Owning a second home gives you another place to relax, entertain, and spend time with family, but it also means managing a property when you may be miles away. Whether you own a Jersey Shore home, a seasonal residence, or another property you visit throughout the year, keeping track of lighting, climate, security, and other systems can become a challenge.
Remote home automation makes managing a second home significantly easier. Instead of wondering what is happening at the property, you can stay connected to important systems and make adjustments from virtually anywhere.
What Is Remote Home Automation?
Remote home automation allows you to access and manage connected systems in your second home even when you are not physically at the property.
Depending on the systems installed, remote control can include lighting, climate, security, cameras, access control, motorized shades, and other technology.
Bring Multiple Systems Together
One of the biggest advantages of a professionally integrated system is simplicity.
Rather than switching between several applications for different devices, multiple systems can work together through a centralized home automation platform.
This provides a more convenient way to manage the property both when you are there and when you are away.
Check on Your Second Home From Anywhere
When a home sits unoccupied for days or weeks, having visibility into the property can provide valuable peace of mind.
Security cameras can allow you to check entrances, driveways, outdoor areas, and other important locations remotely.
You can also review the status of connected security and access systems without needing to be at the house.
Manage Your Home’s Climate Remotely
There is little reason to maintain the same comfort settings when your second home is unoccupied.
Remote climate control allows you to adjust temperatures based on how the property is being used.
When you are away, the home can operate according to predetermined settings. Before you return, you can adjust the temperature so the house is comfortable when you arrive.
Make Climate Part of Your Automation Scenes
Climate control can also work alongside other connected systems.
An Away scene can adjust temperature settings when you leave, while an Arrival scene can begin preparing the house for your return.
This reduces the number of individual adjustments you need to make.
Control Lighting While You’re Away
Whole house lighting control is especially useful in a second home.
Lighting schedules can automatically adjust selected interior and exterior lights while the property is unoccupied.
You can also remotely check lighting status or make changes when necessary.
This eliminates situations where you arrive after dark to a completely unlit property or realize after leaving that lights were left on.
Make Your Home Look Occupied
Automated lighting can also help create the appearance that someone is home.
Rather than leaving the same light on continuously, programmed lighting scenes can operate selected rooms at different times.
Exterior lighting can also follow schedules to illuminate entrances, walkways, and other areas after dark.
Manage Access for Family and Service Providers
Second homes often need to be accessed when the owner is somewhere else.
Cleaning services, contractors, property managers, family members, and other authorized visitors may occasionally need to enter.
Integrated access control can provide a more convenient way to manage entry without relying entirely on physical keys.
Know When Your Property Is Being Accessed
Depending on the system, homeowners can have greater visibility into access activity while away.
Combining access control with cameras and security provides a more complete view of what is happening at the property.
Receive Important Notifications
Remote automation is not just about checking your home manually.
Connected systems can provide notifications when certain events require attention.
Instead of constantly opening an application to see whether everything is normal, you can be informed when something needs your attention.
This makes remote property management much more practical.
Prepare Your Second Home Before You Arrive
One of the most convenient features of remote home automation is the ability to prepare your property before you get there.
Imagine heading to your Jersey Shore home for the weekend and having the house begin getting ready before your arrival.
Create a Welcome Scene
A customized Welcome or Arrival scene could adjust several systems at once.
The temperature can move toward your preferred setting. Selected interior and exterior lights can turn on. Motorized shades can adjust. Other connected systems can move from Away mode into their normal occupied settings.
Instead of spending your first hour getting the house ready, you can start enjoying it.
Simplify Leaving With an Away Scene
Leaving a second home can involve a long mental checklist.
Did you turn off the lights? Did you adjust the thermostat? Are the shades positioned correctly? Is the security system set?
An integrated Away scene can simplify many of these routines.
One command can place multiple connected systems into their predetermined settings, making departure easier while reducing the chance of overlooking something.
Monitor Outdoor Areas
For second homes with pools, patios, outdoor kitchens, and landscaped areas, remote technology can extend beyond the interior.
Cameras can provide visibility into exterior areas while automated lighting can operate according to schedules.
Outdoor technology can also be integrated with the rest of the home’s control system, creating a more complete approach to managing the entire property.
A Reliable Network Is the Foundation
Remote home automation depends on a reliable network.
Even when nobody is at the property, cameras, automation systems, thermostats, security devices, and other connected equipment may continue operating.
A professionally designed network provides the infrastructure these systems need while also delivering reliable connectivity for streaming, working, entertainment, and everyday use when you return.
Make Your Second Home Easier to Enjoy
The purpose of owning a second home is to enjoy it, not spend your time managing technology.
A professionally designed automation system can reduce everyday complexity by bringing important systems together and giving you convenient control whether you are across town or away from the property.
The result is a second home that is easier to monitor when you are gone and ready to enjoy when you return.
Manage Your Second Home With GMI Automation
GMI Automation designs and installs integrated home automation systems for second homes, seasonal residences, and luxury properties throughout New Jersey.
From whole house lighting control and enterprise grade networking to security cameras, access control, climate integration, motorized shades, audio and video, and complete home automation, GMI Automation can create a connected environment that is easier to manage from wherever you are.
If you own a second home at the Jersey Shore or elsewhere in New Jersey, contact GMI Automation to learn how remote home automation can help you stay connected to your property and make every visit easier.
