Tag: smart home

3 Things to Think About When Choosing a Smart Home

Posted on by rentlyeditor

3 Important Things to Consider

man holding pen

In 2019, technology is moving faster than ever. According to an IHS study, the number of IoT connected devices is expected to grow from 26 billion to 75 billion devices between 2019 and 2025. The smart home market is on a tear! As property managers, vacation rental owners, and real estate developers, how do you choose the smart home company that is going to serve you and your renters best? How do you know what the best business decision is?

A few important topics and questions to contemplate when choosing an enterprise smart home company to support your renters:

  • Technology
  • Client Services
  • Company History

1. Technology

How does the company develop its technology? Do they take a copy-and-paste software approach? Or do they develop their own software?

When a company builds and fully controls its technology, the end user – AKA, the property manager or renter – has a better experience. The tools and built-in features are fed to the company from client needs directly, giving you a more bespoke user experience.

Rently Keyless (shameless plug, here) is dedicated to continuously improving our proprietary, patented technology. We solicit and welcome regular feedback from our clients. Who knows better about what property managers and renters need from their technology than property managers and renters? Makes sense to us too!

2. Client Services

Can you get around the clock support for your smart system? Are you just a ticket number? Does the company care about helping your business?

You should always want to feel like you are the center of attention when you have an urgent issue, need ongoing training, or want to vent about a pain point. As business owners, you have a set of skills and understanding of what will make your business operate at peak operational efficiency. The support that you need to best serve your clientele requires a simple but often hard to find resource: a caring listener, not just a salesperson or general assistance. People that care about your business will help you make it better.

Rently Keyless (another plug – we really believe in what we do) does this by treating your business like it’s our business – because it is. We believe that when your business grows, so does ours. We take a personal, consultative approach to help you select the best mix of products and services. We don’t want to sell you as a business, we want to serve you as a business. There is a real big difference between the two.

“When customers share their story, they’re not just sharing pain points. They’re actually teaching you how to make your product, service, and business better.”

Kristin Smaby, “Being Human is Good Business”

3. Company History and Reputation

How long has the company been offering its products and services? Do they answer to their customers or their stakeholders? Does the company make their own tools, or simply buy and label them as their own?

There isn’t inherently anything wrong with receiving investor money for your venture, but here is why it is important to note: when tech companies take funding from investors, they may lose the flexibility to innovate and pivot as they see fit. It’s like turning on the radio, and all the big record company music sounds the same. Self-funded artists can continually elevate their sound and grow their audience more organically. Independence means they can directly give the listener a unique tailored experience.

When you are investing resources into a smart home solution you want to know that they work for you, the client, directly. After all, your success and the success of that business should be mutually beneficial.

The time that a company like Rently Keyless (last plug, promise) has put into developing a firm foundation is paying dividends. Rently and our sister division, Rently Keyless, have spent nearly ten years creating a company based on providing long-lasting solution-based products and services, client-centric around-the-clock support, and continuing innovation to stay ahead of the rapidly changing technology landscape.

The Rently brand has been in business for nearly a decade, creating patented, proprietary technology. We answer to you, the client, and are here to fully support, consult, and help you grow. Before you decide on your enterprise smart home solution, ask that company where they have been, and where they are going.

Rently will be here for the next decade and on. Will they?

Contact The Writer:
Branndon Brown
(323) 458-6378
branndon@rently.com

The Internet Of Things Keeps Smart Home Smart

Posted on by rentlyeditor

IoT and Smart Home: The Power of Connectivity

What is the first thing you think about when you hear the phrase “Smart Home”?

Maybe it’s the ability to lock and unlock your doors or windows from your phone. Maybe it’s having full control of the thermostat in a certain area of the house. Even still, maybe it’s being able to ask a voice assistant like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to turn on the lights in the bedroom before you get there.

Whatever your image of a smart home may be, there’s one thing that remains constant – the need for your smart appliances to be connected to one another and to the internet via a little something called the Internet of Things.

What is the Internet of Things?

