Potential home sellers are often told to make sure their property has kerb appeal and to clear out clutter, but according to an article in realtor.com perhaps they should be thinking about boosting their Wi-Fi router speed.

The article points out that when many buyers are interested in a property they will frequently check the Internet connection on their phone with many being concerned whether they can work from home. These days Americans are often only connected to the Internet through a Wi-Fi or cellular connection and in June last year nearly half of all American homes had no land line compared with just 30% in 2010 and this figure was up by 3.4% compared to a year earlier. Just 10 years earlier, only about 5% of American homes were wireless.

Being wireless only may not be so critical for empty nesters that are looking to downsize, but it is more important for millennial age buyers and over two thirds of adults aged between 25 and 34 were living in wireless only households last year. It’s no surprise to learn that when adults are wireless, so are their kids and according to the CDC in 2015, 55% of children with their own phone were cell phone only. In fact realtors often find that it is the teenage kids that are able to accurately identify dead spots throughout a home.

The article also warns sellers not to be too concerned if a buyer’s cell phone coverage in a property is spotty as it could be issues with their phone service, and it is possible to buy cell phone signal boosters very cheaply to fix this problem. More powerful Wi-Fi routers are able to handle multiple devices at once and can help eliminate dead spots.

Once a buyer has verified wireless coverage then it’s often a case of negotiating whether the Wi-Fi system will stay with the house or not. Quite often realtors advise leaving the Wi-Fi system in place rather than trying to recalibrate it for a new home.

In addition to Wi-Fi connections, smart technology is also attracting more interest, particularly the use of USB ports to charge devices, with new build homes often incorporating this feature. Smart doorbells are another popular option and these are equipped with cameras that turn on whenever the button is pressed or whenever they detect activity near the front door and which help to increase home security. Smart door locks are another potentially another useful addition, particularly for allowing temporary access for contractors or house cleaners, eliminating the problem of lost keys. Smart lights are controlled by your phone can be another security as well as a comfort feature, giving the appearance that the home is occupied when you’re away.

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