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 Hard-wired entertainment components and closed-circuit security cameras have now been replaced by Nest thermostats, Amazon Echo, Ring doorbells, and more.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: Teen Financial Literacy

By Louisiana REALTORS® • October 9, 2026
Want Your Teen to Own a Home Someday? Start Talking Money Now Teens may not be thinking about mortgage rates or down payments just yet, but the money habits they’re building now can follow them for years. And 88% of teens surveyed by Fannie Mae and Junior Achievement said they want to own a home someday. This week’s Consumer Guide: Talk to Your Teens About Money and Homeownership makes those conversations a little easier, covering everything from credit scores and budgeting to debt, renting versus owning and saving for that eventual down payment. So yes, you may have to interrupt the doomscrolling. But helping teens get smarter about money today could put them in a much better position to get the keys to a home of their own down the road. Download all of NAR’s Consumer Guides in English or Spanish at facts.realtor. For ease of reference, below is a list of the most recent guides: NEW: Teen Financial Literacy Fraud Red Flags Helping Family Members Become Homeowners Prepare Your Home for Hurricane Season Condominium Insurance 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. The next Consumer Guide, scheduled for publication on Oct. 21, will cover winter cold and storm preparedness.

Constitutional Amendment Positions for November 3 Election

By Louisiana REALTORS® • October 9, 2026
Homeownership Is on Louisiana's November Ballot

Cookbook for the REALTORS® Relief Foundation On Sale Now!

By Louisiana REALTORS® • October 8, 2026
After months of gathering recipes from across our Louisiana REALTORS® family, the cookbook is ready! This 200+ page collection is filled with Louisiana flavor, REALTOR® heart and recipes contributed by our members. We launched sales of the cookbook at the Fall Governance Meetings. You can now purchase your copy for $30 directly from the printer and shipped to you! Additionally, we will have copies available at the RRF booth at NXT . After NXT, we will carry a limited stock at the LR office for you to purchase through the LR Merch Shop and pick-up from the office or at an LR event, as stock is available. Even better, $15 from every cookbook sold will be donated to the REALTORS® Relief Foundation (RRF) to help provide housing-related assistance to REALTORS® and their families following disasters. Pick up a copy for yourself, grab one as a gift and enjoy a taste of Louisiana while supporting a great cause!
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