Nest Thermostats, Home Automation & Energy Efficiency

The latest sensation in real estate is home automation, and that doesn’t surprise us. What with the soaring popularity of productivity apps, it makes plenty of sense that these are steadily becoming integrated into our houses.

energy efficiencyOne of the most exciting new technologies in home automation is actually a thermostat called “Nest.” Nest is a smart device that continually learns from the ways in which your family controls your home’s temperature. Each time you adjust it, it remembers, and within a couple of days of use it begins to calculate what is termed your “home occupancy” pattern, so that it can ensure your family is focused on energy efficiency. With 50% of energy costs fully reliant on a house’s thermostat, this means those costs can be cut down for you by as much as 20% simply by making use of the Nest thermostat.

Let me be clear about what “making use” truly means for this device; we are talking about home automation after all. Nest requires minimal work on your part for energy efficiency. Its Auto-Away feature detects when your house is empty and adjusts the heating or cooling to your pre-set choices of minimum and maximum temperature. This means that during the winter, Auto-Away might sense that you’ve gone out for the evening and allow the temperature to fall down to 15 degrees Celsius, but no lower; or that during the summer it might allow conditions to reach 30 degrees Celsius, but not to rise any higher. Also, if your home is always empty during certain hours – say, when you and your spouse are at work and the kids are at school – Nest will learn this, and during those hours you can be certain it will be set for energy efficiency.

So what if you’ve gone out, but your plans have changed and you’re suddenly coming home early? Will Auto-Away mean that you’ll return to an uncomfortable home? By no means. Nest includes an app that you can use from any device, including your phone, to adjust the temperature of your home remotely. If you’re hopping into your car after work at 12 noon, because it’s unexpectedly been just a half day, and you know you’re feeling like a breezy 20 degrees to go with an iced tea and an episode of your favourite TV show on Netflix – no problem. Your house will be ready by the time you arrive.

These are just a few of the many perks that come with the Nest home thermostat system. Others, like the leaf symbol that shows up when you’re on track for reducing consumption and improving energy efficiency, or the program that offers a breakdown of the way your home runs, make a sweet development in home automation even sweeter. You can learn more on the Nest website, or stop in at Kelowna’s Home Depot to pick up your system today!

If you have any questions about other trends in the Kelowna real estate market, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Waterfront Developments in Kelowna

Now is a fantastic time to buy waterfront property in the Okanagan Valley. Recent developments in Kelowna’s downtown, including the Bernard Avenue Revitalization, Downtown Marina and public pier, and a new yacht club are making Kelowna a more desirable place to live and work. Waterfront property in Kelowna will never be as inexpensive as it is right now, and there are several prime waterfront communities in development right now, in addition to many individual lakefront properties.

First, there’s the West Harbour Lakeside Waterfront Community just off of Westside Road. Each home in this spectacular new neighborhood comes complete with a remarkable view of downtown Kelowna, as well as a private boat slip. The houses are Mediterranean-inspired for a “little Italy” feel that is unique within Canada to the Okanagan Waterfront. These affordably-priced prime opportunities are selling now, with the show homes just waiting for you to take a look.

waterfront

Kelowna Sails ~ Kerry Park

Next, there’s the 18-acre site across from the popular Rotary Beach just down Lakeshore in Kelowna’s South Pandosy area. South Pandosy is a sought-after waterfront location, with unique boutiques and opportunities for wining and dining at nearly every corner. Westcorp just recently received approval of its development proposal for what was the Hiawatha Mobile Home Park, and its plan includes 19 buildings, expansive areas of designated green space, and a hotel.

Finally, The Water’s Edge is a 64-unit townhouse project situated for access to both the peaceful Mission Creek Greenway trail and the exciting shores of Okanagan Lake. MKS Design will be endowing each home with luxurious features fit for exclusive tastes, and the open-concept floor plans will range from 1,072 square-foot one-bedroom designs to 3000+ square-feet penthouses

With all of these waterfront properties just waiting to be completed to your specifications here in the stunning Okanagan Valley, there never was a better time to place yourself right on the waterfront – just where you’ve always wanted to be!

For more luxury waterfront property listings, you can view Quincy Vrecko’s portfolio. If you are looking to buy a luxury home and have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.