Does Home Automation make your house more of a home, or will it lead to more swearing and you threatening inanimate objects? Well before I get into that let me introduce myself. My name is Jesus Mendoza and if you have been to a monthly RCA meeting or if you visited the RCA booth at the annual community event you may have already met me. Recently I was asked to write a Home & Real Estate blog that would be shared with my Rosemont community. To me this is an honor and truthfully getting me to talk “shop” is not that hard. I have been a Real Estate broker since 2003 with a focus on helping my clients understand what is involved in the buying and selling of their home. Over those years I’ve learned a lot from my business and client experiences. This blog will be my way of sharing that gained knowledge. If you have a topic you would like to see discussed or have a question related to Homes and Real Estate let me know. Well enough about me, lets
delve into the topic that actually brought you here.
If you have an iPhone you undoubtedly 
have had a Siri moment and not the
entertaining type of moment as when you ask Siri “what is 0 divided by 0”. A client recently asked me if there is anything like Siri for the home? The answer is “sort-of”, just the same way that Siri “sort-of” works.
If you like sci-fi you have seen the scenes where someone walks into a home without a key or ever touching the door and then strolls through the home as they turn on and off lights by voice command. And of course the ability to ask the home real-time questions. “What can I make for dinner?” “Where is my wallet?” “Did the dog eat my shoe again?” Actually almost all of this is possible today. However you will not get the cool “swoosh” sound when your metal door slides open as you enter. The biggest issue is that there is a plethora of companies offering devices that you would need to buy and learn in order to automate the features of your home. That means a mix of devices and a mix of ways to control them. Think of it like the remote control situation where watching Netflix in surround sound can require three different remotes be by your side.
A new device by Amazon was released this year that is looking to be the Hal 9000 of your home. If you read the specs and reviews of the Amazon Echo you will find the very cool things that it can do with a hands-free voice control; the ability to add items to a shopping list, dim or turn light on and off, play music and of course having the Echo answer the question of how tall Abraham Lincoln was. Of course it is quite clear that no device is perfect and to get full use of this product you still need the different devices that control the individual features. In part the Echo seems to serve as that multi-function remote for your automated home systems.
My overall conclusion to home automation? Well I have two opinions:
My Real Estate opinion: Buyers like modern features and just the way light dimmers and recessed lighting are viewed as an upgrade so are Smart thermostats and keyless entry. Buyers will definitely appreciate the upgraded features, but make sure the rest of your home is also up to par. If your flooring is aged and worn and the popcorn ceiling is turning a smoky gray, showing potential buyers how you can control your garage door with your phone will likely just mean they will remember your house as the “dirty floor house with the garage gadget”.
My Personal opinion: I’m a tech guy and it is my experience that once you have a smart thermostat you don’t go back. I welcome anything that brings about more convenience in the way I use things not because I’m lazy, but because I will use that feature even more. I use my phone more than my computer not because one is better, but because it is more convenient. However I also have done enough tech-support for friends and family that I know not everyone should have these things. These devices will not always work as planned. Sometimes they will do the exact opposite of what you intend them to do and even I have to admit that somehow the device might be intentionally doing it just to spite you. Just remember; drop kicking a $100+ wi-fi enabled coffee maker is probably not going to fix the problem, but I guess there is only one way to find out.
Here are some other cool home automation 
gadgets:
Smart Thermostat: Measure your energy usage, receive reports and control the temperature from the comfort of your bed…or office.
http://www.nest.com
Video Doorbell: Allows you to see and hear who is at your door through a video camera that is attached to the doorbell.
http://www.skybell.com/
Pet Feeder: Can be set to timers, or controlled by your smart phone.
http://www.petnet.io/
Keyless entry: Enter your home using your smart phone, fingerprint reader or a remote control device.
http://www.kwikset.com/kevo/default.aspx#.Vh10rsurb4Y
Showerhead with built in Wireless Speaker: I am not making this one up.
http://www.us.kohler.com/us/Bathroom-New-Products-Moxie%E2%84%A2-Showerhead-+-Wireless-Speaker/content/CNT16200089.htm
Grill Thermometer: Again, I’m not making this up. This device let’s your smartphone know when your meat is cooked to your desired temperature.
http://idevicesinc.com/igrill/mini/
Jesus Mendoza is the Broker and Founder of Home Forward Real Estate and is not responsible for the untimely demise of any coffee makers. BRE #01387725