Do smart features sell homes?
Technological innovations are a big part of real estate infrastructure. How are smart features contributing to the speed at which properties are sold?
Smart home features have become popular in recent years, helping make homes more comfortable, safe and convenient. Simply put, a smart home is one that has an integrated system of technology. As appealing as that may sound, it is useful to consider how often buyers are searching for them and which will stay or go after the sale has gone through.
Smart home features to consider
Explaining what options are available, RE/MAX of Southern Africa explains some of the common smart home features that one can add to the home:
- Smart Security System– an alarm system, including window and door sensors and outdoor sensors, that can be monitored and controlled through a smartphone.
- Voice Assistant– voice-activated software that carries out simple commands, like telling the TV to turn on or lowering the volume of the home’s surround sound system.
- Smart Lock& Doorbell – A Wi-Fi or Bluetooth-enabled door lock that works on an app and allows homeowners to leave their keys at home. The doorbell can have an integrated camera to enable homeowners to have the ability to see who’s there when they are not at home via an app.
- Smart Garage Door– a Wi-Fi enabled device that allows you to check on the garage door (open and shut it) when you are away from home.
To determine whether the smart home feature will add value, Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa suggests considering which items will remain within the home after the home is sold.
“Some smart home features will be taken with the seller once the home is sold. Anything that is an app and is not fixed to the home – like a robot vacuum or a streaming device that connects to all the other devices within the home – will not come with the sale, which means that it won’t add value to the home,” he explains.
While today’s buyers may be used to having digital features within the home and may find having them quite appealing, these features are seldom listed as the make-or-break factors when searching for a home.
“Most buyers still look for the basics, like the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and outdoor living space. Unless buyers are looking within the luxury housing market, smart home features tend to be considered only as a bonus,” Goslett says.
However, Goslett notes that buyers might be after different things depending on the suburb and the price bracket.
“When it comes to deciding whether smart home features will add value, it is best to speak to a local RE/MAX agent to find out what features are more likely to make the home more desirable to potential buyers,” he concludes.
Writer: Kayla Ferguson
