Technology For Home Automation

Home Technology In The Future Is All Talk

That is, its all talking to your device.  Call out to Alexa from the comfort of your couch.  Apps are listening to what you want and need these days. The day when technology for home automation knows to open your front door for you can’t be too far off.  Look at SUV’s that open the tailgate when you waggle your foot below the bumper.

Voice control is only going to get better.  The day when smart home AI’s recognize who is in the house and adjust to each person, not so far away in the future.

For Sale Home Without Technology

I sell a ton of these houses. And the great thing is, its so easy to upgrade from the Dark Ages, aka The Seventies, to Tech Savvy.  From digital doorbells to automated lighting, there are tons of great home technology and gadgets to power your place.   One of my faves is the new twist on an old idea.

Video Killed The Radio Star

That was a lyric in the 80’s.  I’m dating myself.  But seriously, the new digital doorbells out there are destroying the childhood game of Ding Dong Ditch It.  No more can you run up and ring a bell and run off to laugh with your buddies. 

No, the new era of doorbells offers an owners some great flexibility.  The doorbells are as much technology for home security system as anything else, allowing an owner to remotely be aware of who is at the door.  And they are easy to add to a house of any age.

You might be upstairs in your PJ’s or halfway across the world on a beach.  Makes no difference with technology for home automation doorbells such as Amazon’s Ring.  Just load the App on your cell phone and when someone rings your bell, viola, it pops up on your device’s screen. 

Another easy update on older homes – the door locks.  It used to be all keyed entry.  Frequently rather than re-keying the existing locks, owners are adding digital doorlocks with a code.  No more days of leaving a key under the mat.  Now you can share a code and your neighbor, school aged child or visiting Air BnB guest can easily unlock the front door!

Heating and Cooling Goes High Tech

Nest and other similar thermostat controls are the rage. Pair your favorite device and you can run the heat or air conditioning from where ever you are.   Home or otherwise.   Some great applications for this technology for home automation:

• Turn off the air conditioners from the comfort of your patio while dining alfresco. Saves energy/less noisy
• Add some cooling power from work on the hottest day of the year. Arrive home to a comfortably cool home after a hot work day.
• Surreptitiously turn down the heat to get your mother-in-law motivated to leave your chilly house.  No – wait – just kidding on that last one!

New Home Technology For 2018

Then there’s video.  It used to be Uncle Hank with the movie camera at holidays, but now its a camera inside your refrigerator, so you can sneak a peak from the grocery store to see if you need milk (I know I do!).

Hey Alexa, play that new movie.  Stream my photos.  Order me a pizza.  From the Echo to Amazon, there are plenty of great new gadgets that allow us to order an on demand video or get take out delivered. All from the comfort of our couch.  This epitomizes the power of new tech.  It allows us to do what we love doing in a simpler format. 

Back in the eighties, you had to run to the video store for that one copy of the new movie.  And don’t forget to rewind was the key phrase of the day.  Now, just call out to your home’s AI-like device and the movie starts playing on your home screen.

Simple Technology For Home Automation

I also – especially being a Realtor who sells a lot of older houses – am a big fan of flat screen tv’s and wall mounts.  I think this one technology change has had the largest impact.  Suddenly, you don’t need a giant box to see tv.  It can be a slim wall mounted option and this really opens up our homes for more options.  

Now pair that flatscreen tv with Alexa and call out your favorite movie.  Wall mounts create new space.

Something as simple as a new wall mounted tv might solve some of your spaces issues in your current housing. Also, check out the new lighting options.  Sure, lighting control is eco-friendly.  But is so much more.  You needn’t run upstairs to turn that one pesky light off that throws glare onto the tv set.  Or, running late?  Turn on some lights before you arrive home to come into a well lit (safety) and cheery environment after work.

Boulder Real Estate News recommends

Technology is popping up in ways that impacts listing your Boulder home for sale.  Chris and Karen Highland write on their blog about the value of virtual redecorating.  Rather than actually spending all the time, money & effort, using online options to show potential buyers how your house could look.

Debbie Drummond expounds on more ways to improve your home’s technology.  And she adds an important point for Boulder home sellers.  Technology is a great way to stand out in a tight real estate market.  Upgrading your home automation technology will set you apart from the competition and give you that coveted “Best house on the market status.”

Seeking some general advice on home improvement? Kyle Hiscock writes a terrific blog that addresses every conceivable improvement out there.  Check it out. 

Technology is great.  Be sure to also keep the Boulder home building rules and regs in mind when making less techy improvements.  Read Navigating Boulder’s Building Code for more on this!

Meanwhile, Dustin Brohm wrote an article about digital doorbells and doors that open on demand awhile back.  Read his blog.  He even suggests some specific products to check out.

Finally Paul Sian offers up a great infographic.  His article reminds there are smart sprinkler systems that know to turn off when it rains.  I see places around Boulder Colorado that would benefit from that. Drives me nuts to see a system  automatically watering during a downpour.