Put simply, the Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the idea of connecting all things to the internet. While this definition is broad, IoT For All’s Calum McClelland notes that connecting “things” to the internet – from cell phones to smartwatches – has already had incredible benefits in our society and everyday lives. The idea of IoT, he continues, suggests that these benefits can extend to quite literally everything.

McClelland writes that “When something is connected to the internet, that means that it can send information or receive information, or both.” This particular ability is, at a base level, what makes an appliance or technology “smart”.

IoT at CES 2019

Because tech and internet connectivity go hand-in-hand, the Internet of Things had quite the presence at CES 2019. In addition to smart home solutions, everything depends on the Internet of Things to, well, work.

Along with the advent of 5G, the Smart Cities section of CES was guided by the IoT, painting a picture of the connected cities of the future. According to CES Daily, smart cities with this kind of connectivity will have sensors in places such as water and waste systems, buildings, and roads: “Connected technologies will include smart energy meters, automated street lighting, parking assistance apps, and sensors to make cities safer, smarter, and more accessible.”

Of course, Smart Cities weren’t the only exhibits that relied on the IoT for necessary connectivity. CES 2019’s Vehicle Technology Marketplace showcased the latest in self-driving, connected cars that bring interactivity to the driving experience. Exhibitors like Allstate, Dassault Systemes, and Mobileye showcased just how important the combination of tech, connectivity, and vehicle automation will be as we explore the future of automotive and transportation.

IoT and Smart Home

At CES 2019, hundreds of Smart Home exhibitors focused on the easy, accessible connectivity that can be brought to a home in order to make it “smart”. This includes everything from smart blinds to lighting, smart locks to smart kitchens appliances. From this year’s show, it’s clear that the Smart Home of the future is one that brings this connectivity to every aspect of the home.

As greater numbers of consumers adopt smart home technology, the reliance of smart home on the IoT will only grow. In fact, Katherine Lazarevich of IoT For All writes that “some of the best solutions in IoT will come to life in smart homes.” It’s thought that the number of connected products will triple by 2025, reaching nearly 75 billion devices across the world.

So what does this mean for Smart Home companies? For Rently Keyless, it means an incredible opportunity to bring connected solutions that will benefit both individuals and communities.

The Rently Keyless Smart Solution

The Rently Keyless proprietary Tri-Band Hub ensures that users have three times the connection – and three times the security. Should Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection be unavailable, the Keyless system connects through a cellular connection.

The central core of the Keyless system, the Tri-Band hub technology includes 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet connection for superior and optimal industry uptime. Unlike many smart home companies, the Keyless Tri-Band Hub has been engineered from the ground up to ensure that users are getting the very best in smart home tech.

Of course, the Keyless smart home solution is scalable. Support for Z-Wave, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi protocols alow Rently Keyless to securely incorporate over 1800 smart home devices.

Want to learn more about Rently and Keyless? Feel free to check out the rest of our blog!

Sources: IoT For All, CES Daily, All About Circuits

Ready For The Future of Smart Home?

Posted on by rentlyeditor

The Future Of Smart Home Starts Now

While CES 2019 explored several themes – transportation, digital health, AR and VR experiences, and many more – one of the most prominent was that of the Smart Home. As smart homes get “smarter”, companies are looking at ways to efficiently and successfully expand automation in the home. On top of this, many have begun the conversation about the human element that can help make smart home tech more accessible for the average consumer.

From smart locks to smart fridges, the Smart Home of the future is one that sees smart appliances aiding users in every area of the home. Over 250 exhibitors, including EZVIZ, Kohler, Ring, and Interlogix presented several products that strive to expand upon this image.

The Power of Voice Assistance

Voice powered assistants – and the smart home tech that integrates with them – had quite the presence at this year’s show. Amazon Echo and Google Assistant displays were clearly in nearly every Smart Home booth setup, with companies displaying the ways in which their technology works with both. In fact, integration with these particular smart assistants is a key feature for smart home tech companies. As noted by CES daily, “Smart home device makers no longer have to worry as much if their product will work with every other smart home gadget. As long as it can be integrated with Alexa or Google Assistant, that’s all you need.”

