Tips for Going Smart in 2016

Nearly half of Americans will own smart home technology by the end of 2016, according to new research by real estate experts Coldwell Banker. Are you planning to join them? With more than two million smart homes powered by Alarm.com already, we have some advice to help you get the most for your investment, and avoid some common frustrations associated with ‘going smart'. 1: Know your options, including the easy route You can go it alone, buying different devices at retail and installing them yourself, or you can get professional help from a service provider who installs everything for you. If you prefer, they can provide pre-configured devices for you to install yourself. When you go it alone, the more devices you try to combine, the more frustrated you're likely to get,even if you're an expert. If you want the benefits of a smart home without the headaches, we recommend connecting with a professional, who will always be on hand with ongoing support. 2: Buy security products from security professionals Security-themed standalone products like connected video cameras and smoke detectors are a popular first smart home purchase. They'll send you alerts about what's happening at home, but this can fall short in a real emergency. You're in charge of responding. If you don't see the alert, you can't respond. If you're buying smart home technology to protect your home, buy a solution from a security dealer. You'll get all the smart home features (including text alerts) alongside a security-grade and professional monitoring. In an emergency, a security professional will contact emergency responders, whether you see the alert or not. The security system also provides the basis of a very intelligent smart home. 3: Buy with the future in mind Standalone smart home devices can become out of date quickly, requiring regular replacement in order to have the latest technology. With a single platform, the ‘intelligence' resides more in the cloud than in your home's physical devices. New features and updates are released digitally and automatically applied to your existing devices, meaning that your technology stays up-to-date for far longer after you buy it. It's also easy to add new devices to a solution as your needs and family grow. Whether you want toprotect your new baby or your new car, adding and configuring extra equipment to your existing solution will be a breeze.