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Smart Apartment Technologies to Know in 2020

In today’s world, time is at a premium for most people. Enter smart apartment technology for city dwellers who not only want more convenience but more minutes in the day to devote to the things that mean the most to them.

Smart living has evolved from push-button window treatments to appliances that are connected to the internet, mobile devices, and more. Here are three of the top apartment innovations that property owners and managers should know about in 2020.

Home Comfort Hubs

Pre-set preferences

Comfort hubs or home hubs are devices you can use to remotely coordinate multiple functions at once. Often, they are voice-activated or can connect to a mobile phone.

Think of comfort hubs as a stepped-up version of the remote control you might receive at a high-end boutique hotel to control the drapes and lighting, or like the presets on a luxury car that save your preferences for the seat, climate control, and radio stations.

When people want a comfortable environment, they want it fast. With a comfort hub, you come home from a long day at work, press a button or give a voice command, and voilà… your heat, curtains, sound system, and lights are all right where you want them in the blink of an eye. Wake up in the morning, and use different coordinated settings to start the day with equal ease.

To make a home hub work, the elements it controls must be able to connect to the command center. Sometimes users have to download a mobile app if they want to link the hub to their personal devices. This has the advantage of allowing the user to initiate commands before even entering the home, if the hub is engineered to do that.

Often comfort hub features overlap with similar voice-activated virtual assistant devices like Alexa or Nest, which are usually somewhat less comprehensive. Also, home hubs may come hardwired to components within the rental unit and belong to the property owner, whereas virtual assistants can be purchased by the tenant to use any way they like, connecting via Bluetooth or wifi.

Home comfort hubs offer several advantages for apartment landlords or managers. Smart thermostat settings can save on energy costs, which is essential if the building is paying all or part of a tenant’s electric bill because it has not yet moved to submetered billing. Also, apartments with these new technologies are attractive to renters, from demanding Millennials to less ambulatory seniors, and it’s possible to ask a higher rent for units that offer the latest in modern convenience.

Smart Security

Safer, with fewer headaches

One of the first places smart apartment technology was utilized was in the security sector. Smart locks are a perfect example. Rather than using a key, tenants use a digital access code entered on a keypad or another similar screening method to enter their units.

There are multiple benefits to this system. Locksmiths and superintendents don’t have to be called for lockouts or lost keys. Changing the locks between tenants is also a breeze and doesn’t require paying for new keys to be made.

Tenants can give the code to in-home workers and visitors, which is more convenient for them and more secure for the building than having loose keys floating around. Alternatively, users can wait until they see the expected party via a door camera (see below), and unlock their unit remotely via cell phone.

Other smart apartment security technology includes:

• Door cameras
• Alarm systems
• Smart smoke, fire, and carbon monoxide detectors
• Leak detectors

All four of the above systems can be monitored and controlled via mobile devices and laptops. They can also be geared to alert building maintenance or the 911 system if something is dangerously amiss, sometimes through property management software.

Virtual or Self-Guided Showings

For renting apartments

A different type of smart apartment technology is available when landlords or property managers have a vacant apartment: virtual or self-guided showings. Rather than scheduling an in-person viewing of an apartment for rent, potential occupants can tour the property online via mobile phone or computer.

The benefits of this method are multifold for all involved:

• Applicants aren’t deterred by nine-to-five business hours, and viewings don’t need to inconvenience property managers or realtors.
• Available properties can be easily viewed by out-of-towners.
• Viewers can take as long as they like with a viewing and look at the unit as many times as they like.
• There are no security or health risks to anyone, as the viewing is entirely online.
• Current tenants are not inconvenienced; they don’t need to clean and leave before every viewing, as the tour is pre-recorded and management can start showing units before renters vacate.
• Sophisticated virtual showings can offer unit measurements to interested renters, and some allow for virtual staging, dropping in cyber furnishings to dress up empty spaces when the occupant has already moved out.
• Some virtual tours can be connected online to other aspects of renting, such as tenant screening and application, deposits, and the like.

To create a self-guided apartment viewing, it’s best to work with a professional who has a 3D camera and knows how to film this type of tour and how to post it online. Both upscale real estate agents and independent consultants who also film museums and tourist attractions typically have this technology. A landlord or property management company that does a high volume of virtual showings may also consider buying their own equipment and learning how to use it.

There are many more smart apartment technologies available, from smart toilets to kitchen appliances that connect to the Internet of Things. Landlords should assess what would appeal to tenants in their unique building and consider offering these features to attract tenants.

Need help putting smart apartment technology to use in your property? Reach out to Bolt Electric today. You can phone us at 212-434-0098 or schedule an appointment using our easy online form.