RE: Selling an automated house?

["White, Peter" <peter.white@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I feel your pain too; I'm trying to sell the UK house (plug here: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-26140646.html
).

I agree with Rob, keep it simple, as if you start to market it as some kind
of crazy house from the future, then you're looking at a very narrow
potential market.  Some things are obvious to nearly all buyers, like the
central vac, and to a slightly lesser extent, distributed audio, if it's on
something as simple as Sonos.  Underfloor heating (not strictly HA, but
still seen by Joe Public as something quite strange) is looked at
skeptically, but generally accepted.  They start to glaze over when you
talk about how the alarm is connected to the PC, and then you show them a
'live' node zero.  Then there's the MHRV unit tucked away in the rafters,
architectural lighting etc etc.

Also, never assume that the Estate agents will get the hang of ANY of it,
no matter how many times you show them.  Having set the lights up nicely
for a viewing, the first, and only, button they manage to hit is "All
off".  Very smart.

I do have a PowerPoint deck that I've printed for any serious viewers that
goes more into the benefits of the technology, without trying to wow them
with the geekyness of it all.

>From experience so far (3 buyers, all fallen through just before
exchange), they all like the central vac, Sonos and the lighting system. 
They don't seem to care about much else though.

Pete

From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Tim
Sent: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 5:58 AM
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: [ukha_d] Selling an automated house?



What would be the best way to market a house with automation?

Does anyone have any ideas? Estate agents around here have no clue about
automation!

I am sure someone in the group has some experience with this!

Any help would be appreciated!

Tim



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------------------