New smart home devices are introduced all the time, and as a property manager, you’ll have to be aware of the latest trends to help homeowners manage updates
Smart home devices provide many benefits for homeowners, including savings on energy costs, increased security and monitoring, and overall ease of living. And the market for these devices is continuing to grow – by 2023 global smart home market revenue is set to reach over $141 billion. And, the number of smart homes is projected to grow past 300 million by 2023.
As a property manager, you need to stay aware of current trends to navigate these devices within your community. Here are some of the latest smart home devices you need to know about in 2020.
Smart lighting
Homeowners can control smart lightbulbs from their mobile devices or even via voice activation. These bulbs can help save on energy costs by shutting off when no movement has been detected in a room for a certain period of time.
But they can also increase security. Smart lightbulbs can sense movement outside and turn on to prevent intruders. They can also be connected to emergency response systems so that if an alarm is going off, the light will also turn on.
Smart lightbulbs are a great way to protect your community and installing them in homes is an easy way for your residents to save on electricity costs as well.
Smart plugs
Another big trend this year is the smart plug. These devices still plug into regular wall outlets, but they can be turned off and on with a smartphone or other connected device. These plugs are paired with an app that users download on their devices.
So, if a resident wants to turn off the microwave to save energy, they can do so from anywhere if they have their smartphone.
Smart thermostats
A major trend in the smart device world is the smart thermostat. Devices like Nest allow homeowners to control the temperature of their home remotely from their mobile device. They can apply automated settings to make it cooler or warmer in the home based on residents’ work or sleep schedules.
These devices can also be used to alert a resident if an unexpected temperature change is occurring due to a fire or other issue while they’re away. They help cut down on energy costs and make it much easier to control the home climate.
Smart doorbells
Video doorbells provide homeowners an instant view of who’s at their front door. They can view a video feed from their mobile device and monitor what’s going on outside their home. Smart doorbells connect the doorbell itself to a video so that it shows up on a smartphone when someone rings it.
Many of these doorbells also come equipped with speakers so that residents can talk to whoever is outside. These smart devices can be controlled remotely so that if someone is away from home on vacation, they can still view what’s going on outside their home.
Smart locks
There are many types of smart locks that don’t require a key for entry into a home or building. These locks rely on a code or fingerprint, or even an app on a smartphone. If a homeowner wants to give someone else access to their home, they just have to send the code or send a digital key that will open the smart lock.
Smart locks can also be paired with alarms and lights in the home for further protection, and they can even be connected to smart thermostats so that temperature is adjusted automatically when someone enters the space.
This is a great example of how smart home devices can work together to create an overall smart home that provides additional security, monitoring, and convenience.
Updating HOA operations with smart devices
You can also use smart devices and automation to update your HOA office and shared spaces within the community. Aside from those listed above, devices like virtual AI assistants (Google Home or Amazon Alexa) are helpful for workspaces. They allow you to instantly create notes, set reminders, and schedule events with voice activation, helping you to get things done and stay on task.
There are further security devices that can help protect your HOA, including new technologies like voice recognition or fingerprint scanning for access into the community or a specific area, like a physical location where sensitive information is stored.
Smart devices have created truly smart homes and buildings, where devices interact with each other, and homeowners have better control over their appliances and energy usage. These devices are sure to be at the top of homeowners’ lists in 2020 and beyond.
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