It's pretty hard to ignore the speeding train that is technology these days. And I'm the first to acknowledge the opportunities for business that technology offers – over the years Century 21 Australia has been able to utilise and embrace various innovations to achieve considerable success in the Australian real estate market.
Beyond the office though – what types of technology do people wish to incorporate into their homes? As real estate agents we definitely focus a lot on beautifying, styling and readying a home for sale, and considering the value add potential of any cosmetic improvements that are made during a renovation or rebuilding process.
But over recent years it is becoming apparent that people are increasingly placing value on the existence of technology in their homes. And I'm not just talking about an entertainment system that ensures your DVD player is connected to your television, I'm referring to an entirely interconnected network that pretty much allows you to wire your home to respond to your every whim.
An article by Paul Best recently appeared on the Sydney Morning Herald website, entitled 'Unlimited control of your life', which considered the ways that average suburban homes around Australia are turning into 'smart homes'.
According to the article, processes of automation including controlling lighting, security, access to the house, communications and media distribution are usually what people first imagine when they think of technology in the home. Recent advances however, as explained by Michael Staindl of Smart Systems, means that these intelligent systems are integrated, and your property's lighting, security, heating/cooling, entertainment and communications all work harmoniously.
The article uses the example of a security system which lets your cleaners in at prescribed times each week, and sends you an SMS when they come and go.
The article surmises that the advent of such technological innovation in homes has been driven by the iPhone and iPad. The apps available on these devices have given users a large amount of intuitive functionality and have started people thinking about what else is possible.
The article leaves us with the message that smart homes are becoming increasingly standard, which gives home owners something to think about, even those who do not consider themselves to be all that technologically savvy.
Incorporating technology into your home could be worth considering when renovating or building from scratch, as it seems to have the potential to not only make your life easier in the short term, but also could also add value to your property when it comes time to sell.