An interesting new ‘Digital Homes Report,’ released today by Barclays Mortgages has revealed that nearly one third of homeowners believe installing technology in the home will increase its value.
The report centres on the rise of the ‘digital home,’ that includes both connected technology and a digital infrastructure that is integrated into the home.
Equipped
Data from the report found that on average, UK homeowners who said that they would be willing to spend more would be willing to pay an additional £3,310 for a new property fully equipped with the latest technology. This includes smart heating systems and appliances.
Additionally, the investigation reveals that when it comes to choosing technology in which to invest, homeowners are seemingly putting practically first. When selecting where to spend their cash, the most common technologies homeowners are likely to buy in the future are those that support a home’s infrastructure. USB connections (36%), super-fast broadband connectivity (51%), smart meters (35%) and solar panels (27%) were all common features mentioned.
Although it seems something for the future, the survey revealed that nearly half of UK homeowners already have some kind of technology in their home. The most popular of these is fibre optic cabling, which allows for super-high speed interest. 26% of respondents said that they already had this in their property.
The top and bottom five most and least popular pieces of connected technology that homebuyers would be willing to pay extra for were found to be:
| Connected technology that homebuyers would pay extra for (by popularity) | |||
| Top 5 | Bottom 5 | ||
| 1 | Solar panels (31%) | 1 | Smart fridge (4%) |
| 2 | Fibre optic cable (21%) | 2 | Smart Doorbell (5%) |
| 3 | Smart security alarm (19%) | 2 | Smart oven (5%) |
| 4 | Sensor technology (16%) | 3 | Mobile signal box (8%) |
| 5 | Smart thermostat (15%) | 3 | Induction cooktop (8%) |
Fascinating
UK property expert and television personality Amanda Lamb, said, ‘it’s really fascinating to see from the Barclays Mortgages Digital Homes Report, how peoples’ attitudes to connected technology are changing and adapting in the modern world.’[1]
‘In my years of dealing with the UK property market, I’ve seen plenty of trends come and go however, digital homes are really here to stay and this space is something I see really growing over the next three to five years. Whilst it will take time for it to be widely adopted by the general public, I see technology integrated in the home being a real incentive for homebuyers, so would encourage homeowners to start thinking about what they can do to future-proof their home,’ Lamb added.[1]
[1] http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/household/what-technology-attracts-homebuyers.html