You may have noticed our new content series centered around smart home technology called Smart Minutes with Ben Heinrich. For several years I’ve been fortunate to observe and learn from Ben’s interest in modern building science and smart home technologies. As his millennial associate, I wanted to take the opportunity to share how these first three episodes have impacted me. 

It is easy to walk the isles of Home Depot and be enamored by the flashy things – the Nests, Rings, Simplisafe’s, the list goes on. I’ve never pursued it because I didn’t have a thoughtful strategy in mind for what I really needed and why. Gadgets are cool, but how will they improve my living experience? What is it that I need to accomplish? What will make my day easier, my week, and collectively my years of living in this home? Who will this technology serve, and why? These are the questions I will ask myself when I decide to pursue a smart home system. As a home buyer, when I go to purchase my next home, I will be looking at how I can integrate smart home technology in the home, what kinds of system are already present, and how they can be improved upon. I will seek guidance from local smart home professionals who prepare home tech reports to educate me on the existing systems and their potential. 

As a real estate agent, I’m looking at how I can apply the principles I’m learning to my real estate practice – how I can add value to my clients by connecting them with smart home professionals, introducing them to blogs, forums, and companies making great strides in the space. I’m thinking about the current smart home climate, where we are headed, how significant a role it will play in our business, and how I can be intentional about  keeping current. 

If you are enjoying the series, please subscribe to our Youtube Channel and stay tuned for more Smart Minute episodes with Ben Heinrich!

Written by: Zach Brooksher