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How homebuilders should approach the smart home evolution


iDevices News, How homebuilders should approach the smart home evolution
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By now you may be either offering — or know you need to begin offering — smart home solutions to your potential homebuyers. The evolution and rapid growth of smart home technology is quickly bringing our homes into the future. There are many options out there, and it can all seem daunting; but it doesn’t have to be.

We at iDevices currently partner with several top national and local builders. Based on our experience working with them to successfully launch dynamic smart home packages, here's some sound advice you can use to build out your own smart home program. 

1. Start simple

There are countless smart home products on the market, and more introduced almost daily, so wrapping your head around what you need to offer in new builds can be intimidating. Start with the simple essentials homeowners use daily, almost subconsciously — lights and thermostats.

People can appreciate a comfortable, energy efficient home. With a smart thermostat, homeowners can fine-tune their home’s temperature from anywhere. They can also connect their home’s lighting to create schedules and groups they can control with a single tap or voice command (e.g. Alexa, turn on second-floor lights; Alexa, turn off kitchen lights). 

2. Create packages 

Homebuyers are willing to spend more money on a smart home, but they also expect it will be smart-ready the day they move in. If you're a homebuilder including certain features standard, the smart home products you offer can follow suit.

Identify standard packages with basic smart amenities, like exterior lighting and locks that add security. Let your design and sales consultants sell homebuyers upgrade options with additional smart features that add comfort and convenience — more smart lighting fixtures, thermostats, garage door openers, smart speakers/voice assistants, outlets. Create themes for your packages. A security package could also include smart cameras and sensors at entryways, alongside lights and locks. An efficiency package could include smart thermostats, dimmers, and outlets with energy monitoring technology. 

The key is to make sure your teams are comfortable with the products they're offering, and have received proper training from the product partners. We at iDevices takes pride in offering award-winning, in-depth product training for our partners so they're equipped for success. We'll work with your team to craft packages that align with your vision. 

3. Pick your platform(s)

Popular smart home platforms like Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home give homeowners the power to control everyday items via app control, voice commands, and automation.

Every platform has its set of strengths and weaknesses, which is why you should give homebuyers their choice by installing products that work across multiple platforms. This leads right into our next piece of advice...

4. Embrace voice 

A recent study found one-in-four adults in the U.S. own a smart speaker integrated with a voice assistant, up from around one-in-five adults during the same period a year earlier. Voice technology is poised to become an even bigger part of everyday home life in the next few years as folks become more familiar with Alexa, Siri, and the Google Assistant. 

As part of your standard or upgrade offering, make sure you include a voice assistant device. This will act as the homeowner's hub for hands-free smart home control and all the additional conveniences a voice assistant can offer: recipes, games, online ordering, shopping lists, alerts, music/podcast streaming, and more

While there are a variety of smart speaker options for the countertop area, we believe in a more integrated option so homeowners can preserve precious space. 

Interested in learning more about offering smart home solutions to homebuyers? Connect with our sales team: sales@idevicesinc.com