Smart Homes Aren't Just for Homeowners Anymore
February 24, 2020
Gone are the days when the perks of customized smart device living were reserved exclusively for homeowners. Now renters, too, can adopt the technological advances of smart home devices while still enjoying the freedom and flexibility that come with being a leaseholder.
Unlock the Future
No keys? No problem. If you’ve ever experienced the dreaded apartment lockout, you are likely familiar with the frantic feeling that comes when you must track down your building’s manager to let you back into your home. With a keyless smart lock, the power is in your hands. You can unlock your door remotely using a smartphone app and change the code as often as you like for enhanced security.
Another great benefit of a smart lock is that you can generate temporary codes to grant access to trusted service providers, like dog walkers or cleaners, to allow them into your apartment when you are not home. The temporary codes expire, so you don’t need to worry about the provider sharing them with unauthorized parties. Furthermore, most smart lock applications alert you via text when a temporary code is used, so you can monitor from afar exactly who enters your home when.
Protect and Preserve
More than making your life easier, smart home devices in apartments can give the planet a break too. The always-versatile smart outlet can be paired with almost any appliance—lamps, toasters, coffee makers—to create an uptime schedule tailored to your lifestyle that ensures appliances are completely off when not in use.
The smart thermostat can be controlled remotely by your phone so that you can adjust the temperature to preserve energy when you’re not home and prep the temperature of your residence when you’re on your way home. Some smart thermostats are savvy enough that they can learn your desired temperature schedule based on your behavior, learning from the patterns that you’ve established over time.
Beyond preserving power, smart devices can help protect your rental home and even your security deposit by thwarting residential rampages like those caused by a forgotten hot curling iron or overflowing washing machine. In these examples, you can plug your hair heating device into a smart outlet to control it remotely using your phone, and the growing-in-popularity smart leak is designed to be positioned next to any area that could experience spillage and will notify you remotely if water is detected where it shouldn’t be. Some versions of the leak detector take this a step further by automatically notifying your building’s maintenance staff of the water intrusion so that they can address the leak even if you are not home.
Smart Service
While entering the world of smart home devices may seem daunting at first, most devices are simple enough that if you are comfortable using a smartphone, you’ll be comfortable using the device. Smart devices are growing rapidly in popularity and quickly becoming a staple of comfortable living for homeowners and renters alike. But you don’t have to go it alone. In most rental communities, including smart device-enabled Essex apartment homes, all the installation is completed for you as part of preparing your new home for rent. Once you move in, your smart devices are supported 24/7 by a helpful staff that can assist you with any questions you may have or troubleshooting you may need. If you don’t adopt an entire suite of smart devices, each individual device usually comes with its own brand support that can be contacted to assist you with activities like setting up your devices and using them most efficiently.
Find Your Smart Home Now
Looking for the perfect smart home to rent? Essex has a growing roster of smart device-equipped apartment homes along the West Coast for you to choose from.
