If you’re thinking of selling your home, congratulations! This is an exciting time filled with possibility. But before you put your house on the market, there’s one important thing to consider: is your home a smart home?
In recent years, there’s been a growing trend of homes equipped with “smart” features like security systems, thermostats, and lighting. If you have installed a new garage door that opens and closes automatically, that is another factor that makes your house smart.
Over the past two years, about four in 10 Americans polled by Realtor said they acquired a smart home device.
And while having a smart home can be a great selling point—after all, who doesn’t love the idea of being able to control their home from their phone?—it’s also important to be aware of the potential challenges that come along with selling a smart home. In this blog post, we’ll give you a few tips on how to sell your smart home so that you can get the best possible price for your property.
Tip #1: Get Ahead of any Smart Home Security Issues
One of the first things any potential buyer is going to want to know about is the security of the home. If your home has any kind of smart security system installed—whether it’s a simple doorbell camera or a full-fledged security system—now is the time to get ahead of any issues that might arise. The last thing you want is for a prospective buyer to find out that there are security concerns after they’ve already made an offer on your home.
To avoid any potential problems down the road, we recommend scheduling a security audit with a professional before putting your home on the market. This way, you can identify and address any potential vulnerabilities in your system before they become an issue. Not only will this give you peace of mind, but it will also make potential buyers feel more confident about purchasing your property.
Tip #2: Disclose Any Ongoing Fees or Subscriptions
Another important consideration when selling a smart home is disclosing any ongoing fees or subscriptions that come along with owning the property. For example, if your home has a professionally monitored security system, there may be a monthly service fee that the new owners will need to pay. Or if you have a voice-activated assistant like Amazon Echo or Google Home, they may need to sign up for a subscription in order to continue using those features.
Before putting your house on the market, take some time to sit down and make a list of all the fees and subscriptions associated with owning your smart home. This way, you can disclose this information upfront and avoid any unexpected surprises later on down the line. Additionally, including this information in your listing will give buyers a more accurate picture of what they can expect to pay once they take ownership of the property.
Tip #3: Make sure all Personal Data is Erased from Devices
One final tip when selling your smart home: be sure to erase all personal data from any devices that will be left behind as part of the sale. This includes things like photos, contact lists, emails, and stored passwords. Even if you think you’ve deleted everything from your devices, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and perform a factory reset just to be safe.
Remember, just because you’re selling your home doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to all your favorite smart devices! You can always take them with you and set them up in your new place. But if you do decide to leave them behind for the new owners, just be sure to erase all personal data first so that they can start fresh with their new purchase.
Tip #4: Provide a Guide on How to Use Each Device
Last but not least, don’t forget to provide a quick guide on how to use each of the smart devices in your home. This is especially important if you’re leaving any devices behind as part of the sale. Even if the new owners are familiar with smart home technology, they may not know how to operate every device in your home.
Some people may feel intimidated by all the new gadgets and gizmos, so it’s important to provide a simple guide that they can reference when they move in. This way, they’ll be able to hit the ground running and start enjoying all the benefits of their new smart home from day one.
Selling your smart home doesn’t have to be complicated—just follow these simple tips, and you’ll be on your way! With just a little of preparation beforehand, you can rest assured knowing that everything is taken care of and that you’re getting the best possible price for your property. Good luck!
