If you’re planning to put your property on the market, it’s important to note that smart technology and intelligent automation are some of the most effective ways to attract buyers. Labor-saving devices, energy-saving updates and smart modern solutions are incredibly appealing – and when potential buyers see them already installed, they can more easily imagine a life of comfort in the property they are viewing. If you’ve invested in a few smart upgrades to make life more comfortable in your home, you’re likely to be much more successful when it comes to selling. Their inclusion may even serve to increase your home value. In this article, we explore how you can use tech to make a property more desirable.
1. Smart Thermostats
This is a relatively recent development in home climate control. Smart thermostats allow you to keep on top of your energy usage – thus saving money and protecting the environment. Most have a display that reveals your daily usage and helps you to continue to a goal. Smart thermostats can also help you to ensure that the temperature of your home remains comfortable, enabling you to change their settings from any location. For example, if you’ve been out all day in the middle of winter, you’ll likely want to return to a warm house. You can adjust a smart thermostat remotely – which means that you can make sure your home heats up before you arrive at the door without the radiators had to be on all day.
2. Accessibility
The more inclusive your home feels, the quicker it is likely to sell. If you can provide an alternative to stairs, your property is expected to fetch a reasonable price. These home lifts by Lifton are effortless to use and will complement your decor perfectly. You can also install automatic door opening devices for internal and external doors and garages, allowing quick, easy, hands-free access to all areas of the home.
3. Security Upgrades
Easy-to-use, high tech security is hugely appealing to many house hunters. It means that you can keep track of the comings and goings around a property even when you’re away. Today, it’s easy to get your hands on specially designed locks with personalized codes, individual access, biometric solutions, smart vital fobs or even smartphone-integrated access. Not only can you carefully manage access to your property by setting up systems or any other access resources to different members of your household, but these kinds of solutions do away entirely with the need for a physical key that could be easily lost, stolen, or broken. Many of these locks also allow you to grant access remotely, so if a trusted guest arrives at your property before you do, you can easily let them in.
Changing the locks is made more accessible too, as many smart locks can be reprogrammed if their security is compromised. This saves a great deal of time and stress. A smart doorbell is another exciting innovation that provides enhanced security. Many of these devices have inbuilt cameras, microphones, and speakers. Using an app that connects your doorbell to your chosen method, you can monitor the feed from the camera on screen anytime, wherever you are. Many apps of this kind will allow you to change the settings on your doorbell remotely and take still images and recordings. You can remotely access the feed from a doorbell camera to see who is calling while you’re out. Another popular feature of the smart doorbell is the option to keep it continually running like CCTV. Furthermore, you can talk to any visitors via the device, permitting couriers to use parcels in a particular place or asking trespassers to leave.
4. Bathroom and Kitchen Fittings
Self-cleaning, self-closing, self-washing toilets are efficient and highly hygienic. You can also get automated or sensor-based showers and baths too. For accessibility purposes, bathrooms can be fitted with specialist lifts. These fittings are high for the elderly and people with disabilities. Digital smart taps can be installed to control the temperature and flow rate of water, allowing you to set your desired heat for a bath. This is ideal for families with young children and babies, helping them to ensure that the showers they run are a safe and comfortable temperature.
Many fittings of this kind are available in both high and low flow rate varieties to suit your home perfectly. You can install some high devices in the kitchen, too. We particularly love self-cleaning ovens, many of which burn off dirt by heating their internal space too much higher temperatures than usual. This saves a considerable amount of time, effort, and cleaning fluid and makes your kitchen far more comfortable. You can even find smart dishwashers and washing machines that connect to your household WIFI. They enable you to order more perishable items like dishwasher tablets, automatically dry their contents, notify you of required repairs and will allow you to change their settings and switch them on remotely. These appliances can also determine the right amount of water and temperature needed to wash a particular load, which is another easy way of saving money and reducing your energy usage.
5. Lighting
Voice or sound-operated light fittings are excellent for several reasons. Not only are they a more comfortable option for those with limited mobility, but they can also help to prevent the spread of bacteria as no surface needs to be touched. You can also install motion-activated light fittings that only illuminate a space when it is being used. Again, this helps to prevent the spread of bacteria as no physical switch is required to operate the lights. Still, it can also reduce your electricity bills and your environmental impact. Automated blinds are great too. You can raise or lower them remotely, allowing for greater freedom and natural temperature control. This is another option that can make life easier for those with reduced mobility, but it can add a touch of luxury and convenience for anyone.