Real estate franchise Coldwell Banker has signed a supplier agreement with Worthington Group, which will supply a “Smart Home Staging Kit” to affiliated real estate agents to make the house “smart home ready.”
The current staging kit consists of six devices – a Nest Smart Thermostat, a Nest Protect smoke alarm and a Nest security camera, as well as an August Smart Lock and Connect package and a Lutron Caséta wireless lighting starter kit.
Worthington Group already sells the staging kit for $1,195, but Coldwell Banker affiliated associates can sell the kit for $1,000. Home sellers can also opt-in for Pro.com service to install the devices.
In the future, Worthington Group may add new devices and alternatives to the staging kit. Having an alternative to Lutron will be the largest request, we would assume, considering Philips and LIFX are more popular for smart lighting services.
Coldwell Banker survey showed big interest
Coldwell Banker spotted the interest in smart home devices in a survey, where 35 percent of respondents said they associate smart home tech with a move-in ready home. It is aiming for the millennial generation as well, 50 percent said smart home tech would attract them to a house.
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Once all six devices are connected, Coldwell Banker will add a Smart Home icon to the house on its online real estate service. It did not say if the value of the house would rise once the staging kit is installed, though some insurance providers are lowering rates for customers that own smart home devices like the Nest smart thermostat.
“Smart Home technology is a consumer driven movement,” said Coldwell Banker CEO, Sean Blankenship. “Our research confirms this technology has a positive influence in the appeal of a home—and agents agree. Our homes, like cars, are providing convenience and a sense of security like never before. We want to bring the two together for our customers.”