Key players in the Smart Home industry, such as Rently Keyless, are focusing on the ability of their systems to use these Amazon and Google products to help control lighting, thermostat, and sensor controls.

Everything (and) The Kitchen Sink

Kitchen appliances had a particularly large presence at CES this year, with appliance makers working to figure out new and improved ways to bring smart tech into a consumer’s everyday life. Products such as Alexa-integrated microwaves and smart fridges were poised to be the stars of this year’s show, painting a picture of how automation like this may soon be even more prominent in everyday life.

The bathroom is another home space in which appliance makers are targeting for smart home tech. Smart mirrors, faucets, and lighting are just a few of the appliances that were shown off throughout CES, inviting visitors to get an in-person feel for what it would be like to have a smart, automated bathroom in their homes.

The Reach Of Smart Home

According to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), it’s thought that by 2020 there will be nearly 30 billion connected devices. At this point, a smart home will generate 50 GB of data daily.

The CTA describes three trends to watch for when it comes to the spread of Smart Home tech in the next few years. Simplification, comfort and security, and energy management are key when it comes to the future of smart systems.

Meet Rently Keyless

Rently Keyless, the smart solution division of Rently, encompasses these key elements. The Keyless system works to take the confusion out of smart home management, focusing on a user-friendly platform that’s easy to integrate with aforementioned voice assistants from Amazon and Google. The proprietary Tri-Band Hub technology ensures that users don’t have to worry about their systems going offline. Should Wi-Fi or Ethernet connectivity be unavailable, the Tri-Band hub connects via a cellular connection.

Of course, the Keyless system also offers a variety of appliances that are designed to help bring automation and accessibility to homes. Keyless entry locks, smart thermostats, sensors, and lighting automation help ensure a simple, secure, energy efficient home.

Keyless system integrations include such names as Amazon Alexa, Bluetooth, Ecobee, Escapia, Yale, and more.

Want to learn more about Rently and Keyless? Feel free to check out more of our blog!

Sources: CES Daily, Consumer Technology Association

Smart Homes, Self-Driving Cars, AI and More: A Rently Review of CES

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Highlights from CES 2019

CES: a veritable wonderland of all things up-and-coming in the world of electronics and tech. It rivals theme parks and small cities. Rently, the multifaceted real estate solutions company, had the opportunity to see first-hand what exciting things there are to come this year in the world of tech.

And let us tell you – there are a lot of exciting things to come.

Smart Cities, IoT, and The Future of Mobility

When it comes to CES, there’s a whole lot of ground to cover. The journey started off at the Westgate, where we received badges and maps detailing just how many exhibitors there were to see (over 4,400!). We began in the Smart Cities section, marveling at what could very soon be the future of ride-sharing transportation. Now, we’re not just talking about companies like Lyft and Uber – we’re talking about everything from smart metro systems to an expansion on the ever-popular scooter and bike sharing services that have been cropping up in major cities. Companies are gearing up to define what it truly means to be “mobile” in today’s world, while others still are focusing on how we can use green energy to get there.

Walking through the Smart Cities section invited us to think about how each and every one of us plays a critical role in the day-to-day structure and operations of our major cities and towns – and asked us to question how we can use technology to improve those structures. According to CES Daily, the tech elements necessary for smart cities include network infrastructure in the form of 5G and IoT, data sharing platforms, building sensors, and systems designed specifically to manage data collection.

This section of CES therefore also included the IoT Infrastructure Pavilion, which housed everything from 3D cameras to CBD gummy dispensers, sensors to magnetic flashlights – and demonstrated how each of these things can be supported by IoT. The Internet of Things Infrastructure also gave an exciting sneak peek into what could be the future of digital and AI assistance, with companies creating virtual receptionists with digital “personas”. Wireless tech designed to enhance the spread of information was the name of the game here, though, with many booths featuring enhanced wireless technology.

