Apparently we are holding onto our homes for longer, now at 10.5 years in Sydney, up 3+ years over the previous decade (refer https://www.corelogic.com.au/…/the-typical-home-in-australi…). I would bet if you owned a place for 10 years you will do some change to it more substantial than just a coat of paint.
‘Smartifying’ your place does not mean a full blown renovation, you can selectively include what you need over time. The usual suspects every home owner struggles with are
a. what do I need?
b. when should I do that?
c. wouldn’t that be cool!, and of course
d. is there a return on investment.
If you go all out ‘smartifyng’ your place you are probably investing northwards of $50k, sometimes much more. But it does not have to be that way.
You need to consider the rate of change of technology in smart environments. At present this is very, very high and we are down to less than 6 monthly updates for many products or product lines. Many larger technology companies, considered the incumbents, are playing catchup with some start-up organisations features and functions.
If you only need the basics, or want to add to it over time, you could get away with $1-3k per year and reap the benefit of new product features.
My advice is to think wisely and invest in what you need. Plan your extension and desired functionality over your ownership. If you are renovating and running cables it may be best to deliver that in your first renovation phase – consult your trusted professional tradesperson. If you haven’t found them yet, ask around and seek out various opinions.
We like being the scratch for the itch!, sometimes it helps having a sounding board to put technology into perspective.
Stay safe. Be smart!
