Selling a Home with DIY HA

I think that there are more people interested in automation than most of us think. Security systems, irrigation systems and garage door openers are common. Granted these are among the most basic items in our installations, but they are still low level automated stuff. The networking that we have to make all of our stuff work is also likely to be seen as a plus by most people too. A lot of folks want that but can't or won't install it themselves. If it's there and well installed they'll likely use it. The trick is to build on these basics without scaring anybody. In addition to being concerned about selling the house, I'm concerned about my wife being able to maintain or to keep things going in "dumb mode" if something happens to me or I'm not here. On very short notice I can be gone for a considerable period of time.

Since it's entirely possible that I won't be around when my house is sold, I consider ripping stuff out to not be a viable option. To try and insure the automation systems will not hurt my homes place on the market and hopefully make it more desirable, I'm doing the following:

My wiring is all neat and well labeled. The terminations are hidden away but are accessible if needed. Most homeowners should be able to figure it out pretty quickly, and a professional will have no problem.

The back bone of my system is going to be an ELK M-1 (being installed now) Most people will see it as a security system and shouldn't be intimidated, plus there are a couple of companies in the area that service it. Most of the tasks that will be automated from it will not be flashy - there won't be a bunch of announcements etc. The Mrs. will not likely be intimidated by the fact that when she disarms the system at the back door that the hall light comes on there, but she'll probably appreciate it. I'll concentrate on very basic, low level tasks that aren't likely to be intrusive.

The lighting control (not selected yet) will be capable but things that happen "automagically" will be basic commonsense things and a person will need little to no training to do basic operations. An average electrician should be able to understand the basics with only a little reading.

CQC will be the "face" of my system. It will provide the media control, access from more locations, and more advanced capabilities, but it won't be required to operate any system. If I want some really show off type stuff, it will likely be programed here. I won't, and I'll instruct my executors to demonstrate only to potential buyers that they feel would be interested. Even then, they will have to be a DIY'er or there will need to be at least one integrator in the area to maintain it. In those circumstances, the program and severs could be included as an extra cost option. I wonder if Dean has thought about transferring licenses for a DIY system?

I think that if your installation has a bunch of wiring hanging all over the place, there is a conglomeration of mismatched components or announcements go off at unpredictable times while a house is being shown, that these things will likely run off a potential buyer. I'm certain its not a concern for some people, but I think that it ought to at least cross our mind, that as much as we plan otherwise, we might not be the one handling the sale of our properties. I've handled an estate that had some weird stuff to deal with and it wasn't a lot of fun.

That's my 4 bits, thanks for reading

Mike
 
I don't really understand how any moderate automation will detract from the ease of selling a property. In my home for instance other than the centralite lighting, which you could argue is pretty different, the only things different are there are considerably more wires than your average home. If you don't wish to automate the HVAC, sprinklers, security, lighting, video & audio then you can simply abandon the wires in place and move on as if there is nothing "special" about the house.

Does anyone have an example of what may be off putting to a potential buyer that couldn't be removed leaving the house exactly the same as any other "normal" home?

Chris
 
Does anyone have an example of what may be off putting to a potential buyer that couldn't be removed leaving the house exactly the same as any other "normal" home?

No offense to the guilty party (especially since he's cleaned up his wiring since this picture was taken), but if I, or any one of us here plus just about any homebuyer, saw this in the wiring closet... no way I'd buy the house...
cabinet.JPG
 
bsfisher, LOL.

well in that particular case, you take that stuff down, or clean it up. you wouldnt show it. for sure. not that it doesnt work, but it sure would make me wonder if the real wiring was a mess.
 
bsfisher, LOL.

well in that particular case, you take that stuff down, or clean it up. you wouldnt show it. for sure. not that it doesnt work, but it sure would make me wonder if the real wiring was a mess.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

I agree with both of you - prepping for inevitable resale was one of the two big drivers for rewiring (stability was the 2nd). My buddies were constantly telling me "man, you can't ever move with the amount of wiring you've done", to which my response was a consistent "you don't understand - it's so ugly, i'm going to have to rip it all out before listing the house."

It was looking around and realizing I still had probably 2 dozen runs to go that made me decide that I had put way too much time into this in order to rip it all out and get nothing out of it.
 
i'm not moving right now, probably not for years, but in the last 3 months, my boss and a coworker both got recruited away to other states with some pretty big $$ offers - just getting things organized.

And if I ever do move, i'm paying someone to do all the LV wiring - my heart can't take this again.
 
Just curious. I know that Home Automation can be a plus or minus when buying/selling a home. I'm interested in hearing different opinions on that.

Also, do most people leave their install when selling a home and start over with newer/better technology in their new home? I'm talking Insteon, UPB, Zwave, not hardwired systems which you really can't take with you. What do you do with HA servers? Leave them and provide instructions to the new owners?

Nine years ago I sold an 1890's Victorian house that I had renovated by installing new insulated walls, wiring and other infrastruture built inside the original solid brick shell -- IOW, a major rebuild. I had not planned to sell, but I did. The well-heeled young buyers at that time wanted nothing whatever to do with the new-fangled HA and computer wiring. I ended paying their electrician to have it decapitated (connectors cut off and wires stuffed back into the walls) as a condition of sale. (The electrician thought he was doing me a favor by sending me the hacked off connectors and parts like JtB's head on a platter -- I thought it gruesome).

Now, nine years and and two other sales/owners later, the realtor (who I know personally ) closing the current sale wanted information on the home automation and wiring for the new buyers. When I sold the house, I felt more than a bit unsettled that the considerable HA work was for naught and that several 1000 feet of copper would go unused. I had gotten over that. But I still live within walking distance and now it's back to haunt me yet again. Resurrecting the hardwired infrastructure would be possible and likely easier than redoing it .

One (unusual ?) data point ... Marc
 
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