Simply put, a Smart Home means your home has a control system that connects with your various appliances, systems, and features to automate specific tasks and is typically remotely controlled. The real estate industry, in conjunction with CNET, accepted definition is: 

“A home that is equipped with network-connected products (aka “smart products,” connected via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or similar protocols) for controlling, automating, and optimizing functions such as temperature, lighting, security, safety, or entertainment, either remotely by a phone, tablet, computer, or a separate system within the home itself.”

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Kind of a mouthful and there are a handful of additional criteria that must be met for your agent to market your home as a Smart Home. The first piece of criteria is that you have a reliable internet connection. As of 2019, roughly 87% of homes in the United States had internet. Provided you’re one of the roughly 87%, the next item you must have is a smart security feature that either controls access or monitors the property or a smart temperature feature. Think doorbell camera, door locks that you can remotely control, or a security camera system that you can electronically access. If you don’t have those items, a smart thermostat would also satisfy that requirement.

The next requirements are two additional features from these categories:

• Lighting (smart light bulbs and lighting systems)
• Safety (smart fire/carbon monoxide detectors and nightlights)
• Entertainment (smart TVs and TV streaming services)
• Appliances (smart refrigerators and smart washer/dryers)
• Heating / Cooling (smart HVAC system, smart fans, or vents)
• Outdoors (smart plant sensors and watering systems)
• Security (smart locks, smart alarm systems or cameras)
• Temperature (smart thermostats)

Ok, so in addition to an internet connection, how many items exactly do you need? Three. That’s right, only three items. Remember though, one of the three categories must be security or temperature. Now that I’ve spent your money on these devices, let me help you recoup your investment. Likely the easiest returns can be captured through your energy usage. Depending on which devices you choose to incorporate, you will be able to automate everything from temperature settings and schedules, lighting scenes, and adjusting irrigation, and the opening and closing of window treatments based on the weather. 

It might sound like a lot to do but do you remember the first smartphone? Much like that, this tech is here to stay and, instead of being a luxury, will become expected in a home. Arguably, this is the first major system of consequence introduced into a home since central air conditioning. Could you imagine a real estate agent in the 1970s that couldn’t explain the value of central AC? The same could be asked about smart tech in 2021. Fun fact, when the first internet-capable smartphone was released in 1996, we were “only” approaching 50 million internet-connected devices on the planet. As of 2020, there were roughly 50.1 BILLION internet-connected devices.

Interested in knowing MORE about Smart Home tech? Contact the only Smart Home Certified CRS agent in the Greater St. Louis area*.

*Based upon actual knowledge the author has at the time of publication

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