Your Guide to Setting Up a Smart Home

The age of technology is upon us; has your home kept pace? There are dozens of ways you can use tech to turn your house into a smart home. The security, convenience, and quality-of-life improvements are waiting for you — if you’re ready to get started, Don Martin, The Reasonable Realtor, offers you the following tips:

Why Invest in Smart Home Tech?

There are several reasons people decide to put smart technology in their homes. Often people get started because, well, it’s fun! As SmartEnlight points out, having the ability to play music via voice command feels pretty cool and futuristic. After a while, however, the broader practical impacts of having smart tech in the home become clearer and clearer.

Eventually, the endless possibilities of creating your smart home start to make themselves clear. With a bit of creativity, you can create a tailor-made smart home experience that can’t be beaten. Everything from your home’s sound system to your heating and cooling can be voice or phone-activated. The impacts on your day to day life almost can’t be overstated.

Convenience Galore

There are tons of ways that you can use smart home tech to make your life easier and more fun. For example, you can use voice commands to dim lights, play music, turn on the AC, and more. Or, you can ask your digital assistant to tell you a joke or give you the weather forecast. The ability to access online knowledge just by asking a question out loud is infinitely useful.

There are utterly practical conveniences as well. GearBrain notes you can save money on your heating and cooling bill by setting your smart thermostat to run at energy-saving levels when no one’s home. Set it to kick back on ten minutes before you arrive, and your home will be a comfortable temperature once you’re back. You can also turn lights on and off remotely, which allows you to prepare your home for your arrival. Imagine coming in from work to a perfect temperature, well-lit home playing your favorite unwind song. It’s a wonderful image.

Security and Safety

Smart home tech can also go a long way toward increasing your safety and security. You can set up a home camera and security system that will text you if there’s movement when no one’s meant to be home. You can access the video from your phone and tell whether someone’s broken in, or if your spouse just got off work early that day.

Smart doorbells can also make your home more secure. You can easily see and communicate with whoever’s knocking at your door, even if you’re not at home. Not only will this make you feel safer, but it will also make it easier to communicate with delivery people and neighbors.

Keep in mind the other side of smart technology and home security, which comes in the form of data security. Your devices are a gateway for cybercriminals, so enact proactive measures to keep them at bay. A robust password protection program, virus protection and a productive chat with your family members can go a long way towards keeping your gadgets — and your identity — safe from criminals.

Getting Started

Consider starting small when it comes to smart tech. You’ll almost certainly expand your collection of smart home features, but diving in with just one thing gives you a chance to learn how the technology works in a low-pressure situation. You don’t want to get every piece of smart tech and be stuck trying to figure it all out at once. Start with something that will save you money in the long run, like smart light bulbs or a smart thermostat. These will give you a chance to play with the different options available and will cut down on your energy bills.

Living in a smart home will make you wonder how you managed before. Explore the options available, and remember – you’re limited only by your imagination. The customization possibilities are practically endless, so figure out how to make your smart home perfect!

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About Don Martin

Don is the founder of Martin Properties and The Reasonable Realtor, a blog about DIY home and personal finance. He went from being a manager at a large Sports/Luxury car dealership to starting his own real estate company. He grew it to 16 agents, and took it state-wide from Nashville, to include Knoxville, Memphis, and Chattanooga. His business includes training agents, and counseling For-Sale-By-Owners. He has written more than a dozen books about the subject, and his updates can be found HERE! Join his private e-mail group (not newsletter) HERE.

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