Appeal to house hunters with smart home upgrades

From smart thermostats to remotely controlled showers, connected homes are all the rage for today’s homeowners and those looking to make a purchase, providing easy opportunities to boost your profit when you sell.

Over half of Millennials (57 percent) believe that smart home technology is a good investment in their home, according to a recent survey by “Better Homes and Gardens.” Upgrading to include connected items can make your home more appealing to this “next generation” of homebuyers in particular.

If you’re looking to sell, here are some of the latest and greatest smart home upgrades to have on your radar.

Climate Control

Your thermostat is responsible for half your energy bill -more than appliances and electronics -- so make sure to choose one wisely. Consider installing a smart thermostat, which learns your temperature preferences, and can save energy by turning heating and cooling on and off, based on the weather outside, your home’s energy profile and more. Potential homebuyers will love the energy savings, as well as the ability to control the thermostat from anywhere with their devices.

A Hands-Free Faucet

Imagine the convenience of having a kitchen faucet turn water on or off, without a touch. Faucets with hands-free technology, such as Moen’s MotionSense Wave single-sensor models, allow users to easily activate the faucet with the wave of a hand. Great for when your hands are too full or messy to turn on the faucet, the technology also minimizes the spread of dirt and germs, since there’s no need to touch the faucet to start the flow of water. It’s just the type of smart upgrade to attract house hunters of all ages -- and easy on the wallet, with options available for under $300.

Bright Lighting

Smart lighting dimmer and sensor systems allow you to turn lights on and off remotely with a smartphone, and can be customized to perform certain actions, such as slowly growing brighter as you wake up or turning off automatically when you leave your home – providing added convenience and customization for prospective buyers. These systems are especially useful when you’re traveling– allowing you to turn your lights on and off remotely, so your home doesn’t look empty while you’re away. Picture showing potential buyers how they can control all of the lights in the home with one device, or turn off the lights after they’re snuggled up in bed – and get ready for the offers to roll in.

A Digital Shower

An updated bathroom is a huge selling point for potential buyers. If you’re planning a renovation, enhancing your space with a digital shower can make a big difference for your family now and for future homebuyers. To provide the ultimate in personalization, select a system such as U by Moen, the first Wi-Fi/ cloud-based digital shower on the market, which allows users to precisely set shower temperature and flow with an in-shower digital controller, or from the smartphone app. Plus, it can be voice activated with products like Amazon Alexa, for a connected home experience.

By swapping just one or two items -- like your thermostat or a buildergrade kitchen faucet – you can achieve a sleeker, smarter home. And while the return on investment varies for each product, they’re all sure to appeal to tech-loving homebuyers whenever you choose to sell.