We live in an era of hyper-connectivity. Almost everything is “smart.” There are smartphones, smart TVs, smart cars, and even a smart toothbrush. All of these devices are designed to do one thing: make life easier.
If you’re looking to give your rental property an edge over the competition, you might want to consider kicking it up a notch in the tech department. Renters find smart home devices highly desirable, and a couple of standout feature can really draw interest in your vacancy. But it doesn’t stop there… smart technology can also help you monitor and ensure the security of your property as well as automate some of your processes.
1. Smart Thermometers
Keeping a thermostat locked on the same temperature is a big energy waster. Tenants love intelligent solutions that save them money. Smart thermostats can be controlled anywhere, anytime through a smartphone. More importantly, they also “learn” based on the most used settings. If you control the heating in your rental properties, a smart thermostat allows you to lower waste, by precisely controlling temperature based on usage, weather and time of day. If the tenant is in charge of paying for their heat, smart thermometers can be a big selling point for your property. You may attract energy-conscious and savvy tenants.
2. Smart Lighting
Smart lighting gives tenants the ability to control their lighting remotely, and automate lights to come on and off at key times. It can also increase their sense of safety, knowing they can control lights while on vacation or turn them on before arriving home. For common areas in the property, the landlord can benefit from conservation as well. Hallway lighting can be programmed for reduced usages and money-savings, keeping the light dim until it’s activated by a person.
3. Smart Locks
Smart locks are incredibly convenient for both the landlord and the tenant. And, it’s not a huge investment as you only need one per rental unit. The landlord or tenant can lock and unlock the door remotely through a mobile app. And, if there is a plumbing issue or other needed repair, smart locks make it incredibly easy to coordinate access with the repair person. Once the resident has given permission to enter, they don’t even need to be home, which is a huge time saver. Plus, when it comes to tenant turnover, you simply re-program the smart lock with a new lock combination. Goodbye replacement keys!
4. Smart Sensors
Perhaps not the sexiest of smart technologies, this little gadget can potentially save both you and your tenant a lot of money. A smart moisture sensor can be placed around toilets, washing machines or under a sink and in other key locations, and can alert you when water or moisture is building up. They will detect moisture buildup, and can alert you if a leak has occurred and gives you additional security from leaks that tenants may have forgotten or not bothered to alert you about. And, the best part is that a moisture sensor is remarkably affordable.
5. Smart Smoke & CO Detectors
As a responsible landlord, you make sure that every unit is equipped with a working smoke detector. But, all that safety can go out the window the minute your tenant takes out the battery because they are sick and tired of the incessant low-battery chirping noise. A smart detector will simply send text message. And, many smart detectors will notify the landlord if the tenant removes the unit from its base.
6. Smart Rental Property Management Technology
A recent study by a major property management firm showed that tenants were willing to pay more rent per month for a property that had many of the features listed above as well as the ability to pay rent online and request repairs through a maintenance portal. Smart rental property management technology is also a huge boon for property managers and landlords as it increases automation, cuts costs and eliminates manual paperwork.
Property Vista is a leader in property management technology, and offers you a range of solutions to help automate your property business, including accounting, marketing, maintenance and payment solutions. If you’re interested in exploring how Property Vista can help your company, see our pricing and arrange a demo by visiting PropertyVista.com/pricing.
