How to Make Smart Home Upgrades That Boost Resale Value

written by

Jim Mucci

posted on

December 13, 2024

Want to make your home worth more? Smart home upgrades can help! Start with things that keep you safe, like video doorbells and locks you can control from your phone. These cool gadgets can make your home cost less to protect.

Save money on power bills with smart tools that know when to turn the heat up or down. Lights that turn on and off by themselves help too. These can cut your bills by a lot each year.

Young home buyers love kitchens with smart stuff like ovens and fridges you can check from your phone. They also like homes where they can do things like open doors or turn off lights from far away.

Pick brands people know and trust, like Ring, Nest, and August. This way, when you sell your home, these smart upgrades will help you get more money for it.

Smart Security Systems

Your home can be safer with new security tools. Think of them like smart guardians that watch over your house. You can see who's at your door, lock your doors, and check cameras right from your phone.

A good security system keeps your home safe in many ways. It can warn you about fires and bad air. It can tell you if someone is walking near your house. Brands like Ring, Nest, and ADT make these tools. They'll watch your home all day and night.

When you sell your house, these safety tools help you get more money back. They also help you pay less for house insurance. Plus, you'll sleep better knowing your home is safe.

Many people who want to buy a house look for homes with these safety features.

Connected Lighting Solutions

Smart lights make homes better and safer. You can turn them on with your voice or phone, change colors, and save money on power bills. People who buy homes today want these cool lights.

What Smart Lights Can Do:

They turn on when you walk by
You can talk to them to work
They follow your daily plan
You can use them when away from home
They change colors for your mood

Start by putting smart bulbs where you walk the most, like your kitchen or living room.

Pick top brands that work with Alexa or Google Home. The best smart lights let you use both your phone and wall switches to control them.

This makes everyone happy – those who love tech and those who like simple switches.

Smart Thermostats and HVAC Controls

Your home can save money and feel comfy with a smart thermostat. These smart devices, like Nest and Ecobee, help cut your heating and cooling bills. They can save you about 10-15% each year.

Get mortgage-smart in just 6 minutes

Get Mortgage Funding delivers easy-to-understand updates on home buying and financing options right to your inbox, so you can make informed decisions with confidence.

You can control your home's temperature from your phone, no matter where you are. You can make one room cool while keeping another warm. You can also see how much power you use. Many people want these features in homes today and will pay more for them.

When you sell your home, a smart thermostat can give you back more than double what you paid for it. If you add smart air vents and room sensors too, your home becomes even more special to buyers.

Automated Window Treatments

Window shades can now move on their own to help you live better at home. Smart shades go up and down when you want them to. They help keep your home cool and stop the sun from making your things old and faded.

You can tell your shades what to do with your voice or phone. They work with helpers like Alexa that make your home smart. If you ever sell your house, these shades will make it worth more money.

People like brands such as Lutron and Hunter Douglas because they work well and look nice.

Put these smart shades in rooms you use the most, like your living room and bedroom. Pick plain colors that most people like. This way, your home stays fresh and new while being easy to use.

Video Doorbells

A video doorbell lets you see who's at your door, even when you're not home. Pick one that shows clear pictures and can see in the dark.

Some doorbells need wires, while others use batteries. The ones with wires work better, but you might need help putting them up. They cost between $100 and $300.

These smart doorbells help keep your home safe and stop people from taking your packages. If you want to sell your house later, buyers like seeing these doorbells because they make them feel safer.

Top Features to Consider

A smart doorbell is a great way to make your home safer and smarter. When you pick one, look for these key things: clear video that lets you see faces well, a way to talk to visitors, good vision at night, and alerts when someone comes to your door.

Make sure your doorbell can save videos online and work with your other smart home stuff. It should connect to helpers like Alexa or Google. Pick one that can handle rain and snow in your area.

Some cool doorbells can spot packages and know who's at your door. Many good brands now sell these for fair prices.

These smart doorbells help your home sell for more money later. Most people get back about 80 cents for every dollar they spend on one when they sell their house.

