Smart Home Tech: What Others Say

“Changing Priorities”

“A few years ago, men seemed interested in ‘man caves,’ a place for a pool table or dart boards,” recalls sales associate Rose LoCicero, with Team 54/Prudential Tropical Realty in Tampa, Fla. “Today, they’re more concerned about things like the entertainment system and home theater, if there’s cable connections in every room.”

What appeals to buyers reflects changing priorities and the mobile lifestyle. One couple lost interest in a home when they discovered poor cell phone reception; the inclusion of a turn-key home entertainment network in another listing proved to be a selling point.

“On some newer homes, people love the fact all these features are built in and they’re more energy efficient, with systems they can adjust over their smartphone,” LoCicero says. “People are starting to think green, and want to know how efficient the appliances are, what kind of water heater there is ... Just like the location, these things are going to really matter to buyers in a few years.”

“Value-Added Expertise”

In a market where most homes were built more than 80 years ago, “ecobroker” John Doberstein, sales associate with RE/MAX 1 in Duluth, Minn., advises sellers what they can do to make their properties more appealing.

“Buyers are very interested in the utility costs associated with owning a home. Sellers who have upgraded the old oil-burning furnace and spent money on Energy Star appliances have taken the right steps,” he says.

“The market is starting to call for new smart technologies in the home,” Doberstein adds. “If you look long-term, anything you do to make a home more efficient will help its resale value and add to its appeal.”

“Smart Buyers”

Clients may have preconceived expectations when they contact The Green Team Real Estate in Fort Collins, Colo. “Many are first-time buyers who want to control the costs of operating their home,” reports broker Lara Williams. “It’s as much about energy efficiency as their own lifestyle and the things they value.”

She expects smart, green technologies will interest more buyers as the city experiments with the smart electrical grid bear fruit. “As they roll out that smart grid and show how people can save energy and reduce costs when they are connected to it, the average person is going to become more aware and care,” she predicts.