The term “Internet of Things” (IoT) has been gaining steam over the past several years, as we race toward a more interconnected world. Tasks that were manual are now being automated. “Hey Alexa, turn the temperature down to 68 degrees.” By adding smart home devices into our lives, not only may your overall quality of life increase, but you’re more than likely adding more monetary value to your newly updated smart home!
And our homes are getting smarter. From Amazon Echo and Google Home to Nest and Ring, IoT is making our homes more efficient and convenient. But what does this mean for us regular Joes, and how can we integrate new smart home technology into our own houses?
A recent study by Statista shows that 32 percent of homes currently have a smart device, and that number will grow to more than half of all homes in the US by 2022. And the overall market will be worth more than $53B by that year as well (Zion Market Research).
OfferPad co-founder and co-CEO Jerry Coleman notes, “Smart devices and artificial intelligence are making it easier for us to control the environment both inside and outside our homes. With a tap of our smartphone, we can adjust the temperature and lighting, which helps conserve energy and provides more comfort for occupants. Geofencing technology is allowing us to lock and unlock doors when we are within an established radius, and we can even see a person and talk to a person who is ringing the doorbell from miles away. This brave new world is opening doors we only imagined possible a decade ago, and we are seeing a drastic uptick in interest in these devices and tools from our buyers and sellers.”
So what can homeowners do to make their home smarter?
Artificial Intelligence.
It’s no wonder that 39 million homes in America have a smart speaker like Amazon Echo or Google Home. These devices make it easy to turn on or off the music, search the Internet, find a recipe or make a list. These devices are set to become an intrinsic part of our households – experts anticipate 55 percent of homes will have at least one smart speaker by 2022.
Security Systems.
Alarm companies have quickly adopted IoT as an opportunity to provide better services to their clients, adding in instant security cameras, on-demand notifications, extra motion, and sensor capabilities – all to make clients more secure and all commanded by a mobile device. In addition, start-ups like Ring put cameras in doorbells, so homeowners can see and interact with anyone stepping up to their door. This added layer of security provides peace of mind that your home and possessions are safe.
Energy Efficient Devices.
Energy prices are rising, and fossil fuels are being depleted. One way to combat this – and do our small part – is to use smart energy devices to mitigate our usage. And this is one area where there are many different tools at our disposal – including energy-saving thermostats, smart home lighting systems, and whole automation hubs – and all controlled by the device we constantly have on hand.