Who Should Buy a Smart Home?
Smart homes are becoming increasingly popular in South Africa and are expected to continue to gain momentum in the property market in the years to come. As new home builds continue to gain popularity in South Africa and the average smart household penetration now at 3.6% in 2018 and expected to hit 9.8% by 2022, it appears more and more people are jumping on the smart home bandwagon slowly but surely.
And when it comes to living in a smart home, age doesn’t appear to be a determining factor with people from all stages of life showing increased interest. The reality is that smart home technology is no longer associated solely with early adopters or tech-minded millennials and now everyone is investing in a smart home regardless of their age.
The reason behind this multigenerational fascination with the smart home is that the technology meets their differing needs. While Millennials seek flashy gadgetry, Gen Xers appreciate the cost savings of energy efficiency and Baby Boomers like the additional comfort that it affords. Read on to find out if you fit into any of the following buying categories.
Millennials
Want to get a foot on the property ladder? Why not future proof your first home by making it smart? A smart home is a fantastic investment for your future and adds instant value to your property. And now is the perfect time to do so, with Millennials the largest group of potential homebuyers on the market.
As a group, Millennials are already aware of and interested in owning smart home products. As the first generation who has truly grown up with the Internet, Millennials understand how useful modern, connected technology can be in the home and expect more as a result. A smart home can deliver on this expectation and is why it offers a huge appeal to this incoming generation of homebuyers.
At MyPlace Africa, we have the perfect smart home technology to appeal to this new type of homebuyer entering the market that is sure to promise you the control and connectivity you crave. Both our MyLights LED smart lighting system and MyAir smart air conditioning system can be easily controlled via a smartphone – a must for any millennial.
Then, as you begin to settle down and have families, the connected home touchscreen offers you the perfect place to connect all your smart products and apps. A dedicated tablet for the home, in addition to controlling MyLights and MyAir, the MyPlace touchscreen doubles as an Android tablet that lets you keep track of your calendar, check emails, order groceries, play music, check your security cameras and so much more.
Gen X
Smart homes are also perfect for families of all shapes and sizes. Whether you have just welcomed a new baby into the family or have a handful of teenagers living at home, you’ll want to achieve your ultimate comfort zone. However, the main concern for many Gen Xers is the energy and cost it takes to run their homes.
Energy efficiency is becoming a real deal maker or breaker for many South African buyers who have endured rising electricity prices and rolling blackouts for a number years. Thanks to country’s power plants issuing a 9.4% hike in utility bills since 2015 paired with old electricity infrastructure resulting in hours a day without power, many South Africans have had to be more conservative with their electricity usage, and a smart home can help with these long-term savings.
A smart air conditioning system like MyAir helps families save costs with motion sensors that detect when a room has been empty for 20 minutes and automatically adjust the target temperature by 2 degrees. This small adjustment can reduce the room’s energy use by 20%.
Baby Boomers
Surveillance and security has become a serious priority for many elderly people in South Africa. In fact, a recent report by Wakefield Research found that Baby Boomers would also be willing to pay more for smart technology in their homes, particularly for security purposes. With 65% of this group of 65+ citizens citing the importance of smart technology in the home, we can see that a good chunk of elderly people are still placing emphasis on future proofing their homes and creating their ultimate comfort zone.
Now thanks to MyPlace Africa, Baby Boomers can enjoy complete comfort and added security with MyLights. The MyLight’s MyWelcome and MyGoodbye gives total control with one touch. MyWelcome turns on all the lights you’d like to come home to and MyGoodbye turns off all the lights when you leave. Both are customisable so you can arrive home safely and get out the door easier.
Better yet, you can even make it appear like you’re home while you’re on holiday with our MyPlace smartphone app. This allows you to control the lighting to any room from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection via your smartphone.
MyAir and MyLights can easily be incorporated into any new home build or established home. Reach out to our technical experts today to find out how.
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