Photo credit: Airbnb Home via photopin(license)
The pace of life in the 21st century can certainly be fast, and everyone seems to be constantly pressed for time. Whether you are a property manager with years of experience or a home-owner renting out rooms on websites like Airbnb, upgrading your place to a smart home can not only save you time, but also energy and money. We first take a look at the struggles rental hosts face, then at how you can still get the most out of your rental property.
Struggles with Being a Short Term Rental Host
There are obvious benefits in being a short-term rental host, but along with the pros come the cons. Most homeowners have other commitments on top of their jobs or studies, so renting out their home can add to the stress. Listed below are the three main struggles rental owners face when opening their home to guests or tenants.
Key Transfer
Despite the convenience associated with rental properties, people who have used Airbnb, or other short-term rentals, know it can be an inconvenient process to obtain keys. As a landlord, you would need to allocate a certain time in your day to hand the keys over to your guests. A simple key transfer can end up taking a few hours if there happens to be a flight delay or a last minute change in your guest’s arrival time. Correspondingly, most guests do not want any hassle of meeting the landlord for key collections, especially after a long day of travelling.
Photo credit: University of Florida Health
Security
The lack of peace of mind can be an issue for a number of hosts regardless of how many times you’ve rented out your home. It is not easy to turn your home or property over to strangers, especially on a repeated basis. Questions like “what if they leave the stove on?” or “what if someone breaks in?” are some concerns that homeowners face on a recurring basis.
Photo credit: Quadras Group
Energy Costs
Guests and tenants do not have as much of an incentive as a landlord might have in ensuring that your home is energy efficient. While a landlord may spend time finding ways to get the most out of their energy costs, guests may simply just enjoy their short-stays without keeping in mind someone needs to pay the electricity or gas bills. Repeated rentals can quickly hike up the price of maintaining your property.
Photo credit: SchaffHouser Electric Company
How Smart Home Solutions Help
Luckily for landlords, there are simple and affordable solutions to counteract these issues mentioned above. Listed below are some ways to help make your home a smarter rental!
Keyless Entry
Simplify the process of giving guests access to your home by installing a keyless entry system. Not only does it eliminate trips and waiting time associated with meeting up your guests, it also provides a higher level of security and peace of mind. Landlords and guests do not have to worry about misplacement of keys. Simply generate a new code every time a new guest or tenant comes, and provide them with their entry code via text.
Sensors
Sensors are a brilliant way to ensure the safety of anyone’s home, and are very helpful for rental property owners. Motion detectors, moisture and smoke sensors, and CO2 sensors are just some simple additions that can be installed to ensure your home is being looked after and that your guests are safe. Not only are sensors reliable and affordable, they can also be placed anywhere such as in wine cellars, garages, or storage units. The state of your house can be constantly monitored when it is occupied.
Reduction of Energy Costs
As for energy, technology continues to find innovative and affordable ways to reduce your energy bills. Smart thermostats help control room temperatures automatically and can rely on preset settings to ensure your home is not being cooled to freezing temperatures, or heated to a sauna. Automated lighting systems are another excellent way to keep your costs down. Even if your guests forget to turn the lights off, the automated lighting installations will have you and your home covered!
Smart device to control thermostats
Igloohome believes that smart homes mean smarter rentals. A line-up of products, such as keyless access solutions, are offered to help property owners get the most out of their rental property and aim to enhance the guest experience.
Feel free to check out the products available in your country here.
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