Vehicle Technology and Autonomy

The next section was for automotive and transportation technology. The vehicle technology display included some of the latest in concept cars and vehicles that keep riders and drivers connected throughout their days. This year, the vehicles exhibited surpassed many stand-alone car shows, featuring over 160 exhibitors across a massive 290,000 net square feet. As expected, smart self-driving cars were at the center of many of the vehicles displayed. Booths demonstrated what the next several years of driving could look like as research and development into self-driving policy continues.

Automakers such as Audi, Honda, Kia, and Nissan displayed concepts for what these connected cars might look and perform like. Other vehicle-related booths focused on the increasing importance of clean energy, while others still showcased how AI and virtual assistance will soon be integrated into the future of the automotive industry.

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

Robotics and AI presented another huge portion of the show. Located in South Hall 2, the section presented several incredible booths with some seriously cool tech that promises to change the way that business – and everyday life – is done. Many exhibitors displayed AI camera tech that was able to accurately display each attendee’s age, gender, and emotion based on facial expression. These cameras could also track each person’s location within and around the hall, a technology that clearly could have a major impact on several consumer-facing industries.

One perfect example of this was a booth that had been set up as a faux storefront that demonstrated how customers could be tracked as they were doing their shopping. It was a seriously incredible way to see just how useful this tech could be, and to get a snapshot of what the shop of the future might look like. Clearly, this kind of tech sees us moving away from the CCTV cameras of the past; here come the days of efficient and effective customer profiling from the moment they walk in the door to the moment they leave. Of course, security isn’t the only function of innovations like this. With the incorporation of AR and VR tech, it’s becoming possible for consumers to “try before they buy” – with everything from furniture to makeup.

Drones, too, were a massive part of this section, with many up-and-coming companies showcasing the newest in drone camera tech that promises to take us to new heights – and new depths, as well.

The Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Marketplace featured over 60 exhibitors, including businesses like Omron, Segway, Panasonic, Amazon, and more. Companies showed just how easily machines can not only fit into but can improve our everyday life – from home, to school, to work and back.

Health And Wellness Marketplace

Over 100 companies showed just how the tech of the future can and will support the health of consumers. Many exhibitors showed just how technology can encourage patients to better track and support their personal health. From AI to digital therapy, it’s clear that the future of health and medicine is intertwined with the future of tech.

Companies such as 3M, Humetrix, Philips, and SleepScore Labs presented smart health solutions that strive to not only monitor health but to support better quality of life. In addition to the Health and Wellness Marketplace, the Sleep Tech Marketplace and Wearables Marketplace showcased ways that sleep and wearable tech can play a huge role in the improved health of individuals and communities.

Smart Homes of Tomorrow

Smart home was another huge theme at this year’s show, with several companies revealing their interconnected smart systems that strive to take home automation to the next level, from smart keyless locks and voice-controlled home assistants to smart appliances and garden irrigation. The future of the interconnected home was certainly one of the most exciting things at this year’s show, with booths that showed off just how a smart system would work in fake housing set-ups that allowed visitors to quite literally experience walking through a smart home.

Integration of various smart devices was also a huge part of the smart home software that was seen throughout CES. The ability to work with devices such as the Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant was a key selling point for many companies, showcasing the ability to more accurately and efficiency tie together devices.

Smart home tech, such as that of the Rently Keyless access solutions, is very clearly becoming a staple not only in the tech world but in everyday life.

Eureka Park Startups

The Eureka Park section of CES was undoubtedly one of our favorites. Organized by geographic location, the Eureka Park startups presented early-stage entrepreneurs eager to show their products and services to the world. This year, entrepreneurs came from over 30 countries, including Canada, Switzerland, Taiwan, India, South Korea, and more. Many companies exhibiting at Eureka Park saw the opportunity as a potential breakthrough, with the show providing valuable connections for entrepreneurs looking to share their solutions with the world.

The booths presenting at Eureka Park ran the gamut, industry-wise; everything from 5G to digital health was represented. According to CES Daily, companies that have participated in the Eureka Park portion of the show have raised over $1.5 billion in funding since 2012.

