Whether you’re selling or buying a home in the beautiful Sunshine State, you should seriously consider the value of adding smart features. Florida is well known for its acceptance of smart technology — it has the highest number of listings highlighting smart devices out of any other state.

The good news is no one needs to break the bank to enter the world of smart home technology. While renovating and incorporating whole-house systems can cost a small fortune, you can find plenty of budget-friendly add-ons to help your home function more efficiently.

First, Invest in a Smart Home Hub

Most smart home devices require a hub to function correctly. The most common options are Amazon Alexa and Google Smart Home. Additional products — even through third parties — are generally compatible with both.

Your choice will come down to personal preference. Both systems are remarkably similar and you can get started with either for around $50 each.

Solve Your Problems and Make Life Easier

Once you decide on your favorite smart hub, you can add other devices. Think about your pain points or those of your target market. What products would make life easier or solve a particular problem? Start from there. If you’re feeling stuck, you can’t go wrong with these popular options.

1. Smart Lighting

Smart bulbs are the easiest way to get started with smart home technology. Simply replace your regular light bulbs with specialized bulbs — they’re compatible with all existing fixtures.

The most popular on the market right now is the Phillip’s Hue system. You can get a pack of four plus the control bridge for under $200. While the price may seem high for lightbulbs, you get a lot of handy features. Plus, you only have to buy the bridge once — after that, you only buy more bulbs, which can last up to 25 years depending on usage.

With this system, you can change each light's intensity, color and warmth. You can also program your lights to come on at a particular time or turn them on remotely from anywhere worldwide, increasing your home’s safety.

2. Smart Locks

If you’re someone who leaves the house in a rush each morning or has children who get home before you, adding smart locks to your home could be worth the investment. Smart locks are a keyless way to protect your home, family and belongings.

These systems use a keypad or app to unlock the door and you can share and change your entry code whenever you like. Some even allow you to open it remotely. App-controlled locks have even more functionality, allowing you to digitally share access to your home for a set time window. You can even lock or unlock your door from any location.

3. Smart Garage Openers

While keeping your home’s main entrances safe is a priority, you shouldn’t ignore another crucial access point — your garage. It’s so easy to pull out for the day and forget to check if you shut the garage door. An open door allows unwanted visitors access to those possessions and a less easily monitored way into your home.

With a smart garage door opener, you can use an app to open or shut it from anywhere. You can schedule it to open for package delivery and close afterward. Similarly to smart locks, you can also grant certain people entry. You can even find smart garage door openers that send alerts to your phone when it detects carbon monoxide, senses a drastic temperature change or someone tries to force entry.

4. Smart Security

Gone are the days when you need to contract through a security company to protect your home — smart home security cameras offer just as many features for a fraction of the price. You can purchase cameras to place all around your property and set them up with an app on your phone to alert you to unauthorized access.

Smart doorbells like Ring and Arlo are another excellent option for taking control of your home security. With a glance, you can see who’s at your door and have footage of potential break-ins, delivery accidents or theft.

Another feature is facial recognition, which has many applications depending on your needs. For example, you could set it to recognize when your child gets home from school safely, giving you more peace of mind. One last note on smart security features — the best options are wired, so it might be best to have a professional help you with installation.

5. Smart Thermostat

Rather than replace your HVAC with an entirely new system, a smart thermostat can save you money upfront and down the line. After a simple installation, your new thermostat will learn your family’s habits and work hard to make your cooling more efficient. You can also manually set temperature schedules or change your thermostat setting from anywhere.

Google Nest is an incredibly popular option and comes in under $300. Any electrician can help you with installation and the device will do the rest of the work from there. You can control it manually, with your voice or through the app.

Take Your Time

Even the most budget-friendly upgrades can cost too much if you do too many at once. If you have the luxury of time, take smart home technology in baby steps. Solve the most critical problems and work your way down from there, allowing you to save extra money between projects.