If you're a homeowner interested in the latest and greatest home technology, you might have wondered, "do I need a smart home hub?" While the answer might be different for everyone, there are some prime advantages to using smart home devices with a central hub.
What are smart home automation hubs?
Smart home hubs are the modern version of a universal remote. A dedicated smart home hub connects all your devices together, so you can use them from a single app. If you have more than three smart home devices in your home, it might be a good idea to use a hub to control them all in a more efficient way.
Hubs that do double duty
Not all hubs are created equal. Some hubs have additional functionality to help enhance other home necessities like Wi-Fi. A hub combined with a wireless mesh network, for example, allows for equal signal strength everywhere in the home. This eliminates "dead zones" and also makes it easier to protect your network with guest access protocols and more.
Do you need a smart home hub?
Your need for a smart home system hub is dependent on many factors. These would be the size of your home, the number of devices and your comfort level dealing with multiple apps. Once your smart hub is set up with your smart devices, you'll have a much simpler time controlling the technological ecosystem of your home.
However, one reason to caution against using smart hubs would be that if the hub fails, your devices might become unusable until you resolve the problem. Many smart devices work independently regardless, but it's crucial to research the functionality of each piece of equipment you plan to use.
Smart home technology can make our lives easier, but it's important not to go overboard! Managing numerous smart devices can be confusing, but the best smart home hubs will help you enjoy your technology in a more efficient and effective way.
About the Author
Kyung Kim
Hi, I'm Kyung Kim. I immigrated from South Korea to the United States in 1968 when I was 7 years old. I have seen my mom struggle with the English language and work hard to raise her four kids by herself. Still to this day, I don't know how she pulled it off, but she bought her first home in 1979 for $70,000 and because of that decision, she was able to live without worrying about her financial future. I want that for everyone, to feel the pride of home ownership and to build their financial wealth using real estate as part of their financial portfolio. I feel so blessed to play a small role in helping others reach this goal.
I live in Beaverton with my husband, Richard. My mom, who lived with us for several years, passed away in our home in February 2022. Her first home purchase in 1979 made it possible for her to live to the very end, without worrying about her finances. As of August 2022 with a little downpayment assistance, our four children own their own homes. Being in real estate, I quickly realized that if they didn't buy now, they may be priced out of the market in the future. Whether that would have been the case, we will never know, but what we do know is that they are all realizing some good, healthy appreciation in their home values.
As passionate as I am about people owning their homes, I'm also passionate about giving back to our community. I support Compassion First, a non-profit organization that provides aftercare for sex trafficked girls in Indonesia. My husband and I also feel called to financially support social injustice organizations.
I'd love to assist you. Whether you're in the research phase at the beginning of your real estate search or you know exactly what you're looking for, you'll benefit from having a real estate professional by your side. I'd be honored to put my real estate experience to work for you.
