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Is Upgrading to Smart Devices in Your Simi Valley Single-Family Rentals Worth It?

Maintenance Installing a Smart Device in the Living RoomThe single-family rental home market is encountering several innovations, many of which are the cause of long-term renters. Like many people, from millennials to seniors, find themselves not able to or not willing to purchase a home nationwide, large numbers are turning to long-term rentals instead. Because of that, renters in the present day convey many presumptions about the types of smart technology they will recognize in single-family flats.

Some tenants may long for various smart devices offered by their landlord, from high-speed internet to smart thermostats to security systems. But is it worth customizing your Simi Valley rental homes to fascinate these tenants? The advice to this question will rely on respective factors, from where your rental property is found to the contemplated gains on the upfront price.

The Benefits

Smart devices have the potential to make a rental home more efficient, more secure, and more convenient. Rental homes that are smart technology-ready may intrigue a segment of probable renters. For example, a smart thermostat can make managing heating and cooling costs much easier, reducing wear and tear on air conditioning units and furnaces as well as lowering utility bills.

Adding sensors and cameras to doors and windows can make sense in areas where crime is looked at as an issue, putting a sense of security could captivate renters who would otherwise be turned off by the neighborhood. Smart locks can make obtaining access to your rental homes and offering a relaxed transition for new tenants breezy. No more changing the locks or emergency calls to a locksmith; you can simply change an access code to control who has access and who doesn’t.

If your rental home is in a location where an immense number of renters work or go to school, it might make sense to upgrade. A rental with smart devices may lure more strenuously in these locations, and you can reasonably extend the price of rent to recoup for any upfront costs.

Potential Drawbacks

Granted that smart devices provide plenty of rewards to property landlords and tenants, there are a number of potential drawbacks as well. Perhaps the biggest deterrent property owners face when considering a smart device upgrade is the cost. Most smart home technology devices aren’t too expensive by themselves, but the price tag does add enough to a rental home’s cost that it should be considered carefully before jumping in. Many devices work as a coordinated system, meaning you might not be able to do the job one upgrade at a time. Additionally, not all locations will support an addition in the price you might need to reacquire your overheads, so knowing your specific market for each rental home is important.

A second concern is the quality of the Wi-Fi in your area, and administrative access, which you will need to retain. Many smart devices rely on wireless internet to function, and so if the signal is weak or drops, it may seriously interfere with the functioning of any smart device. In locations where geography and distance can cause connectivity difficulties, smart devices just might not work as displayed and end up being an expensive mistake.

While many renters are interested in smart home technologies, such features may actually repel other renters due to security concerns. Many are suspicious of automation, we’ve all heard horror stories about digital gadgets being hacked and our personal privacy violated. While these circumstances are rare, some renters may not be able to overcome their concerns and look elsewhere.

In the end, it is up to each Simi Valley property owner to determine whether upgrading their rental homes to include smart devices is worth the cost. Such decisions must involve good market data and detailed knowledge of a rental home’s area, both of which we at Real Property Management Ventura County can offer. With our competence and intelligence, we can help you discern which, if any, smart devices would be money well spent on your rental homes. If you still have questions or want to know more about Real Property Management Ventura County, contact us online or by phone at 805-387-3682 today.

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