Smart home features have become popular in recent years, helping make homes more comfortable, safe and convenient.
A smart home has an integrated system of technology. As appealing as that may sound, consider how often buyers are searching for them and which will stay or go after the sale has gone through.
Explaining what options are available, RE/MAX of Southern Africa explains some smart home features to add to the home:
• Smart security system – an alarm system that includes window and door sensors and outdoor sensors, 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 and 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 where homeowners can see who is 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 not at home.
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To work out 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 go 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 would not add value to the home,” he explains.
And, while today’s buyers may be used to digital features within the home and may find having them 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 a bonus,” Goslett says.
However, Goslett notes that buyers might be after different things depending on the suburb and the price bracket.
“When 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.