Audio and Visual Innovators

Some of the most eye- (and ear-) catching exhibits were from that of the audio and visual industries, with booths showcasing the newest in 8K screen technology and high-quality sound playback. Notable exhibitors included Samsung, which built an entire mini-city inside the Las Vegas Convention Center, as well as LG, Westinghouse, Kodak, Sony, and Polaroid, among others.

Home entertainment systems featuring new display technologies like rollable OLED and micro-LED gained lots of attention during the show; the first roll-up TV, a 65-inch LG OLED television, debuted during the week, and 8K TVs were a central feature this year.

Of course, these are only a few of the incredible sections found at CES. As veterans of the show will tell you, it’s difficult to see everything – but the sheer size of the show is one of the things that we loved the most. The energy at CES was one of hope and innovation. Every section and exhibitory that we had the chance to visit echoed these sentiments fully. As a society, we’re fast approaching a future where automation is key, and technology works with us to make life simpler and more efficient – from personal health to smart appliances.

As a company that values creativity, innovation, and simplicity, exploring CES was very important for Rently. The future of tech goes hand-in-hand with the future of Real Estate – and with that, the future of self-showing and smart home technologies that bring full automation within reach.

Want to learn more about the Rently self-showing and Rently Keyless smart solutions? Feel free to check out more of our blog!

Rently Rounds off the Year & Gears Up for 2019

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Rently presents end-of-year numbers and projections for 2019

EOYNumbersRentlyPR

LOS ANGELES, CA / PR Web / December 21, 2018 – Rently, the multifaceted real estate solutions technology company, is reaching the end of Q4 with a positive year. The company added their newly developed stand-alone Bluetooth lock this year, alongside their current enterprise smart home/apartment solution, which can all be equipped with their patented self-showing solutions. Property rental self-showings approached 1.5 million for the year, along with roughly 1.5 million satisfied, new rental applicants after the showings. With over 300,000 new properties listed and over 2000 happy companies, Rently is ready to continue providing seamless self-showings in 2019.

In May, Rently launched their new enterprise-level Bluetooth lock, Rently Blue. The lock, which is the only Bluetooth solution paired with self-showing technology, has streamlined access, enhanced security, and become an added amenity to homes across the nation. The unique product, designed and engineered by Rently’s team of developers, has been a successful addition to tens of thousands of units.

Rently Keyless, the Enterprise Smart Home/Apartment solutions division of Rently, has also had a very impactful year. Keyless has seen the launch and expansion of tens of thousands of smart homes under their division this year, notably with E&S Ring, Maxx Properties, and NMS Properties, whose portfolios reach California, Texas, Florida, New York, and more. When asked about Rently’s service, Nancy Garcia, Senior Community Manager with NMS Properties has expressed that Rently has impressively provided “efficiency and added amenities…to create an optimal level of service.” With the introduction of smart mortise locks in the mix, Keyless is projected to have another powerful year.

As 2019 approaches, Rently is prepared to tackle a new year of growth, innovation, and success.

To learn more about Rently please visit rently.com.

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About Rently
Rently, a technology innovator and industry pioneer, provides patented self-showing technology that helps property managers, investors, and renters save time by renting smarter and leasing faster. With the rapid growth and progression of the company, Rently Keyless, the enterprise smart home solutions division, was brought to life. Rently has been successful with thousands of property managers and millions of renters to date and continues to expand its reach as a leader in the real estate technology space.

Check out the Rently blog: https://rently1.wpengine.com/blog/

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @rentlyhomes

PR Contact:
Sales at Rently
(888)-659-9596
sales@rently.com

Don’t Miss Rently’s Advent Giveaway!

Posted on by rentlyeditor

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – and that means a Rently giveaway!

GiveawayBlogPost

We’re beyond excited to launch our first ever Advent Calendar campaign this December. The best part? All you need is access to your social media in order to participate!

What Is It?

