Do you put "smart" products in a rehab?

[Grayson Graham]

My (business) partner and I got closed on a fixer-upper in Indianapolis recently for $58k, we are doing a $70k rehab with the goal of having a $200k ARV. Where I live in Bend Oregon $200k wouldn't buy much, but to hit that price point in Indianapolis we are doing a lot of nice finishes; Quartz countertops, wood floors, etc. What I'm wondering is whether or not we should spend ~$700 on putting in some basic smart home features?

Here is what we are thinking:

• Nest Hello Video Doorbell
• Nest x Yale Deadbolt
• Nest E Thermostat
• and a Nest Hub touchscreen mounted on the wall.

Everything would play nice together and be easily controlled through the users phone, voice (Google Assistant), or the hub on the wall. Here's a short video showing off all the products working together: 

However I have some concerns... Will older buyers be scared away by the technology? Is it a mistake to commit the buyer to a specific smart home platform, when they may prefer to use Alexa or Siri instead? How will the buyer be able to test the features without WiFi? Would it be worth it to put a hotspot in the home so that buyers can test it out?

I would love to hear your stories about putting smart home features into flips! Thanks!

[Greg Scott]

Even within Indy, the answer will vary by submarket.   The easiest way to find the answer is ask the market itself.

Look for properties in that neighborhood that sold for $200K and see what finishes they had. If the realtor felt it was important to buyers, it probably will end up in the listing descriptions.