Smart home products offer innovations in all things home related: heating/cooling, security, energy management and overall convenience. There is enough variety in their application that it can provide value to nearly any type of person. But that begs the question –who are the most likely to invest in smart home devices, and what do they get out of it? And which type of smart homeowner are you?
Let's find out, shall we?
The Tech Innovator (aka “The Technorati”)
This homeowner has all the newest and greatest smart home devices, and is the first to know about anything tech-related. They have a great WiFi system, with a home that is optimized to integrate any and all smart home-related items. The Tech Innovator is interested in automation and is always on the hunt for the next best thing. This group is composed of dynamic users who will already have a number of smart home devices, likely connected through a smart hub such as Amazon Echo or Google Home.
Tech Innovators were the first to have smart thermostats and security systems, smart locks and doorbells, intelligent lighting and window covering systems. They continue to drive the smart home movement forward by adopting and championing the newest connected devices. They're looking for the “cool” factor, and will be quick to drop their existing setup in exchange for even minor innovations for the same service (such as a newer type of smart doorbell with minor performance and feature improvements).
2. The Security Seeker
Homeowners looking for the best way to protect their homes, families, and belongings comprise a substantial portion of the smart homeowner landscape. This group is primarily motivated by a desire to keep their property safe and secure from any form of threat, whether its burglary prevention, fire/carbon monoxide detection, or even water monitoring. The most common reason for choosing a smart security system, however, is to protect homes against intruders. Fortunately, peace of mind is easily provided by smart, connected, automated devices that supply owners with real-time information.
Some Security Seekers may have been the victim of a previous loss, and fall into this category out of necessity. Others may have financial motivations; there are insurance companies that subsidize or fully pay for smart devices that can reduce future loss (referred to as ‘entitlements'), which significantly reduce the likelihood of a loss happening again.
3. Home Controllers
Differing slightly from Security Seekers, this type of smart homeowner is motivated by a strong desire for control. They may travel frequently and have busy schedules, or may just want a convenient way of managing their homes while inside it. This group may also include those who own seasonal vacation properties, who want a convenient way of monitoring the property during the off-season or while it is unused.
Home Controllers value anything that gives them more influence over their environment, such as being able to adjust the temperature from anywhere inside–or outside–of the house. They greatly appreciate smart home setups that can have everything in the house ready for them when they return from a work day or extended trip. This group will likely have installed several devices into their homes, including a smart home hub/assistant that connects their devices, and will use either inbuilt or custom apps to regularly check the data from their connected devices even while they are still out.
4. The Environmentalist
Homeowners with an eye towards environmental consciousness and sustainability are strong proponents of smart home technology. Smart home devices are ‘green,' meaning they efficiently deliver and consume resources such as electricity, natural gas and water. Smart home devices such as thermostats, automatic lighting and leak detectors/water monitors are particularly of interest to Environmentalists, who appreciate that such devices can reduce overall resource waste and introduce utility savings at the same time.
Many builders are now aware of the Environmentalist's increasing influence. As such, these builders are now becoming green themselves. Many of the buildings/homes currently being constructed include features that efficiently use water, energy, and other resources as a matter of course, and buyers are given the option to further upgrade along these lines. Green builders answer this need by using smart devices to reduce a structure's overall carbon footprint.
5. The Frugal Homeowner
Because of the sharp increase in utility costs, more homeowners are becoming sensitive to and aware of their energy and water expenses. But in order to properly monitor and control their utility usage, they need more information than what they see on their bill at the end of the month. They need live, up to the minute information that only a smart home monitoring system can provide. The best smart home environment applications constantly track energy usage throughout the building so that the frugal homeowner knows exactly what their household's utility costs are and where it's being spent.
But knowing where the money is going is just part of the solution. Frugal homeowners find the most value in smart home devices when they use it to actively manage their home utilities. Devices like NEST and our own Mysa Smart Thermostat adjust a home's heating on the fly based on either a set schedule or a pattern learned from analyzing the resident's habits. It removes the burden of the owner having to remember to change the thermostat, and can make independent corrections that result in greater electricity, gas and water savings.