Installing Smart Technology to Help Sell Your Home

There are a lot of ways to make a home stand out from the crowd, and when it's for sale that's a good thing. Sellers want their home to get noticed, so they can get it sold and move on to what comes next. New paint and flooring add value, and making sure the home is clean and staged can go a long way, as well. But there is more to the story when a home really needs to get noticed. Especially in a competitive market, homes have to have that extra something that makes buyers want to see them.

Getting the Edge in Home Selling

Smart technology can give sellers the edge, because it offers something to buyers that they can't get in other homes in the area.  A few years ago, smart technology was found primarily in expensive luxury homes.  Now, even modestly priced homes can install technology to control lights, thermostats and security systems from their phones.  Not everyone would go to the expense of installing them in their home, but most people will use and enjoy them if they are already there. This is a worthwhile consideration for sellers who want to move their home quickly and for a good price, since technology can help them do that.

A Technological Home Can Mean a Quality Home

While there doesn't have to be a correlation between technology in a home and quality, most buyers will perceive things that way. In short, they will see a home with a lot of technological advances, and assume that the seller of that home has taken a lot of pride in it. Pride of ownership generally comes along with good upkeep and maintenance, which every buyer will likely appreciate. Homes that are maintained well are worth more, on average, than their counterparts. They are also more move-in ready, and they are easier for buyers to deal with. That all adds up to a better selling price and a faster sale, which can be important in hot real estate markets. With smart technology in a home, buyers will be more interested in everything the house has to offer.

Standing Out Matters In a Tight Market

A buyer's market means that sellers need to be competitive with one another, and a tight market means that homes just aren't selling as well as they otherwise would. Both markets make it difficult for sellers to get their homes sold and move on to what comes next for them. In both cases, smart technology can help buyers see the value of a particular home over and above other homes that are for sale in the same general area and price range. Not every buyer will be fascinated by the technology or see it as a benefit, but enough buyers will appreciate it to make it worth having for most sellers.

Which Technology is Right For Your Home?

The best technology to install is the technology that makes your home more secure, more comfortable and more convenient.  A good security system is one of the most common investments homeowners should consider.  Some insurers even give a discount when a home has a security system that's monitored.  The new doorbells that track motion are a great addition to any security system.  Exterior cameras are no longer so expensive that only luxury homes can afford them.  A combination of equipment can discourage the bad guys from picking your home.

For comfort and to save on utilities, consider a new thermostat that can be programmed.  You can set it to adjust the temperature at times when the family is home and use less energy when the home is empty.  

Programmable light bulbs add convenience and can enhance security.  Setting the light bulbs to turn on and off at routine times will create the appearance that someone is home even when you're on vacation. 

Today's garage door openers can even be controlled from your phone. The new opener I recently installed is programmed to automatically close after five minutes.  No need to worry that it will accidentally be left open to invite intruders in.

Can There Be Too Much Smart Technology?

In general, sellers are not going to end up with too much smart technology. But it's technically possible. If everything in the house is automated, it could make some buyers uncomfortable. But a good level of technology that buyers can easily learn to work should not deter them from a home purchase. They can always remove what they don't like, but they will not have to worry about installing smart technology because it is already there for them.

It's a good idea to keep owners manuals for the systems you install.  The new owners will find them useful references as they're learning how things operate.  Make sure to keep a list of passwords that control the systems.  It will make it easier for the new owners to switch to passwords they'll remember.

Sellers who are thinking about adding smart technology to their homes as a selling point would be best off considering things like thermostats and lights, while avoiding things like toilets and refrigerators that have too much automation built into them. There is a balance to be had, but sellers who are conscientious about that will generally choose the right level of smart technology to stand out from the crowd and get buyers interested in their home.