Smart electronic locks opening doors for home builders

July 28, 2015
Technological advances have increased value of locks as an effective home-sales tool

LAKE FOREST, CA (July 24, 2015) – In recent years, there have been revolutionary changes in homebuilding and home sales thanks to home automation technologies.  In fact, these technologies have evolved into an effective sales tool for many of the nation's premier homebuilders, allowing them to "differentiate and distinguish" their offerings from those of their competitors.

This trend should come as no surprise, given the constantly growing increase in smart home technology; consumer interest in smart homes is growing dramatically every year.  According to a Berg’s Insight smart home and automation report, North America recorded strong growth in the smart home market during 2014. The installed base of smart home systems in the region increased by 75% to reach 10.2 million at the year-end.  Also, according to a recent Consumer Electronics Association report, home security is a key component of home automation technologies – 36% of the households with these smart home systems have a security product installed.

Not surprisingly, one of the most sought-after elements of today’s digital home among homebuyers is the electronic lock.  Over the last five or six years, there have been huge technological advances in the world of door locks, each of which has increased the value of locks as an effective home-sales tool.

Kwikset is a leading manufacturer of electronic keyless locks, and the company’s SmartCode™ locks with Home Connect™ technology are the industry’s leading wireless, access control lock solution for the smart home.  According to Kwikset Sales Director, Dave Seeman, “New construction is moving ahead and continues to grow at a respectable pace.  With this uptick in building comes the accompanying need for homebuilders to differentiate their inventory from competitive offerings.  Advanced technology like Kwikset’s SmartCode 916 is clearly becoming a differentiator and a significant selling tool.”

Some of the advances in today’s smart locks that are of particular interest to today’s homebuyer include: re-key technology, which provides the flexibility for homeowners to re-key their own locks quickly and easily, without having to remove the locks from the door; the ability to use and assign personal codes to allow home access; the ability for locks to wirelessly talk with other devices in the home; and the ability to remotely communicate with and control the lock.

Said Rob Hodak, Vice President Purchasing & Product Standards for Toll Brothers, one of the nation’s leading builders of luxury homes, “The ability to control your home electronics from the front door and grant home access from anywhere in the country or even the world is a significant selling tool.  Suddenly the lock is not just another potential aesthetic upgrade.  To many buyers, the smart lock can be a very desirable feature.”