The rise of smart home technology has been nothing short of phenomenal. In fact, recent findings from ‘Smart Home Week’, found that 43% of Brits now own at least one smart product in their home. When it comes to awareness and understanding, 49% of UK consumers are familiar with the features and benefits of smart home products according to research by ‘Ernst & Young’.
Right now, it seems the biggest barrier facing wider adoption of smart home technology is price. Per statistics from ‘Tech UK’, 39% of UK consumers are not adopting smart technology in their home because as they currently state it as being ‘too expensive’.
Our research on Smart Home Technology Attitudes
Sellhousefast.uk analysed findings from Eureka!, who surveyed 946 UK households to better understand their current attitudes towards a range of factors concerning smart home technology.
Our findings on Smart Home Technology Attitudes
Sellhousefast.uk found that the ‘lounge’ is the room which the majority (72%) of homeowners think is most ideal for smart technology. Thereafter, Brits believe the ‘kitchen’ (53%) and then, ‘bedrooms’ (34%) are the next best suitable spaces for accommodating smart technology.
Contrastingly, the ‘landing’ (12%) is the part of the house which Brits feel is the least suited for smart technology. Similarly, only 13% think smart technology would improve the functionality of their bathroom – despite the greater available of smart products/devices specifically designed and created for the bathroom.
Furthermore, Sellhousefast.uk also sought to find out the smart technology products that UK homeowners would be interested in buying/installing within the next one to two years.
It was revealed that ‘video doorbells/security systems’ is the smart technology that most appeals to Brits, with 47% planning to purchase either one or both within the next two years. Heating thermostats from established brands such as ‘Hive’ and ‘Nest’, which permit users to wirelessly adjust heating and water temperatures, gained a 43% of approval from Brits wanting to install one in the upcoming two years.
On the other of the scale, ‘dash buttons’ (9%) – which are small Wi-Fi enabled devices that allow users to re-order their favourite product from a certain retailer at the touch of a button – was the smart technology which garnered the lowest amount of interest from Brits wanting to get it within the next one to two years.
When considering the methods Brits would explore for getting advice on smart home technology, most Brits would opt to do so by directly contacting a smart tech manufacturer (41%). Subsequently, 39% of Brits would use an internet search engine such as google to get more information on smart home device(s) they are interested in. Surprisingly, Brits are least likely to ask for recommendations on social media (9%) when seeking smart technology for their home. Equally, just 9% would turn to a tradesperson found in a local newspaper/magazine to get their expertise on smart home technology.
Can Smart Technology Increase the Value of a Property?
As smart home devices reach cheaper pricing points and become easier to use, the adoption rate of the technology will inevitably increase. At this point, many homeowners will ask themselves; ‘does installing more and more smart devices add value to the overall price of the property?’ From the perspective of buyers and renters, they certainly seem to believe so. According to Barclays Mortgages, 28% of buyers would happily fork out an extra sum of money if a potential property was equipped with the latest digital home technology.
