New home construction is a busy market in the Dallas, Texas area, especially for luxury properties. If you want to ensure that your construction firm is the one who gets the bid for these homes, you need something that puts you above the rest. That competitive edge could be integrated home security systems. To learn about the value that security technology can add to your company offerings as well as the quick and easy way to get started, read on.

Give Buyers What They Want

Smart technology (home security in particular) is rapidly growing more popular among home buyers. In a 2016 study by John Burns Real Estate Consulting, surveyed buyers stated that smart technology was a significant part of their evaluation of different housing options, and they would be willing to spend more money for smart home technology. Of the nearly 22,000 buyers surveyed, more than half said they would pay extra for security cameras, doorbells with text alerts, and other smart devices.

Given these statistics, when buyers are faced with an average house model and one with all the bells and whistles of smart technology, it’s clear which option they’ll choose. However, it’s worth noting that full smart home automation systems are often completely customized to the buyer’s preferences, which makes it hard to go beyond simply adding prewiring into your building plans. Home security, on the other hand, offers far more opportunity for a standard package included with particular home design models.

SEE ALSO: Make Homes Smart from the Start

How to Get Started with Home Security

The struggle with many construction firms is that they’re builders and architects, not security experts. And that’s okay. The quick and easy solution to this problem is to leave the security and smart home technology to a trusted third party. Let the security specialist partner with you on the homes, then reap the benefits of having more attractive options for buyers in the Dallas market.

Different rooms have different audio needs, and a “one size fits all” music system isn’t going to get you the same level of quality sound that you can enjoy when you take a more tailored approach. At DB Media Solutions, we have more than a decade of experience designing and implementing high-fidelity multi-room music systems. Based on that unique insight, here’s an overview of the best setups for speakers in each room of your Colleyville, Texas area home.

In Dedicated Listening Rooms

The speaker layout and type in a dedicated listening room should be different from your typical media room setup. Believe it or not, the type of music you most enjoy listening to will affect how you set up the space. In fact, the right room size for listening to classical music might not be the perfect fit for enjoying jazz.

The speakers are typically placed on one end of the room, all directed toward a chair or sofa where you would sit to enjoy the music. Acoustic treatments on the side walls ensure that the best sound possible is directed toward your ears.

SEE ALSO: How to Build the Perfect Listening Room

In Common Areas

The kitchens, hallways, bathrooms, etc. are not places you would normally think to put a high-end audio system, but the beauty of multi-room music is that you are not limited to listening to music in one particular room. To achieve this unified sound across the entire home, you’ll want speakers strategically placed in high-traffic areas.

Most people know that having a surveillance system is a good idea, but they don’t really know the full extent of just how important it is. If you’ve been considering adding a home surveillance system to your Southlake area property, take a few minutes to read over the statistics below. Based off industry and government research, these statistics can open your eyes to the high cost that comes from not having surveillance and the peace of mind that comes from knowing your home is protected.

1. Nearly two million residential burglaries are reported in the U.S. annually.

You may think it won’t happen to you, but the truth is that burglaries happen all the time, and high-end homes are often seen as more tempting because they’re more likely to hold valuable items. In fact, every 13 seconds, a home in the U.S. is burglarized. Even if you have your valuables safely locked away, having your home broken into is not something that anyone wants to experience.

2. 14,000 people in the U.S. have to deal with a water damage emergency each day.

Burglaries aren’t the only concern for homeowners. A leaky pipe or broken water heater can wreak havoc on your home while you’re away. With a smart surveillance system, all you need to do is check in occasionally to verify that your home is fine, and you can avoid thousands in damages caused by water leaks.

SEE ALSO: 5 Great Uses for Your Home Surveillance System

3. Homes without security systems are almost 3X more likely to be burglarized.

Interviews with thieves have revealed their tricks of the trade, and one of the most common responses is that burglars will not bother going after a home with a security system. As soon as they see the surveillance cameras tracking their every move, thieves simply move on to easier targets. That leaves your family and belongings safe.

Let’s face it: Texas homeowners are not well equipped to deal with cold weather. Anything below 70 degrees is practically foreign territory, and your home’s heating system (if you even have one) is likely rusty from lack of use. That said, the Southlake area has already seen some chilly days, and the fickle Texas weather could turn even colder at a moment’s notice. Is your home prepared? In this blog, we discuss how motorized shades can help keep your home cozy warm without blasting the heater 24x7.

The Need for Insulation

The big trend with home architecture these days is large windows in every room. While these windows promote an open, airy feel to the house, that ambiance comes at a price, a very tangible cost seen each month on your energy bill. That’s because glass is not a very good insulator. During the summer, those glass windows focus the sun’s heat, essentially baking each room and causing your HVAC unit to work overtime to keep things cool.

In the winter, the problem is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Your home’s heat seeps out of the glass, so even though your heater might be running, the odds are likely that you’ll still feel a chill in the air whenever you go into rooms with large windows.

The Solution: Motorized Shades

Obviously, you don’t want to cover up your beautiful windows for the entire winter season, so the trick is to find a solution that balances your view of the outdoors with smart energy management. Motorized shades are a perfect fit.

Window treatments form a barrier between your well-heated room and the glass that enables the heat to pass outside, essentially trapping the warm air in the room. You can achieve this effect through multiple shading styles, such as traditional drapery, but one of the best types of window treatment for heat harnessing is the honeycomb style. The design has pleats that open up to create and trap warm air pockets.

As smart home technology becomes more and more popular, there are several terms that you’re going to hear quite frequently. One technology that is often considered an essential part of smart home automation is lighting control. If you’re unfamiliar with this term, don’t worry. We’ve put together a quick guide that goes over the features and benefits of lighting control systems so that you can decide for yourself if this innovative technology is right for your Colleyville, Texas home.

What is Lighting Control?

Lighting control refers to technology that allows you to easily adjust the lights throughout your home. Technically, anything from a light switch to a lamp dimmer is a form of lighting control, but in modern terms, lighting control typically refers to systems that automate the process of managing all the lights throughout your home. So instead of relying on individual switches for each light, all of the lights are connected to one centrally managed system you can control right from your smartphone or tablet.

SEE ALSO: 5 Ways to Manage Your Lights With Smart Control

What are the Main Advantages of a Lighting Control System?

The short answer to this question is that lighting control makes your life more convenient and comfortable. The longer answer is that the versatility of lighting control makes it possible for you to gain the benefits that matter most to you. Here are just a few of the ways a lighting control system can make life easier:

• Energy Management: The intelligent system ensures that you never waste energy lighting rooms that aren’t in use or burning bulbs at 100% brightness when natural sunlight is available.
• Security: Through automated “scenes,” you can use your lights to make your home look occupied while you’re away, thus convincing would-be burglars to move on to easier targets.
• Time Savings: Instead of walking throughout the house every evening to turn off lights one by one, imagine being able to push a single button on your phone turn off all the lights immediately.
• Interior Design: You can use your control system to display art and décor in the perfect lighting for every occasion.

How Does Lighting Control Fit into a Full Home Automation System?

Modern smart homes are fully customizable, so you can start with as little or as much smart technology as you want and then add on other elements as time goes on. Many Texas homeowners choose to automate their lights initially, then add on other smart home control elements such as audio video systems, home security, motorized shades, etc. The great thing is that all of these different technologies use the same interface that you’re already comfortable with, so each new addition won’t require learning a new system.