How Smart Home Automation Helps Sell Homes

Honolulu has a very hot real estate market. Whether you’re selling new homes or previously owned properties, it’s always a good idea to explore new ways to appeal to home buyers. And the trend that is hitting it big in Hawaii is definitely smart home automation. Historically, smart home technology has been limited to custom installations by individual homeowners, but real estate companies are starting to realize the advantages of upgrading homes with automation in order to sell properties fast for top dollar.

3 Reasons to Invest in Smart Home Automation

1.    It’s Growing More Popular (and It’s Here to Stay)

According to a recent study by Houzz, almost half of homeowners prioritize adding smart technology when renovating homes. It’s clear that smart devices are part of everyday life, so why not make it easy for buyers by giving them the technology right from the start?

2.    It Gives You an Edge on the Competition

Imagine how different the experience is for buyers when they walk into a fully automated home. The windows shades rise, the lights brighten, and the audio system starts playing music at the touch of a button or single spoken command.

When given the choice between that and a home without smart technology, it’s not difficult to guess which option is going to win.

3.    It’s Easy to Get Started

You don’t have to integrate all of this technology yourself. By partnering with Pacific Audio & Communications, you can gain all the benefits of having technology-infused homes without any of the time or effort. You do the real estate work, and leave the rest to us.

Possible Technologies to Add to Homes (and Their Top Selling Points)

Once you decide to embrace the smart home automation movement, it’s time to explore the possibilities! There are a lot of smart technologies out there, but not all of them are an ideal fit for new home buyers.

Here are the options we recommend that real estate companies consider:

1.    Lighting Control

We can connect all of the lights throughout the home to one central management system. With this technology, you can adjust a single light, a certain area, or the entire home with one tap on your smartphone or tablet. It’s convenient, it can help keep energy bills low, and it’s great for enhancing a home’s décor.

SEE ALSO: Interior Designers’ New Best Friend: Home Lighting Control

2.    Motorized Shades

Motorized shades give a “wow factor” to each room. With zero manual effort, the shades can raise or lower upon command. The biggest selling point for motorized shades is their energy-efficiency—we can add smart sensors to the windows that automatically adjust the shades to avoid solar heat gain, which keeps energy bills low.

3.    Climate Control

There’s a reason why Nest Learning Thermostats are so popular. Homeowners love how easy it is to set the temperature from their smartphone. We can go beyond just a smart thermostat though. Ask us about our full climate and energy management solutions.

4.    Smart Security

Security is usually top of mind for home buyers. Make it easy for them with an already integrated security solution that includes surveillance cameras, smart door locks, window sensors, and more.

5.    Professional Networking

The last thing you want is to be showing a home and have the potential home buyers discover that they have no cell service or Wi-Fi access in certain areas. Ensure reliable coverage in every room with a professional networking installation. Cellular boosters and wireless access points are strategically placed throughout the home for top-notch performance.

Whether you’re in Honolulu, Kauai, or another area of Hawaii, Pacific Audio & Communications is your smart home automation expert. We work with builders, interior designers, real estate agents, homeowners, and more to develop high-quality, easy-to-use technology.

Contact us today for more information.

• Enjoy hands-free technology
• Effortlessly control every aspect of your home
• Customize your system to fit your lifestyle

Total Control of Your Home is Possible with Crestron

Just a month ago, CEO Facebook Mark Zuckerberg achieved his 2016 goal of creating an artificial intelligence system to run his home. Aptly named Jarvis, the smart home technology controls everything from the lights to the surveillance cameras to even a T-shirt cannon. Zuckerberg even commissioned Oscar winner Morgan Freeman to do the audio recordings for the voice control system. If the idea of having your own Jarvis is appealing to you, read on to learn how you can add a voice control system to your Honolulu, HI area home.

Say Hello to Jarvis

Zuckerberg’s Jarvis system has a lot of fantastic elements that make it easy for his family to enjoy life at home.

• Lighting: All of the lights, from the landscape lighting to the bedside lamps, are connected to Jarvis. The Zuckerberg family can turn lights on, off, or to a specific brightness level in any area with a single voice command.
• Climate: They can set the thermostat to a certain temperature, turn the HVAC on or off, or simply request to make the room cooler or warmer.
• Appliances: Zuckerberg’s Samsung televisions, smart refrigerator, and even the toaster can all be voice-controlled.
• Music: To enjoy music throughout the home, Zuckerberg chose the simple yet high-quality audio brand Sonos. To listen to a favorite Spotify playlist, all he has to do is ask Jarvis.

SEE ALSO: Why Invest in High-End Audio?

• Security: When leaving home, Zuckerberg can ask Jarvis to arm the security system or lock the front door. Using Nest cameras, Zuckerberg can also keep track of his loved ones while away just by pulling up his smartphone.

Creating Your Own Voice Control System

The backbone of Jarvis is formed by Crestron, the biggest name is smart home automation technology. Crestron has the largest collection of home control devices, which makes them the obvious choice for a custom system like Jarvis.

Zuckerberg gave a personal shout-out to Crestron, saying “I recommend using a system like Crestron as a common interface to all those basic devices to simplify things.”

