Gen Z has reached adulthood. At least the first wave has. And with adulthood now here, more than one Gen Zer has had to figure out living arrangements. These young people are no different inasmuch as they have priorities. But they are different in the sense that their priorities may not line up with those of previous generations. Take smart technology. It is affecting the housing decisions Gen Zehrs make.
No doubt smart technology is all the rage these days. If you use a smartphone (and who doesn’t?) you participate in the smart device revolution. But depending on your age, you might not have embraced things like smart speakers and smart door locks. Gen Z has. So much so that technology is affecting where they choose to live.
Smart Tech is Important to Them
It turns out that smart technology is important to Gen Z. It’s so important that 62% of Gen Z renters make their housing decisions based partially on their access to smart tech. Whether they rent homes or apartments, they want smart features. It is no more difficult to understand than that.
Among those looking to buy, 43% say that smart home features are extremely important. When they go looking for homes, they are actively looking for built-in smart tech. Baby boomers and Gen X homebuyers are not nearly as emphatic about the need for smart tech.
As for millennials, they lean more toward the Gen Z mindset. Millennials are willing to pay up to 20% more for smart home connectivity. That is a lot. If you are willing to lay out an extra $20,000 on a $100,000 home because it offers smart tech, that technology must be important to you.
Smart Tech and the Green Mindset
Another thing that is important to Gen Z renters and homebuyers is environmental responsibility. Gen Zers are committed to minimizing their impact on the planet. That commitment is affecting their housing choices.
According to Vivint Smart Home, the majority of Americans believe that an eco-friendly lifestyle is important. That being the case, the company has partnered with Green Builder Media to retrofit a Scottsdale, AZ home with smart technology to showcase just how sustainable smart homes are. I strongly suspect it will be a hit with local Gen Zers.
No other generation is as environmentally conscious as Gen Z. Millennials aren’t far behind, but Gen Z is willing to back up what it says about the environment with action. They will be the generation that drives the smart home forward.
Smart Tech and Luxury
One last thing to consider is that a smart home doesn’t have to be bare bones. The millennial generation was largely responsible for starting the tiny home movement. I suspect Gen Zers will prefer larger homes outfitted with smart technology that makes them just as efficient and eco-friendly as their tiny house counterparts.
I also suspect that Gen Z will place a greater emphasis on luxury. Gen X was big on luxury as well, fueling the McMansion trend of the 1990s. But the need for luxury skipped a generation. It is back with Gen Z in a big way. Gen Z has grown up in the on-demand economy, an economy that has taught them they can have whatever they want whenever they want it.
Like it or not, smart home technology is here to stay. Gen Z is fully embracing it to the extent that it is affecting their housing choices. The end result is that we will all be living in smart homes at some point. At least if we live long enough.