Installation and Setup Tips

Getting your smart doorbell to work is easy if you follow three simple steps.

First, check if your old doorbell has the right power. Use a tool called a multimeter to make sure it gives 16-24 volts. This power keeps your doorbell running well.

Next, make sure your WiFi is strong where you want to put the doorbell. Good WiFi helps you see clear videos and get alerts on your phone.

Last, put the camera four feet high on your wall. This helps it see people's faces and any boxes left at your door.

When you put it up, use the rubber seal that comes with it. This keeps rain out. You might also want to buy an angled mount to point the camera just right.

Once it's up, sign up your doorbell right away. Set up extra safety steps to keep your doorbell secure.

Cost Vs Security Benefits

Your new smart doorbell can help keep you safe and save you money too. These doorbells cost between $100 to $300, though some fancy ones can cost $500. The good news is that many home insurance companies will give you a discount of 5-15% when you add smart security to your home. This can save you hundreds of dollars each year.

Your smart doorbell does more than just save money. It takes videos of people who come to your door. You can see when packages arrive and if anyone strange is hanging around. If something bad happens, you can show these videos to the police or your insurance company.

Having a smart doorbell can also help you sell your home. Houses with security devices sell much faster and for more money. People like to buy homes that make them feel safe. The doorbell shows them your home is modern and secure.

Smart Kitchen Appliances

Smart kitchen gadgets can make your home worth more when you sell it. A smart fridge can tell you what food you have and lets you see inside from a screen on the door. When you sell your home, you can get back most of what you paid for it.

Pick kitchen tools that work with Alexa or Google Home. A smart dishwasher can tell your phone if there's a leak. A smart tap can turn on without touching it and make the water just the right heat. Young home buyers and families love these things.

Look for kitchen tools from brands people trust. Make sure they come with a good promise to fix them if they break.

Voice-Activated Home Assistants

Smart home helpers like Alexa and Google Home make life easier. They help you control your lights, locks, and other gadgets with just your voice. Many people like these helpers so much, they can make your home worth more money when you sell it.

Put these helpers in different rooms of your house. This way, you can talk to them from the kitchen, living room, or bedroom. Pick well-known brands that keep making their products better. Look for ones that work with lots of other smart home stuff.

The best smart home helpers are easy to use. Both tech-smart people and those who like simple things can use them well.

When you have these helpers in your home, you can control everything from music to room temperature just by talking.

Smart Garage Door Systems

Your garage door can be a lot smarter! You can control it with your phone to open and close it, even when you're away from home. It's like having a magic button in your pocket.

You can put in a smart garage system by yourself in about two hours. But many people like to have a pro do it to make sure it works right.

These new garage doors help keep your home safe. They can tell you if someone tries to break in. They can also close by themselves at times you pick.

When you sell your home, buyers will love these cool features that make their lives easier and safer.

Remote Access Benefits

Having a smart garage door makes life easier for you and your family. You can open and close your garage door with your phone from anywhere. No more wondering if you left the door open – just check your phone!

Want to let your neighbor feed your cat? You can give them a special code that works just for them. Your phone will tell you when someone uses the door, so you always know who comes and goes.

The door can even work on a schedule. Set it to close at bedtime or open when you come home from work.

This smart door works with other smart home tools too. When you sell your home one day, buyers will love these cool features.

Installation and Setup Process

Getting your new garage system ready is simple if you follow the right steps. You just need to plan ahead and check your local rules.

The steps to set up your garage:

Look at your garage to make sure WiFi works and you have power
Put the control box above your door
Put safety sensors at the right spot near the floor
Link it to your home WiFi with a strong password
Get the app on your phone and sign up

You can set this up on your own. But if wires make you nervous, ask a pro to help. Most new systems work well with the door opener you already have. This makes it easy and cheap to upgrade your garage.

