Man, I hear you on the fire blocks. I once spent an entire Saturday thinking I’d just “pop in a new outlet” in my living room, only to find out the wall was basically a patchwork quilt of random blocking and ancient wires. Ended up with two extra holes in the drywall and a lot of creative language. But yeah, once it’s all working and you can just yell at Alexa to turn off the lights, it’s hard to go back. Still, sometimes I miss the days when “smart home” meant remembering where you left the light switch.
I once spent an entire Saturday thinking I’d just “pop in a new outlet” in my living room, only to find out the wall was basically a patchwork quilt of random blocking and ancient wires. Ende...
I get the convenience, but I keep wondering how much value all this smart tech actually adds long-term. Like, sure, yelling at Alexa is cool, but when you go to sell, do buyers really care? Or do they just see a bunch of stuff that’ll break or need updates? I’ve had a few properties where the “patchwork quilt of random blocking and ancient wires” was honestly easier to deal with than troubleshooting some of these new systems. Maybe I’m just old school, but sometimes simple is better.
I’ve had a few properties where the “patchwork quilt of random blocking and ancient wires” was honestly easier to deal with than troubleshooting some of these new systems.
That hits home. I’ve spent more time trying to reset smart switches and reconnect WiFi thermostats than I ever did running new Romex. I get the appeal, but when a light won’t turn on because the app needs an update, it feels like we’re making things harder than they need to be. Has anyone actually had a buyer ask for smart features, or is it just a “nice to have” that gets ignored during showings?
I totally get what you mean about the “nice to have” factor. When we were house hunting a few years back, I don’t remember a single person mentioning smart features as a must-have. My partner was more excited about the original woodwork and the weird old doorbell than any of the “connected” stuff. Now that we’re in, I’ve tried adding a few smart bulbs and a thermostat, but honestly, I spend more time troubleshooting than actually enjoying them.
One time, the heat wouldn’t kick on because the WiFi was down—never had that problem with the old dial. I do wonder if buyers really care, or if it’s just something agents mention to sound modern. Maybe it’s more of a selling point in new builds? In these older homes, I feel like people are more charmed by the quirks than the gadgets.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually seen smart features make a bigger difference than I expected—especially when it comes time to sell. I’ve flipped a few places, and even in older homes, people light up (pun intended) when they see app-controlled lights or a video doorbell. It’s not always their main reason for buying, but it does seem to help them picture “living in the future,” even if the house is 100 years old.
That said, I totally hear you on the pain of troubleshooting. The tech is only fun when it works. Still, I think more buyers are starting to expect at least some smart stuff these days, even if it’s just a fancy thermostat. Like you said:
I do wonder if buyers really care, or if it’s just something agents mention to sound modern.
From what I’ve seen, it’s not just agent hype—folks get excited about the gadgets once they see them in action. But yeah, nothing beats an old creaky floorboard or a weird doorbell for character... can’t automate that charm.
