Ever faster internet speeds and improved technologies have made modern homes more functional, convenient, and tied to our daily lives. A few swipes on a screen or a voice command can control the heat, security levels, lighting, and even what you can add to your grocery list. Modern homes, not only in DC but across the country, are becoming smarter, and very soon, almost every house will incorporate some form of smart technology.
Likely that your home is already smarter than the homes of just ten or so years ago. If you own a smart TV, you already have a piece of technology that makes your home smarter. But what other devices or technologies can you incorporate to further create the most modern and desirable home?
Create a home theater
Our desire for top-of-the-range visual and audio technology is at an all-time high. Projectors are now becoming much cheaper, and their quality is rising rapidly. It’s now a legitimate consideration whether you’d be better off buying a projector rather than a high-end TV.
Projectors have the main benefit of giving you massive screens; if you want, you can cover almost an entire wall. They can be linked to controls such as your laptop or other control devices, making access or playback of your favorite shows and films as easy as speaking the words.
Add a quality 7.1 speaker system with the latest Dolby Atmos sound technology, and you have something that’s as good as anything you will experience in a movie theater, possibly even better.
Have a virtual home assistant
You can control much of your home’s functions now with a virtual assistant, and in the battle for a place in your luxury home, there are three heavyweights, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple’s Siri. All are voice-activated, can answer questions posed to them, and carry out various requests such as starting certain activities like online shopping, media and streaming playback, call and messaging, and productivity.
While people have different levels of use for a virtual assistant, once you become accustomed to using it, it becomes difficult to ever think of living in a house where you don’t just voice- activate your assistant for something you need!
Note that all three systems are quite similar in what they do. What can strongly influence which system you go for will be whether you are tied into the Apple ecosphere. If you own Macs, iPhones, and iPads, you’re best off going with Siri as this will only complement your other devices. For example, Apple can play Spotify, but would rather integrate with your iPhone and Mac and play music through their Apple Music service
Contact a tech expert to set up smart home devices
Making your home smarter is done in more than one big go. It is often an accumulative process that adds technologies and functions to your home over time. These technologies are only sometimes compatible with each other, or they may not work as harmoniously as they should if not set up right.
Since only a few of us are tech-savvy, it would be wise to hire a professional who can advise you on what improvements you can make, and which systems are best for you. Not only will this make the devices in your smart home function seamlessly, but it will also provide a level of future-proofing when you inevitably want to upgrade.
Find out more about smart homes in Bethesda with the help of our dedicated team from Heller Coley Reed of Long & Foster Real Estate. Get in touch at 240.800.5155 or send a message here.