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 Hard-wired entertainment components and closed-circuit security cameras have now been replaced by Nest thermostats, Amazon Echo, Ring doorbells, and more.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
By Louisiana REALTORS® • October 5, 2026
Please join us in congratulating the Louisiana REALTORS® who have been appointed to NAR committees for 2027. A total of 26 Louisiana REALTORS® members and staff have been selected to serve on NAR committees for the upcoming year. Bill Boyd - Insurance Committee; Member: Regional Representative Luke Bullock - Broker Engagement Committee; Member: Government Affairs Director Donna Chandler - Membership Policy and Board Jurisdiction Committee; Member: At-Large Keary Coffin - Multiple Listing Issues and Policies Committee; Member: At-Large Tony Cornner - Housing Opportunities Committee; Member: State Representative Beth Cristina - Commercial Federal Policy Committee; Member: At-Large Deneka Desroches - Commitment to Excellence Committee; Member: At-Large Cindy Dyer - RPAC Participation Council; Member: State Representative David Favret - Meeting and Conference Committee; Member: Immediate Past Chair Jennifer Hebert - Professional Standards Committee; Member: At-Large Carole Horn - RPAC Trustees Federal Disbursement Committee; Member: Regional Representative Misty Ingersoll - Multiple Listing Issues and Policies Committee; Member: State Representative Angela Lavalais - AEC/Association IDEAS Advisory Board (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Support); Member: At-Large Trish Leleux - FPC Advisory Committee; Member: State Representative Marbury Little - Public Policy Coordinating Committee; Member: At-Large ; Consumer Advocacy Outreach Advisory Board; Member: Committee Representative Ginger Maulden - RPAC Major Investor Council; Member: State Representative Andrea McKey - Strategic Planning Committee; Member: At-Large David McKey - Insurance Committee; Member: At-Large Joe Mier - Real Property Valuation Committee; Member: At-Large Norman Morris - Meeting and Conference Committee; AEC Representative Danette O'Neal - Land Use Property Rights and Environment Committee; Member: Affiliate Representative Austin Polk - Business Issues Policy Committee; Member: At-Large Rhonda Reap-Curiel - Data Strategies Committee; Vice Chair Matt Ritchie - Finance Committee; Member: At-Large Erika Sluss - Membership Policy and Board Jurisdiction Committee; Member: State Representative Evelyn Wolford - Professional Standards Committee; Member: State Representative
By Louisiana REALTORS® • September 21, 2026
From the Louisiana Department of Insurance: Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple joined Governor Jeff Landry and Senate Insurance Committee Chairman Kirk Talbot today to announce that Louisiana is investing an additional $20 million in Fortified homes, bringing the total amount invested in state Fortified projects this year to $100 million. Governor Landry announced that $20 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will be transferred to the Louisiana Office of Community Development Restore Resilient Opportunities for Overhead Fortification (Restore ROOF) program to strengthen residential structures and reduce long-term disaster risk. Earlier this year, the Legislature passed a bill that allows $50 million in additional Katrina and Rita bond money from Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to be added to the Department of Insurance’s Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP). Also beginning this year, LFHP is projected to receive approximately $30 million annually from taxes and fees the Louisiana Department of Insurance collects from the insurance industry. “Building stronger homes is a vital part of making homeowners insurance affordable in Louisiana,” said Commissioner Temple. “I appreciate Governor Landry’s leadership and support as we work with legislators like Chairman Talbot to make Louisiana a national leader in the adoption of Fortified roofs.” The Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) has finalized its promulgation of Regulation 136—Fortify Homes Premium Discounts. The purpose of Regulation 136 is to implement the statutory provisions set forth in La. R.S. 22:1483, et seq. , which require that all Louisiana property and casualty insurers provide premium discounts or insurance rate reductions for homes constructed or upgraded in accordance with the fortified standards created by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. View Regulation 136 here .
By Louisiana REALTORS® • September 11, 2026
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