Our social media Advent Campaign is our little way of saying THANK YOU for being a Rently user. Each week, we’ll be giving away an Amazon Gift Card to one of our lucky followers! You’ll want to make sure to stay tuned in, as our gift card prize gets better each week leading up to a GRAND PRIZE drawn on New Year’s Eve!

How Do I Participate?

It’s easy! All you have to do is follow us @RentlyHomes on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (or all three for extra entries!), tag THREE friends to do the same, and share our #giveaway posts each day.

What Are The Rules?

1. Each entrant must follow @RentlyHomes on AT LEAST ONE of our social media accounts (twitter, facebook, or instagram).
2. Each day, we’ll post our #giveaway across all three of our social media profiles. You can gain ONE entry by following us, tagging 3 friends to do the same, and sharing our post on the social media platform of your choosing! Note: you can gain extra entries by sharing on all three platforms.
3. That’s it – it’s super easy!

How Will I Know If I Won?

Winners are chosen every Friday at 12pm PST, with the exception of our GRAND PRIZE, which will be drawn at 10a PST on New Year’s Eve. We’ll DM each of the winners and will post about them on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages!

Ready to get started? Simply follow us and keep an eye out for our daily #giveaway posts!

4 Ways Rently’s Real Estate Showing Service Ensures Safety

Posted on by rentlyeditor

Safety is the name of the game for Rently.

four-ways-rently-provides-safety

As a real estate property manager, you put yourself at risk every day. Think about it: from meeting new clients to showing properties, letting strangers in your car to marketing yourself online, the day-to-day tasks of real estate open property managers up to a wealth of situations that could jeopardize their personal safety. Scary, right?

Enter Rently, the industry’s premier real estate showing services. The Rently system enables property managers to allow self-service showings of their vacant properties to verified potential tenants. Here are just a few of the ways that Rently’s real estate showing service ensures property manager safety:

You’re Only Letting Verified Renters Inside

Rently’s real estate showing service was created with improved security in mind. With Rently, renters must register online with a valid credit card and are only given one-time access when they are at the property. This not only helps weed out lookie-loos or those simply looking to case the property for a future break-in but helps to ensure that the renter is actually serious about looking for a rental.

What’s more, Rently constantly monitors activity logs to make sure your properties are secure. Detailed reports are available to property managers so owners can feel confident in the process.

You’re Mitigating Property Damage

With over 4 million check-ins nationwide (and growing), we’ve never had a serious case of a renter using Rently to cause damage to a property. We won’t lie, property management is often about mitigating risk, and while the best way to mitigate exposure to risk is to get a renter in the property with a signed lease, that’s not always possible.

We use the same precautions as the car rental or hotel industries —taking a valid credit card and verifying their SmartPhone so that the renter is on the hook for any damage done during a self-showing. The system polices itself; your renters are looking to keep their credit intact, which means they’re more likely to be responsible.

In the unlikely event that there is an incident of any kind, you are able to report it directly to your Rently Client Success Manager for resolution. We have your back!

You Don’t Need to Meet (or Drive Around) Strangers

Self-service showings are quickly growing in popularity across the country, and it’s not just because they fulfill the potential tenant’s need for instant gratification. Property managers love the added security and safety that comes from not having to meet strangers at vacant properties or drive them around on a tour of properties.

The National Association of Realtors® suggests that you should always meet new clients at your office so colleagues know who you’re meeting with. They also suggest that you take a copy of the person’s driver’s license for added precaution prior to putting them in your car for a tour. These are great steps to take, but they do not mitigate the risk quite like a self-service showing.

You’ve Got Eyes on Who’s In and Out

When you use Rently’s real estate showing service, you also have the added security of knowing who goes in to the property, and when. Rently will send you a real-time email alert with the name and number of the prospective renter as they check-in to see your property. Additionally, you can always log back in to the Rently management portal to view detailed activity logs for each property you have listed with Rently.

Get to Know the Premier Real Estate Showing Service

With all this technology available to property managers, why risk your safety? Learn more about Rently’s real estate showing service by browsing our website and blog, and don’t hesitate to connect with a member of our team today! We look forward to hearing from you soon.