Is a Smart Home a Smart Way to Sell Your Home?

Louisiana REALTORS® • November 7, 2022

We are more connected than ever before. Our phones keep us updated on the latest news, weather, scores, and social happenings. Our cars can give us diagnostic updates when connected to Wi-Fi. And now our homes have evolved from simply shelter to “smart”. Turning on appliances and turning off lights with your voice via different devices; monitoring every inch and ounce of energy your home has and uses from anywhere in the world; these abilities are becoming more important, not only for homeowners but for home buyers as well. 


While the tried-and-true repairs and updates (a fresh coat of paint, landscaping, etc.) are still very necessary, making technological updates are becoming more of a necessity than a nicety. A “smart home” is used to refer to high-end, complex, automation. Hard-wired entertainment components and closed-circuit security cameras have now been replaced by Nest thermostats, Amazon Echo, Ring doorbells, and more. And the interest is there.


Now while it may seem like just another expensive investment into a home you are leaving, The NAR’s Center for REALTOR® Technology has shown that homes equipped with smart devices have seen about a 5% increase in sale price. With the modest prices of new devices, this can mean a significant ROI when selling your home. So how do you go about making your home a “smart” home?


Start at the Front Door

A smart lock or a doorbell camera is a great, easy, inexpensive way to instantly upgrade your home. In addition to the positive first impression it will make on prospective buyers as they approach your front door, it also provides instant value.


Stick with Name Brands

Amazon, Google, Nest, and Ring are all very well-known brands inside and outside of the smart home market. These devices will also pair nicely with the majority of mobile devices, making integration easy for new owners.


Add a Couple of Connected Outlets

Adding an Amazon Echo or Google Home can be an affordable way to instantly enhance your home’s technology. You can take it a step further by installing the device’s corresponding connected outlet. These outlets allow you to control whatever is plugged into them. Turn on the TV, turn off the lights, set timers, and more. 

RESOURCES FOR SELLING YOUR HOME

Consumer Guide Update: Defining Home Buying Needs vs. Wants

By Louisiana REALTORS® • July 1, 2026
It’s not unusual for people to enter the homebuying process with a priority list that needs to be whittled down once they see what’s on the market. NAR’s latest consumer guide, “Defining Home Buying Needs vs. Wants,” is a decision-making tool that can help. It’s a simple checklist to help home buyers identify their needs, wants and deal-breakers. Using the form, or something like it, will help buyers remember what’s most important to them as they view and compare homes. There’s even a fillable PDF available for download. As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow up to two weeks for the Spanish version of the latest resource to be translated and uploaded. For ease of reference, below is a list of the most recent guides: NEW: Defining Home Buying Needs vs. Wants NEW: 10 Tips For Unpacking Smartly After A Move UPDATED: Multiple Listing Services Overcoming Roadblocks to a Sale or Purchase How Solar Impacts a Real Estate Transaction Thank you for your continued engagement with the “Consumer Guide” series and for sharing the resources with prospective clients to ensure they have the information they need to find success in their home buying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Check out the next consumer guide for sellers on how to ease the transition for the new owners.

Consumer Guide Update: 10 Tips for Unpacking

By Louisiana REALTORS® • June 18, 2026
NAR’s latest consumer guide, “10 Tips for Unpacking Smartly After a Move,” was developed to help ease the burden buyers may feel when surrounded by boxes. For your clients on the cusp of a move, the guide suggests establishing a priority unpacking order, wiping down each room before unpacking, discarding boxes quickly, having garbage and donation bags at the ready, and more. Share the new guide along with the companion guide “10 Tips for Packing Smartly for a Move.” As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow up to two weeks for the Spanish version of the latest resource to be translated and uploaded. For ease of reference, below is a list of the most recent guides: NEW: 10 Tips For Unpacking Smartly After A Move UPDATED : Multiple Listing Services Overcoming Roadblocks to a Sale or Purchase How Solar Impacts a Real Estate Transaction Navigating Interest Rate Shifts Thank you for your continued engagement with the “Consumer Guide” series and for sharing the resources with prospective clients to ensure they have the information they need to find success in their home buying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Check out the next consumer guide on identifying homebuying wants vs. needs.
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Why Buying a Home Still Makes Sense: Long-Term Benefits of Homeownership

By Louisiana REALTORS® • June 15, 2026
Thinking about buying a home? Discover how homeownership can help build wealth, increase financial stability, and create lasting value.
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