Triangle Area Real Estate News & Information

This is the Year of the Smart Home

You come home from a long day’s work to your empty home, but it’s ready for you. The thermostat is set to your favorite temperature, all of the lights are dimmed, and the dishwasher is quietly running. The sprinklers are watering your lawn and the dog is sleeping in his bed after being fed by the automatic dog feeder.

This may sound like a scene from a movie, yet this could be your reality if you join the smart home trend.

According to CNBC, 2017 will be the year of the smart home, with over 80 million smart home devices being delivered worldwide. These products include devices for the kitchen, living room, bedroom, home security, and even the yard.

Popular Smart Home Products To Watch For

With products from brands such as Google, Amazon, SmartHomeUSA, Samsung, Nest and others, homeowners have multiple options. Some of those options include:

• A lighting system that automatically turns on and off and can also be controlled using your smart phone.
• A thermostat that “learns” how warm or cool you like your house and maintains the temperature.
• A security system that shows you on your phone when someone is at the door, even if you’re not home.
• A refrigerator with a touch screen that helps you make your grocery list and place orders for delivery.
• An automated sprinkler system that waters your lawn according to the weather.

Smart homes not only provide comfort and convenience to homeowners, but also help cut costs and save energy. By being able to turn off the lights from anywhere around the world, you will never have to worry about coming home to an expensive energy bill.

There are many ways to go about turning your house into a smart home.  If you’re ready to take the leap and go completely automated, the best option for you is a smart home set, such as the starter kit by LiveWatch. These sets include multiple services and allow you to choose which smart devices you want in your home.

If you’re still unsure about taking the leap to a fully automated home, you can take it slowly and buy individual systems. Devices such as the Google Home or Amazon Echo are capable of controlling lights, fans, garage doors, and, of course, playing music. With just one command, they can lower your home's temperature, assemble a shopping list, or raise the volume on the television from the other side of the room. In order for this to work, however, all of your devices must be relatively new and compatible with these new technologies. If you're only interested in one or a few upgrades to your home, such as a smart lock and thermostat, then you can purchase these separately and control them from the convenience of your smartphone.

These devices can perform skills such as reading off the daily weather forecast to creating grocery lists. All it takes to set up these systems is connecting them to your smartphone and plugging them in anywhere in the house.

By turning your house into a cutting edge smart home, you can add value, comfort, entertainment, and convenience to your home.