You may be thinking that having an artificial intelligence system in your home is only for the likes of moguls like Zuckerberg, but anyone can experience the comfort and convenience of smart home technology through Crestron (minus the dulcet tones of Morgan Freeman).

Pacific Audio & Communications is Hawaii’s top choice for Crestron smart home systems. Contact us today to learn how to we can help you transform your home with the power of voice control technology.

• Get the Best Sound Quality
• Enjoy Music the Way It’s Meant to Be Heard
• Gain Peace of Mind

The Benefits of Getting a Professional System for Home Audio Distribution

Home audio distribution technology has come a long way in recent years, making it easier than ever to enjoy pure, high-quality music in your own home. With the influx of so many “off the shelf” audio systems that you can pick up at your local Oahu electronics store, the question for audiophiles in Hawaii is usually whether a professional system is worth it. The short answer is “Yes.” For the long answer, keep reading.

The Difference in Sound Quality

Have you ever gone to a concert or symphony to enjoy your favorite music, then listened to a recording of the audio at a later time? It probably didn’t sound quite as good. There are a lot of reasons why this loss in quality happens:

• Equipment: A lot of research and innovation goes into the materials and style of sound equipment.
  
  • Material: The rigidity of the materials used in speakers affects how sound reverberates, which in turn affects sound quality. Some high-end manufacturers even use materials like Kevlar and diamond in their speakers to produce better sound.
  • Style: The size, shape, and depth of speakers all have an impact on sound reverberations. Top manufacturers utilize an extensive quality assurance process to ensure there are no workmanship flaws in the speakers that could cause dead spots, muffled sound, or other issues.

SEE ALSO: What Cables Should You Use for Your Home Audio Distribution?

• File Format: MP3s and similar audio files are typically compressed to allow for small storage size and easy streaming. Unfortunately, these file formats use a “lossy” compression that sacrifices quality for size. To improve sound quality, listen to MQA-encoded DSD or FLAC files, which use a lossless compression style. The file sizes are larger, but the increase in quality is more than worth it.
• Acoustics: It’s hard to beat the acoustics of a concert hall, but a common mistake that people make when installing audio systems is to ignore the acoustics in the room. A professional audio installation ensures that you have the right sound equipment in the right locations to make your music sing out with clear, pure sound.

The Professional Touch

• Peace of Mind: High-end audio systems are about more than just sound quality. They’re also about reliability. With a professional installation for home audio distribution, you gain the peace of mind that comes with knowing it will be done right the first time and will be set up to last over time.
• Ease of Use: Tired of fumbling around with different remotes for different speakers or stereos? With home audio distribution, you get one remote that controls every aspect of your sound system. Using your smartphone, you can select a song or playlist from your favorite streaming service, then choose whichever room you want it to play in.

Explore the Possibilities

Ready to enhance the way you enjoy music in your home? Contact Pacific Audio & Communications today to get started.

 

• Give Buyers What They Want
• Start with a Plan
• Trust the Automation Experts

The Demand for Commercial Automation is Rapidly Growing

Smart buildings are the big new trend, and construction firms are starting to take note. More and more businesses are seeking out builders who have experience in constructing commercial buildings with integrated automation systems. Is your construction firm ready for this shift in buyer need? Keep reading to learn about the benefits of integrating commercial automation and how your Oahu, HI construction company can get started.

Enhance Your Offerings

• Personalized Solutions: Today’s business owners don’t want cookie-cutter buildings. They want buildings that are perfectly tailored to their business image and needs. Automation technology offers an easy way to provide that customization while still keeping initial construction costs low.
• Everything in One Go: Builders often work with many different contractors, bringing in companies for A/V, security, lighting design, networking, etc. When you work with an automation company, you’re able to knock out many outsourced aspects of construction in one go. Everything from the digital phone systems to the business access control can be handled by the same skilled and experienced company.

 

How to Get Started with Commercial Automation

Partner with an Automation Company

Builders and architects don’t have to take on the task of automation on their own. When you partner with an established automation company, you can rest easy knowing that they have the skill and experience to weave the technology seamlessly into your building design.

• Collaborative Effort: The automation contractor will work with your construction company from start to finish, offering guidance on everything from the initial plan through to the final optimization of the audio video system or lights.

Start from the Beginning

A common mistake that builders make is waiting until construction is complete before they bring in someone to do the automation. However, many elements of automation design and implementation are best accomplished before the building is finished, such as:

• Pre-Wiring: Automation often requires different wiring than your typical commercial building would have, especially if the building needs to support a large number of high-definition televisions or have completely reliable wireless signals throughout. To keep the building design clean, it’s best to do the wiring before walls are closed up.
• Equipment Placement: If the building is going to have hidden equipment, such as Wi-Fi boosters or control panels, it’s best to start planning on where those devices will need to be installed early.
• Lighting Design: Placing and programming smart light fixtures and sensors is an art in and of itself. With the right lighting design, commercial buildings can promote a unique ambiance while also saving on energy costs. If the automation comes after construction is complete, the possibilities for specialized lighting design are significantly restricted.

 

Take the First Step

Is it time for your construction firm to embrace commercial automation? Pacific Audio and Communications works with builders throughout Hawaii to provide superior automation systems in both new construction and remodels. To learn more about starting a partnership with Pacific Audio and Communications, contact us today.