You’ve installed a variety of smart home devices and systems in your home. And you’ve configured and customized the settings just how you like them. Congratulations, your home is now a smart home.
But now it’s time to move. Changing to a new home is often stressful, and stirs sentimental feelings. You’re leaving behind the cozy and familiar and going to live in a new place. And now you have to wonder, what should you do with all those smart home appliances and gizmos?
Here are some thoughts to help you decide what to bring with you and what to leave behind.
You’ll Have to Part Ways With Some Things
Some smart devices, like water sensors and alarm systems, are designed to be built into the home. Unless you want to go to considerable expense and effort, you can’t remove them. There’s no guarantee they’ll work in your new home, anyway. So keep in mind you might have to leave some things behind.
So before moving day, take inventory of the home technologies you’ve installed, along with critical information like account numbers, passwords, and tech support phone numbers. This will give you a clear picture of what you have.
For smart home devices and systems you can’t or don’t want to bring along, be sure to delete or disable accounts to protect your personal information when the new occupants move into the home. Clear the memories and restore passwords to factory defaults.
If devices have external connections or monitoring, be sure to notify the companies of your upcoming move so they can make appropriate arrangements.
Depending on the jurisdiction, if you remove a smart device, you might have to replace it with its dumb counterpart. Removing a smart sprinkler controller and just leaving a blank wall in its place may not be acceptable.
Also, you’ll need to budget for any cleanup needed after removing a smart device. Removing a smart water sensor or a security system might involve tearing through walls, and you will need to make the house clean and up to code afterward.
Check Your New Home for Compatibility
If you have a new home already picked out, check it thoroughly for compatibility with the devices in your current home. Check for physical ease of installation, and electronic compatibility with any smart home systems that might be there. You might not need to bring a device with you to your new home because a similar one is already there, or because there’s no suitable place for it. Conversely, you might decide your smart door locks will work nicely with the security system installed in the new home.
Smart Technologies Increase Home Values
Even if you can’t bring everything with you, keep in mind your investment in smart home devices hasn’t been wasted. Besides making your home and your life safer and more comfortable, smart home technologies increase your home’s value.
Smart home technologies can raise your home’s worth by up to 5%, or $15,000 on a $300,000 home, according to Consumer Reports.
Furthermore, smart technologies are appealing to home buyers. A CNET and Coldwell Banker found 81% of people with smart technology installed would be more willing to buy a new home if it had this technology.
Over 90 percent of homeowners who have smart home technology would recommend it to others, and families report significant time and cost savings from their smart home technologies.
Coldwell Banker found most prospective homebuyers want smart tech included in their new homes. Some of the most popular devices are smart thermostats, smoke detectors, security cameras, and locks.
Specify In Writing What Is Included
If you decide to take some smart home devices with you, make sure you state that in writing to the homebuyer. You have the right to take anything with you, as long as both parties agree. So include a written agreement in the contract that specifies what you will remove, and what you will leave in the home and in what condition. If the buyer expects some tech to be there and it isn’t, that could cause the sale to fall through and even expose you to liability.
On the other hand, if you choose to leave some appliances in the home, you can use that as a negotiating point. Depending on how much the buyer values smart home technologies, each device could raise the selling price. This is where the itemized list you made earlier comes in handy. You might end up negotiating over each system and device individually.
If the homebuyer doesn’t want a specific device left in the house, then you’ll have to negotiate whose responsibility it is to remove it. Some locations specify the seller’s responsibilities. If not, you could leave it for the buyer to replace after purchase.
Consider Including Smart Tech In Planned Upgrades
In light of the popularity of smart home technologies, if you’re planning to make upgrades to your home to increase its selling price, smart tech is one area that deserves serious consideration. Millennials comprise a large segment of homebuyers, and a survey by Better Homes and Gardens found 66% of them wanted smart technology in their homes. Some smart tools you can install for a low price are thermostats, smoke detectors, door locks, sprinkler controls, lights, and air quality sensors.
Your smart home devices have made your home convenient and comfortable, and you’ll likely want to continue that situation in your new place. Moving to a new home takes careful and systematic planning. Keeping a detailed inventory of your smart home technologies and making informed decisions about what to do with them when you move can relieve a large part of the worry.
Finding Help with Moving Professionals
We hope you found this blog post on What Smart Home Technologies Should Go With You When You Move? useful. Be sure to check out our post on 10 Home Technologies to Make Your Life Easier and Safer for more great tips!
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