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The Front Porch Blog

Education on all things homeownership

Cool New Tech for Homes

July 17, 2018 Lifestyle

Looking for the best smart home technology of 2018? The world of your home can live on your phone, and all you need to do is sync the communication. The Connected Home by Lennar is the first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ Home Design that works around your day-to-day schedule with trending technology devices. Easy to install and use, this built-in home technology adapts to your way of life, instead of imposing itself as a money pit in constant need of updates and repairs. We took a closer look at this Lennar Home's ecosystem of high-tech home gadgets. Here’s where the standards are set for smart home solutions in 2018.

Wi-Fi

  • For the tech-savvy spender, high-performing Wi-Fi is a must. To power your smart home devices and extend reach to the areas that need it most, the Ruckus Wi-Fi Access & Heat Map connects your internet all across your home. Surf the web without spottiness, delays, or unsightly cords and routers. All Wi-Fi connecting devices are hidden out-of-site so your home feels like a home — not a data center.

Speakers

  • A simple voice command can DJ a smooth morning or a spicy evening with the Sonos® One. It provides hands-free control of music, so you can use this voice assistant to grace your home with the sounds of any song, from any speaker, at any volume.

Security

  • A traditional doorbell doesn’t encompass the assets you need to protect your home. The Ring® Video Doorbell Elite or Pro alerts you on your mobile device when its motion detection sensor picks up a visitor. Live video streams you in to answer the door so that you can check in on deliveries or unwanted guests from anywhere in the world.
  • When you don’t have access to your phone, the Baldwin® Evolved Smart Lock is a touch-to-open design that relieves anxiety about who is in your home. Other lock technologies on the market notify you when a door isn’t closed. You can choose the security system option that brings you the most peace of mind.

Lighting

  • The Lutron Smart Bridge PRO uses occupancy and vacancy sensors to turn lights on and off, even offering an “Away” mode for long absences. Ultimately, it means you save big on energy. Other lighting technologies allow you to modify shading for mood lighting on movie night; turn off downstairs lights when you’re already cozy in bed; or choose a colorful flash mode to signal the doorbell, emails, and more. You can also set flashing to music or video playing from other devices. A cool lighting system is the icing on the home experience cake.

Thermostat

  • In terms of heating and cooling, the Honeywell Lyric Round™ Wi-Fi Thermostat 2.0 adjusts your home’s temperature as you’re returning from your vacation, your commute, or your trip to the grocery store. Not only are you comfortable year-round — you also save on your energy bills by only paying for what you use.

Not much of a tech person? No worries! Managing all of these digital butlers is much simpler than you may think. An added benefit of these Lennar homes is that an Amazon employee is assigned to activate all these devices and teach you how to use them. While the items mentioned here may spur your imagination, they only scratch the surface. From robot vacuums to custom garage door openers, you can keep up with home technology trends in an affordable way, with intelligent, convenient devices that talk to each other and make life easier.