Cincinnati Idea Book November 2023

ASK THE EXPERT
rea estate
HOME TECH FOR YOUR HOLIDAY WISH LIST
Smart home features have been making the news and gaining popularity for several years. WiFi-enabled outlets, thermostats, locks, doorbells, cameras and more
are already being used by many homeowners for enhanced security and automation, and additional products are being added to the market all the time. Looking
for some new or lesser-known home tech to fill out this year’s wish list or seeking unique gift ideas for others? Here are some of our favorite finds:
1. SMART SHOWER HEAD – In the ultimate
smart bathroom, you can even start the shower
with your voice (or phone). Wall-mounted smart
shower controllers work with Amazon Alexa, Apple
HomeKit, and Google Assistant to let you turn on
the water and set it to your preferred temperature
with voice commands or via an app.
2. AUTOMATED BLIND CONTROLLER – Don’t
want to lift a finger to raise or lower your blinds
and want to avoid replacing perfectly good window
coverings with pricey custom automated ones? You
can switch from a hand-pull system to motorized
blind controls for your most commonly used blinds
and window dressings with this simple home tech
item upgrade and start controlling them with the
click of a button!
3. SMART GARAGE DOOR OPENER – Whether
your garage serves as a storage area, a workshop,
a party zone, or a place where you actually keep
your car, there’s plenty of tech available to make it
smarter. Smart garage door openers let you view
the state of the door (closed or open, and for how
long), and control it from your phone - even when
you aren’t home. Some are even compatible with
Amazon’s in-garage delivery service, “Key”, which
can give you peace of mind if you’re worried about
porch pirates.
4. WHOLE-HOUSE FILTRATION SYSTEM – If
you’re tired of having to filter all of your tap water
through pitchers or other devices, consider a home
water filtration or reverse osmosis system. This
home tech item will make sure all water is clean,
safe to drink, and tastes fresh. Even better? This is
a feature that could be a selling point for future
buyers if and when you sell your home.
5. SMART LIGHTBULBS – Some of the earliest
smart home accessories included outlets that
enabled homeowners to turn on lamps through
an app or using their voice. But what about ceiling
fixtures and recessed lights? Try smart bulbs! You
can turn them on and off at a distance and set
schedules for them (a major plus for lowering your
electric bill), and even change their color.
6. SMART SMOKE DETECTORS – You should
be replacing your smoke detectors every few
years anyways. Why not replace them with a
WiFi-enabled version? Not only will these smart
detectors alert to the presence of both smoke
and carbon monoxide, but they can also conduct
regular tests automatically and send reminders via
an app when the battery runs low.
7. WIFI-OPERATED OUTDOOR PLUGS – Smart
outlets for indoor use have been around and
widely used for years, but now you can get outdoorrated
versions! Perfect for holiday lights during the
winter months and ponds/fountains in the warmer
seasons, these plugs are weatherproof and allow
you to control any outdoor electronics with your
voice or phone. Plus, you can schedule them to turn
on and off at the same time every day.
8. DIGITAL SPRINKLER CONTROLLER – While
this control system won’t drag the sprinkler out into
the lawn and hook it up for you, it’s still an amazing
addition to pre-installed irrigation systems. And
the home tech hub allows you to monitor, control
and save water all from a mobile app. You can even
set it to adapt to weather conditions to avoid overwatering
during rainy periods.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ellie Kowalchik, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Pinnacle Group, leads Cincinnati’s top-ranked
Move2Team. A multi-million dollar producer and company sales leader, she holds the advanced
designations of Seller Representative Specialist, Certified Residential Specialist, as well as e-Pro with a focus on technology.
She has also been named one of America’s Best Real Estate Agents by RealTrends for the past 6 years.
Have real estate questions you’d like to see answered in a future edition of Ask the Expert?
Give Ellie a call at (513) 616-2323 or email her at Ellie@Move2Team.com.
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