This list might depend on your market, though. A property manager could tell you what’s in demand in your local market.
For example, Green Residential in Austin, Texas knows their local market very well. If any of their clients want to upgrade a rental to a smart home, the team at Green Residential can advise them about which appliances are most desirable for the Austin market.
If you’re not clear about your local market’s conditions, you should do some research. According to survey data, 82% of renters want at least one smart device in their home.
For many, their first preference is security before convenience. With that much being said, here are some of the other top must-have smart devices and appliances to consider for your smart rentals.
1. Smart thermostats
Conventional programmable thermostats are great, but they lack certain features you can get with a smart thermostat. As part of a smart thermostat, the tenant can control the temperature in the house from his or her smartphone.This comes in handy when the owner or tenant is on vacation or away from the house for a number of hours, and realizes she wants to keep the house warm enough, but not run up the energy bill.
A smart thermostat is also useful when the tenant is away from home and the temperature plunges at night. The individual may check the weather online to see the expected local temperatures, and raise the regulated heat to protect the pipes in the house from freezing.
Later, the person can use the app to turn down the heat again when the outside weather warms up.
2. Smart locks
Smart door locks are a tool you’re either going to love or hate. For most people, there’s no in-between.But if you happen to own property in a neighborhood where smart locks are in demand, you’ll benefit from installing them. There are different types of smart locks, so it’s wise to get the appropriate kind for your property.
It’s up to you in the end, but in general people favor a lock that allows them to enter with a key fob. When your arms are full, having to open an app on a smartphone in order to enter your home can be just as inconvenient as digging through your pockets to find a metal key.
If you decide to install smart door locks, make sure to get the kind that allows manual entry with a code punched into the keypad. Otherwise, you run the risk that a power failure or internet outage could seriously disrupt your tenants’ lives.
3. Smart coffee maker
Do people really set up their coffee grounds or pods before they go to bed so they can brew fresh coffee in the morning without leaving their bed? You may not recognize what a delightful convenience this is if you haven’t done it, but many people brew their morning pot by setting an app to run while their head is still resting on the pillow.Some folks just don’t have time to grind, pour water, and brew coffee in the morning, so a smart coffee maker is the ultimate solution to their dilemma.
What’s even cooler is that smart coffee makers can be integrated with Alexa, which is a trick Keurig has been performing for a while. With Keurig Alexa Skill, you can turn your coffee maker on or off, change the brew strength, and more.
Although a smart programmable coffee maker may not seem like a big deal, many tenants will appreciate such a thoughtful item. Renting a house or apartment that provides a coffee maker is kind of like being surprised when your hotel room has a coffee maker instead of instant coffee packets.
When that machine is programmable via a smartphone app, the idea of brewing coffee while you’re still in bed can be immensely satisfying.
4. Smart security
Tenants prefer to feel secure in their home, and smart security systems give them that peace of mind. The best smart security systems are those which have a camera for the front porch and also include a two-way intercom feature.With this setup, if an unexpected stranger steps onto the porch, the tenant can speak to them from inside the house and either scare them away, or find out what they want without having to unlock and open the door.