It’s that time of year when our thoughts drift to the future and what we want our life to be like in the next year. But what about our homes? Will smart homes be the norm? What will the home of the future look like?
I am an agent that has worked continuously for the last 8 years in the urban neighborhoods of Charlotte. 8 years ago I worked with a client to buy a lot and get a loan to build a house in the Belmont neighborhood of Charlotte. The sleek contemporary smart home design they had planned was not attractive to lenders. It took negotiating and numerous tweaks to the design of the house to satisfy the lender’s unease over building a modern house. Fast forward to today. Modern, sleek and efficient homes make-up most of the new construction in urban Charlotte.
Smart homes are slowly gaining momentum. Smart home innovations are all designed around convenience and making our lives easier. No longer an option just for the wealthy, about 12.5 U.S. households are considered ‘smart’, according to S & P Market Intelligence. By 2021 the number of smart homes is expected to reach 28 percent and analysts only expect it to keep rising from there.
What is a smart home exactly? By definition, a smart home is a home equipped with lighting, heating, and electronic devices that can be controlled remotely by phone or computer.
Consider the popularity of artificial intelligence in the Amazon Echo and Google Home. Chances are we will see even more products that control lights, temperature and home security from your smartphone. It’s not uncommon for homes around Charlotte to include the Ring home security feature.
Smart home features are likely to be a factor in home sales in the future, just like granite countertops help sell a kitchen.
Within each room, technology will become more apparent.
- In the Kitchen, smart refrigerators can read recipes, let you see inside without opening the door, and tell you when food is expiring.
- In the living room, Ikea was one of the first to announce a line of wireless connected furniture.
- In the bedroom, mattress companies are working on varieties of a connected bed that will adjust according to your sleeping habits.
5 Points Realty has several builders within our ranks. We are familiar with design, architecture, and the current building code. The current building code has increasingly moved in the direction of energy efficiency. A great example is an increase in R-value required by the County. Over the decades the need for insulation in walls and crawl space has also increased.
Smart home features that help save money on energy bills are a good investment.
A smart thermostat can save you 30% off your energy bills. Most likely we haven’t seen the last of those kinds of innovations.
Look, we know it’s hard to keep up on all the trends, building codes and smart investments. Lucky for you, it’s part of our job. We’re happy to answer any questions you might have about building or creating a smart home that’s right for you!