Technophile or Technophobe by Nick Warner - 10/05/2012

Have you ever wondered if you and technology are compatible? We now live in a world burgeoning with gadgets with a bit of ‘life changing’ kit available for most aspects of our daily routine.  For some the relatively recent explosion in technology is hugely appealing while for others it is terrifying.  In the context of property, developers might consider their target audience before installing too much gadgetry.

I had the pleasure of being shown a house recently, where the developer announced as I approached the front door  - "everything is controlled from an iPad." Once inside, at the touch of a button, the security blinds across the entire  ground floor started to raise accompanied by, at quite a volume, the James Bond theme tune. I was reassured to hear there was a manual option.

In the high tech kitchen / breakfast room, fibre optic mood lighting had been fitted to the underside of the central island, from where the lady of the house could despatch her orders.  I was informed there was a colour for everyday of the week or alternatively the colour spectrum could be used as an indication of mood. Beware of red was the suggestion.

There is no question technology is here to stay and can be used to great effect and enjoyment, but I also meet many house buyers for whom it can be totally bewildering. The concept of having to find the remote control in order to turn down the volume or dim the lighting instead of turning a knob or flicking a switch might be enough to deter them from buying the house.