Technology And Home Sales

Today’s home buyers are often thinking about a home’s technology advantages as much as they are its floorplan, square footage and location.

A recent survey by the Consumer Electronics Association of real estate agents showed that home-theater systems, home security systems, home automation management systems and energy management systems are selling faster than they ever have.

“There is a strong relationship between home technologies and the real estate market,” said CEA’s Rhonda Daniel in a recent press release. “While the market needs to recover before home technologies play a more important role in home sales, the industry can help prepare real estate agents to be comfortable in discussing these types of systems with their clients.”

According to the survey, the number of real estate agents who have been involved in buying, selling or showing a plugged-in home equipped with technology has risen greatly during the last two years. Those showing established systems such as monitored security were calculated at 93%; home theater or home theater-wired systems were 89%; home automation and management systems were 54%; and energy-management systems were 51%.

The survey also shows that 68% of REALTORS® believe home technologies will play a more important role in the success of home sales within five years.  “Manufacturers and electronic systems contractors should be laying the ground work now to take advantage of the eventual upswing in the real estate market,” Daniel said. “Educating REALTORS® on the benefits, value and functionalities of installed technologies now will demonstrate that the CE industry can be a trusted partner to equip them with knowledge.”

Nearly two-thirds of real estate agents surveyed offered that their clients are excited to see technologies in homes. That means current homeowners looking to sell should consider upgrading their home with some sort of home technology system.

“The ideal goal for the consumer electronics industry is to have knowledgeable real estate agents who are excited and open to promoting technology as a selling feature of homes,” Daniel said.

A less expensive way to appeal to technology enthusiasts is to simply make sure there are enough outlets, cable lines and phone jacks at the ready so that someone coming with their own equipment will have an easy time installing them. A home with only one outlet in the family room or media room and no place for a fiberoptic line to be added can be a turnoff.

Thinking of the future may help you sell your home faster in the present.

Irene Racanelli can be reached at (516) 944-2864. Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate is an independently owned and operated member of BRER Affiliates Inc. Used under license with no other affiliation with Prudential.  Equal Housing Opportunity.