What to Do	Things to Check
Check Your Garage	WiFi signal, power outlet
Put Up Control Box	Mount above garage door
Add Safety Sensors	Put them low to the ground
Set Up WiFi	Join home network, make password
Set Up App	Get app, make account

Enhanced Security Features

Smart garage doors keep your home safer in simple ways. You can watch and control your garage from your phone, no matter where you are.

These smart systems help you:

See who comes and goes with special cameras that work day and night
Get alerts on your phone if the door opens or closes
Set times for the door to close on its own
Give out special codes to friends or workers who need to get in

Your garage stays safe with these tools. The door tells you what's happening at all times.

People who want to buy homes love these safety features because they work so well.

The best part? You never have to worry about leaving the door open again. The system watches out for you and your home all the time.

Water Leak Detection Technology

Water leak sensors help keep your home safe from water damage. These smart devices can spot leaks right away and tell you about them on your phone. When you catch leaks early, you save money on repairs and insurance.

Smart water sensors can:

Send alerts as soon as they find water
Turn off your water if there's a big leak
Watch how much water you use
Warn you if pipes might freeze
Help you pay less for insurance

Many people want these sensors in their homes now. Young families and fancy house buyers like them best. The sensors make homes worth more money and keep them safe.

Chart:

What it does	How it helps	Value
Quick alerts	Fast action	Big
Auto water stop	Stops floods	Very big
Tracks water use	Shows patterns	Some
Finds ice risk	Saves pipes	Big
Lower bills	Saves money	Some

Remote-Controlled Irrigation Systems

Your yard can now get the right amount of water at the right time, thanks to smart sprinklers you control with your phone. These sprinklers help your grass stay green while saving water.

Having smart sprinklers can make your home more special. Here's why:

They save water by only running when needed.
You can water different spots in your yard from your phone.
They check if the soil is wet or dry.
They tell you when something needs fixing.

When you pick a sprinkler system, choose one that works with your other smart home tools, like Apple or Google devices.

This way, you can keep using it for many years, and it will make your home more nice to live in.

Smart Locks and Entry Systems

Getting in and out of your home can be both safe and easy with smart locks. These special locks let you open your door without a key. You can use your phone to let people in, see who came to visit, and make special codes for helpers.

Many people love these locks because they work with their smart home helpers like Google or Alexa. You can also get a smart doorbell with a camera. When someone rings it, you can see and talk to them right from your phone.

Good brands to buy are August, Yale, and Schlage. These locks work well and don't break easily. They also have backup ways to open the door if the power goes out. You can still use a key if you need to.

Energy Management Solutions

Your home can be worth more when you add smart ways to save energy.

New thermostats let you control heat and cold from your phone. They help you save money on bills – up to 15% each year!

Smart power tools watch how much power you use and turn things off when power costs too much.

These cool tools make your home stand out when you want to sell it. People love homes that save energy and make life easy.

Smart Thermostats and Controls

Smart thermostats help you save money and make your home worth more. They cut your energy bills by 10-15% each year. They also add $3,000-5,000 to your home's value. More and more people use them to stay comfy while spending less.

These thermostats can do cool things:

Learn what temps you like and set them for you
Let you change the temp from your phone
Work with Alexa and Google to use voice commands
Show you how to save more energy

Look for brands like Nest, Ecobee, or Honeywell when you shop. These brands work well with other smart home items.

They're names buyers trust and want in a home.

Automated Power Usage Systems

Your home can save power with smart systems that work like a helper. These tools watch how much power you use and help you use less. You plug in special outlets and connect them to a control center. This makes your home smarter and uses less power.

What These Tools Can Do:

Find which things use lots of power
Tell you when power costs more
Let you turn things on/off from your phone
Show you how you use power
Turn things on and off at the right times

People who want to buy homes love these smart power tools. They like seeing how much power they use. They also like that these tools help save money and help the earth.

This makes your home worth more when you want to sell it. New buyers want homes that use smart power tools. It shows them your home is ready for the future and cares about saving power.

Networked Entertainment Systems

Having a fun entertainment system in your home can make it worth more money when you sell it. People love homes that make it easy to watch shows and listen to music.

You need these things for a good system: