"People want the peace of mind that they can see
what's going on in their house when they're not there,"
Banks says.
It all makes the Clapper — the as-seen-on-TV sound-
activated device that enabled you to turn devices on or off
by clapping your hands — seem positively Stone Age.
But smart homes aren't about encouraging laziness; they're
more about adding extra convenience to busy lives.
"Houses are getting larger and when it's time to go to
bed, you could spend a lot of time walking around flipping
switches. In a smart home, you can put your lights on
bedtime mode and they'll all shut down," Banks says.
A growing number of cottage owners are outfitting
their secondary residences with smart technology, too.
Rosenberg says it comes in particularly handy during the
winter months, when you can set the temperature before
you head out on the highway.
"You can turn up the heat in the cottage and in your hot
tub so when you get up there, it's all ready to go."
Parade of Homes FALL 2017 101
