What's my home worth?Technology that makes a home easier to live in, and easier to stay in.
Smart Home is the educational market: what home technology is worth having, what it costs, and how to add it without turning your house into a science project. It's also where my technology background shows most.
Who this market is for
Some homeowners want the everyday things: a thermostat that learns the schedule, lights that come on at dusk, a lock that doesn't need a key under the mat. Some are planning to stay in a home for a long time and want it to quietly look after them. Sellers want to know whether any of it helps at resale, and buyers often inherit someone else's gadgets and wonder what to do with them.
I spent two decades in healthcare technology. I'm not impressed by gadgets; I'm interested in what reliably works, and I'll say so.
Three layers, in the order they're worth adding
Comfort
A learning thermostat, lighting scenes for the evening rooms, motorized shades on the afternoon windows. This is most of the energy savings, too.
Typical starting cost: a few hundred dollars.
Security
A keypad deadbolt, a doorbell camera, one or two outdoor cameras, and water-leak sensors where a leak would hurt most. Skip indoor cameras unless you have a reason.
Typical starting cost: several hundred to a couple of thousand.
Support
The layer that lets someone stay in a home longer: voice control, fall detection that doesn't need a wearable, medication reminders, and a simple way for family to check in.
Designed per household. This is where my technology practice comes in.
Local guidance
The questions I'm asked most in this market, answered the way I'd answer them at your kitchen table.
Does smart home technology add resale value?
Rarely dollar for dollar. What it does is help a home show well, remove objections and signal that the house has been cared for. Keep it simple, keep it documented, and leave the next owner a clean hand-off.
Where should I start?
Three things with the biggest effect for the least money: a good thermostat, a keypad lock, and a water-leak sensor near the water heater and washer. Everything else can wait until you know what you actually use.
What about privacy?
Buy from companies with a clear privacy record, keep cameras outside or in common areas, and change default passwords. If a device needs a subscription to work, know that before you buy it.
What happens to the devices when I sell?
Factory reset, transfer or remove accounts, and leave written instructions. I give every seller a hand-off checklist and every buyer a reset checklist, so nobody ends up locked out of their own front door.
Want a plan for your own house?
I also run a home-technology practice. Tell me what you want the house to do, and I'll come back with a plan in plain English.