A robot vacuum cleaner may seem like a frivolous expense, but we cannot recommend this one highly enough. Many of these devices are now cheaper than a standard vacuum and clean just as well! Adding this device to your house will mean that your floors are reliably clean while freeing up a surprisingly large amount of your time to focus on more pressing matters.

These vacuums excel on any surface, include intelligent navigation, and many models are designed to deal with any troublesome pet hair. As with the thermostat, you can program certain times for the vacuum to run, or just set it to go manually as the need arises. For a seller trying to keep their home tidy for showings, the automation of the robot vacuum leaves you with one less thing to worry about.

Doorbell Cameras 

In the age of internet shopping and delivery, package security is a constant concern. While many shippers might refund or re-ship packages, that does not help you when you need the item. Lockboxes are occasionally a viable option. However, they can be awkward for your mail carriers, do not always work for large packages, and damage your house’s curb appeal. Fortunately, doorbell cameras are your perfect solution to this problem.

With a notification on your phone when someone is at your door, you always know when deliveries arrive, and the camera itself dissuades any would-be thieves. Several companies now also offer security cameras that can be the perfect pairing with this device. The additional cameras themselves can help to provide security, and you can pull up a feed on your mobile device to check on the perimeter of your house when you are concerned. Not only that, a doorbell camera can be an enticing bonus for potential buyers when looking at a property. Adding one to your home may bring more buyers your way. According to a recent survey, 66% of homebuyers are looking for smart home security cameras. 

Home Assistant

Now that you have some smart devices in your house, you need a convenient way to control them. There are several great home assistants on the market at this point with some very low-cost options. These devices are a great addition to your home in their own right.

With voice recognition, you can ask them to look up information, play music, set timers and reminders. Some even function as an intercom throughout the house if you have multiple home assistants. Simple voice commands allow you to control other aspects of your house, such as temperature, lighting or the television, without even getting up or looking at your phone.

Smart Lightbulbs

These LED bulbs are the perfect finishing touch to your new smart home. They are more energy-efficient than standard bulbs. This means the initial cost becomes an investment in the same way as your thermostat. The bulbs can be linked to your home assistant so that they can be controlled from the comfort of your chair or your bed if you have left one on by mistake. With dimmable settings, color-changing options, and nameable presets, they can help set the mood for your house for any occasion.

Ring in the new decade with a smarter home. These options are the best place to start making your home fully intelligent. Not only do their designs lend your house a sleek, modern feel; but they also save you money while doing it.

Additionally, making small smart upgrades like these can boost a home’s appeal to potential buyers. Whether you are looking to simply enhance your home or sell it, Mark Spain Real Estate has the tips and experience to help you make the most educated decisions. 

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