Home technology has never been more advanced. Home automation, smart devices, and internet of things (IoT) devices are changing the way consumers interact with their homes. Many Las Vegas homeowners love the idea of being able to control the devices inside their homes from anywhere using their smartphones, and smart home trends are becoming more innovative with each passing year. 

In the Las Vegas area, developers have been increasingly integrating smart home features into their new developments. For example, KB Homes has partnered with Google Assistant to install a Google Wi-Fi network with smart speakers and a Nest video doorbell in some of their new homes. The first of these smart homes were built in The Landings at Inspirada and The Reserves at Inspirada.

Another developer, Pardee Homes, is leveraging smart home trends by partnering with Amazon Alexa to include an Amazon Echo, a Ring Pro doorbell, and other smart features in many of their Las Vegas high-end homes.

Here is a look at some of the most exciting home technology trends that will enhance the comfort, convenience, and connectivity of our homes in 2022 and beyond:

Smart Appliances

Smart appliances are a prominent in today’s smart home trends, They are appliances that have the ability to access the internet to perform various tasks, such as ordering groceries, monitoring home temperatures, adjusting home lighting, and controlling other devices within the home. Smart kitchen appliances, in particular, have made it easier than ever to manage the kitchen.

Some smart kitchen appliances to consider for your Las Vegas luxury home include:

• WiFi-enabled slow cookers
• Voice-controlled microwaves
• Refrigerators with tablet screens and interior cameras
• Touchless smart faucets
• WiFi-controlled smart dishwashers

Smart Decorative Televisions

Smart TVs have been around for several years now, and most households today have at least one or two of them. These TVs have popularized streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu, prompting other major networks to offer streaming packages as well.

The next generation of smart TVs not only save space and provide more viewing choices than ever before, but they can also become part of the interior decorative plan for your luxury home. Decorative smart TVs, also known as frame TVs, allow you to transform the screen into a work of art (when no one is watching the TV) that can blend in seamlessly with the layout of the room.

Smart Pet Products

As Americans, we have always loved our pets, and this is even more true with families today. The trends toward digitized homes and high pet ownership have spawned a cottage industry of smart home pet products. Some of the most popular of these smart home trends include:

• GPS dog and cat tracking collars and devices. 
• WiFi pet cameras that allow owners to keep an eye on their pets and visit with them from afar.
• Pet cameras with treat dispensers that allow owners to check in on their pets and give them a treat remotely through their smartphone.
• Smart pet doors and crates with programmable pet keys that open and close the doors automatically.
• Self-cleaning smart dog potties and cat litter boxes that allow owners to monitor litter box visits and waste levels.
• Various types of smart pet toys that can be controlled through a smartphone app.

Smart Cleaners

There are a number of cutting-edge smart cleaning gadgets that can take care of most of the cleaning in your Las Vegas luxury home. These include:

• Robot vacuum cleaners.
• Robot mops.
• Robot window cleaners.
• Smart super scrubbers that work like electric toothbrushes on stove tops, countertops, bathroom tiles, and similar surfaces.
• Smart toilet cleaning systems.
• Smart Thermostats
• Automatic microwave cleaners.
• Smart trash cans that open automatically.
• Smart pool cleaning systems.
• High-tech air purifiers.

 

Smart Lighting

Many luxury homes today come with “smart” or “intelligent” lighting technology, such as smart lightbulbs, which can automatically adjust their brightness according to your daily routines. With these bulbs, you don’t need to worry about leaving a light on in a room while you step away; instead, they adjust themselves to save energy when no one is around.

Smart Home Security

Smart home security isn’t just about keeping intruders away. Many Las Vegas homeowners also use smart home security products to monitor their homes during the day and night while they are away. They’ll use smart home devices like doorbell cameras, motion sensors, and video doorbells to keep an eye on their home and see who’s approaching the house. 

Smart Home Automation Hubs

Once your luxury home becomes a “smart” home, you will probably want a centralized hub to unify all of your smart devices so you can control them from one place. The alternative would be to control each device separately using its individual app. This is doable, and your smartphone can serve you well here as a single location to store all of the apps, but a separate multi-purpose hub can help streamline this process and make it easier to operate.

A smart home automation hub is a combination of hardware and software that provides an interface between different devices in the home, such as lights, thermostats, appliances, security systems, cameras, etc. These devices are connected via Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, Zigbee, and/or Bluetooth to the hub. 

The hub is usually controlled by voice commands, although it could also be controlled through an app on your smartphone. In most cases, the hub comes with a built-in speaker, allowing the user to control the device through voice commands.

Keeping Your Smart Home Secure

Home automation and smart IoT devices come with one major drawback – additional security concerns. A smart home with devices that are connected to the internet is vulnerable to hackers that may try to break in, take control of the devices, steal personal information, and cause other kinds of trouble.

If you decide to make the investment in smart technology for your Las Vegas luxury home, it is wise to spend a few extra dollars to secure your network. Here are some important steps to take to keep your smart home secure:

• Set Up Your Wi-Fi Router Properly. Doing a few basic things when you set up your Wi-Fi router can make the network more secure. First of all, change the name of the router from the default name to something unusual. Next, use a long and complicated password that randomly incorporates a variety of different characters. Finally, use the highest level of encryption available.
• Use Strong and Unique Passwords for all IoT Devices. Each of your IoT devices is a potential gateway for hackers to gain access to your smart home system. For this reason, it is very important to use strong and unique passwords for each device, rather than using the same password for all of them.
• House Your IoT Devices on a Separate WiFi Network. Most new routers allow you to create separate Wi-Fi networks, which many households use to create a guest network for visitors, for example. It is a good idea to put your IoT devices on a separate network as well, so they are detached from the rest of the network in case hackers do get through.
• Keep All of Your Devices Up to Date. Router and IoT device updates are not always done automatically. Check frequently to make sure your devices have all the latest software updates, which often include security patches.
• Use a Virtual Private Network to Remotely Access Your Devices. When accessing your smart home system remotely from a public network, it is always best to do so through a virtual private network (VPN), so you do not expose your system to others on the network.

Work with a Seasoned Las Vegas Luxury Homes Realtor

A growing number of luxury homes in the Las Vegas area are equipped with smart features. If you are planning on selling your high-end home in the near future, upgrading it with smart devices can help your home to stand out in a competitive market. 

Whether you are selling or purchasing a luxury home, it pays to work with a realtor who thoroughly understands the market and what buyers and sellers are looking for. Ryan Knoch of the Knoch Group has worked with high-end clients in Las Vegas for several years, and he is one of the most trusted luxury home brokers in the area. Call or message Ryan today to find out how he can help you.

Ryan Knoch is a Las Vegas real estate broker and member of Las Vegas REALTORS® and National Association of REALTORS®. He provides skilled guidance on the purchase and sale of Las Vegas homes and is a resource for all other real estate matters. To schedule a consultation, call Ryan Knoch today at (702) 303-7946 or email him at ryan@theknochgroupre.com.