How Smart Home Features Are Shaping Buyer Decisions in 2026

Blog posted On January 22, 2026

Smart home enhancements have steadily grown in popularity throughout the years. From smart locks to Roomba® vacuums, living spaces are beginning to look closer to the homes portrayed in futuristic films like “Blade Runner” and “Back to the Future.” We might not have as many neon lights or flying cars, but homeowners have invested in more subtle tech upgrades over time.

Boosted Security Through Smart Locks & Cameras

In the year of 2026, a typical home boosted with smart home enhancements starts in the front yard, before you even step one foot into the home itself. Outdoor security cameras are one of the biggest trends. With homeowners desiring both enhanced security as well as alerts about packages arriving (see: fear of package theft), this kind of feature is one that will only continue to develop and grow in popularity. Consumers can connect their security cameras through apps on their phone now. The best options provide sharp resolution, night vision, and AI-powered motion detection and alerts. Video doorbells are another popular variation, providing the ability to see and speak with the person outside.

Alongside security cameras are smart locks. These offer a variety of ways to enter and lock your homes, either through voice and fingerprint, keypad, mobile app, or keys if one desires to stick to tradition.

The Age of Convenience: Alexa, Temperature Control, & Entertainment

From automated coffee makers and pet feeders to voiced-activated sound systems, the age of convenience in households is here to stay. Take a peak at some of the most popular cozy convenience trends below:

• Smart speakers & soundbars installed throughout the home
• Voice assistants and command centers like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant
• Pet cameras tailored for dogs and cats with interactive features
• Smart displays for kitchen countertops and smart kitchen appliances (ovens, air fryers, instant pots, coffee machines)
• Cleaning gadgets (vacuums, mops, opening trash cans)
• Smart-cleaning toilets with a bidet, heated seat, and night lights
• Showers controlled by voice commands, allowing you to set a preferred temperature and turn it on remotely
• Smart beds (i.e. Sleep Number) that can adjust firmness, temperature, and track sleep

Outdoor Smart Home Tech: Robotic Mowers, Lawncare, & Backyard Fun

Smart tech doesn’t limit itself to the indoors. The outdoors opens up many more avenues to maintain your home with the assistance of smart home technology. Homeowners with green thumbs and socialite tendencies can rejoice — smart home perks can make you the talk of the neighborhood!

• Smart-controlled sprinkler system to schedule watering cycles synced with rain forecasts
• Belt-driven smart garage openers (versus chain-drivel models) with noise reduction benefits
• Outdoor-friendly smart lights for nighttime ambience and hosting
• Outdoor projectors that can turn your wall into a cinema
• Pool-cleaning robots
• Robot lawn mowers that connects to 4G for easy scheduling

Reductions in Energy Consumption: Smart Thermostats & Lighting Systems

A focus on sustainability has been another aspect of smart homes. Innovations aimed at reducing energy usage and minimizing environmental impact are becoming more common; for instance, inventions like smart air conditioners, smart plugs, app-controlled light bulbs, and connected thermostats can all help offset your energy consumption and lower your energy bills. What if a loan program existed to help you fund these eco-conscious home enhancements? Good news: there is one!

HomeStyle® Energy Loan: How to Fund a Greener Home

Ready to reduce your carbon footprint through homeownership renovations? We’re happy to offer options for eco-conscious borrowers, and we’re ready to help you get your home retrofitted with energy-efficient updates and improvements.

Fannie Mae’s flexible financing solution for energy-related improvements! This loan can encompass a wide range of energy-efficient updates, offering affordable and simple options.

• Energy and Water Updates: Air sealing, heating and cooling, and plumbing
• Renewable Energy: Solar panels, geothermal systems, and wind power devices
• Home Resiliency: Storm surge barriers, foundation retrofitting, and natural disaster repairs

The Future of Smart Home Technology

As we keep edging forward into the future, it’ll be interesting to examine how tech-forward homes will become. Maybe we won’t be floating around living rooms on hoverboards, but the technology of households could lean into more subtle transformations that affect our daily lives for the better. The only robots may remain harmless vacuums butting gently against couches and stairways, not the humanlike androids of countless sci-fi stories. It’s the advancements of efficiency, security, and energy reduction that will pave the way into the new tomorrow of homeowners.

Source: National Association of REALTORS®, P&S Intelligence, PC Mag