Some of today’s ‘smart home’ technology is costly—even considering the savings from lessened resource usage. Even so, the ‘green’ results seem to provide sufficient motivation for many environmentally focused St. Cloud homeowners.

Yet there is the possibility that the premiums spent on smart refrigerators and dishwashers may not constitute a sacrifice at all—at least not in the long run. In any event, it’s a closer call than most people assume. A few years ago, simplyss.com did some interesting research on the subject. The picture that emerged hasn’t changed appreciably since:

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   Smart dishwasher: Water and power savings: $35/year.

Pays for itself in 34 years.

Estimated life of a dishwasher: 10 years (Consumer Reports average).

Smart washing machine: Water, power, detergent savings: $45/year.

Pays for itself in 27 years.

Estimated life of a washing machine: 10 years (Consumer Reports average).

Smart Clothes Dryer: Power savings: $20/year.

Pays for itself in 55 years.

Estimated dryer life: 25 years (Consumer Reports’ top-rated Speed Queen).

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From a bean counter’s point of view, that arithmetic looks pretty unappealing since the simple takeaway is

 Pays for itself in…never.

To be fair, there are some smart appliances that return their investment quickly (that’s a topic we’ll go into another day). But even if operating costs don’t make up for the initial investment, that might not constitute the final word where finances are concerned. In a subsequent Wall Street Journal article, there appears a fact that could blow the above conclusion to smithereens:

“Homes with smart appliances sold for 22.7% more than comparably sized properties in the same ZIP Code.”

Now, that might be due to disparate factors having to do with any number of correlated quality, maintenance, or upgrade issues—yet it might also be the contribution that smart appliances make to a property’s overall presentation. At any rate, that “22.7%” figure is certainly worth pondering!

When the time nears for listing your own home, I hope you’ll think of me to share the latest facts and ideas about the current St. Cloud market. Do give me a call!

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