David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Maybe you rent a small apartment in the city. Or maybe your forever home features smaller rooms. Instead of spending more money on a larger space or knocking down a wall, you can make a room feel larger with a mix of design and creativity. Maximize every inch of your space with these beginner and budget-friendly decorating tips.  Hang Curtains High Instead of mounting your curtain rods just above the top of your windows, move up about five to six inches higher. This will create length to the wall, giving off the impression that the ceiling is higher than it actually is. Be sure to use curtains that reach the floor to highlight this illusion. Bring in the Light Darkness can be univiting and create the sense of a small space. In regards to your curtains, letting in a lot of natural light is a great way to make a room feel larger. Use sheer panels instead of opaque or light blocking curtains. Choosing warming LED light bulbs for lamps a...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com The 2020 Consumer Electronic Show was held in Las Vegas in early January and put the spotlight on all the latest and greatest gadgets in the tech world. You never know what you’re going to see at this annual gathering and this year certainly did not disappoint, from a 10-second toothbrush called the Y-Brush to a 292-inch Samsung TV. With an eye on the world of smart home technology, here are a few innovative trends that were showcased at this year’s event. Bluetooth Light Switches Even if you have a smart lighting system that’s controlled over your phone, you still need to have light switches throughout your home. Rather than having to fuss with all the wiring, however, Bluetooth switches that seamlessly connect to the lights have begun to hit the market and offer the ultimate convenience. Smart switches and dimmers, like the C by GE, allow you to get just the right illumination and can be easily set up without having to call in the electrician...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Programmable thermostats let you set the temperature in your home and have the thermostat change it based on the time of day. What makes them 'smart' is that they can learn from your behaviors, let you control the climate remotely, show you energy consumption in real-time and even adjust themselves based on conditions like humidity. You can tell them to shut off after you leave for work and spring back into action in time to ensure the house temperature is comfortable by the time you get home. Many models can be managed from your phone or a website. If you’re thinking of upgrading to a money-saving smart thermostat, here are four models highly recommended by independent reviewers at BestReviews, WiseBread and LifeHacker: The Nest Learning Thermostat This model tops most lists and is backed by over 17,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. The Nest is easy to use and install, and works with Amazon Alexa, the Nest App and oth...

David Deem  714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Smart appliances can make life easier and more convenient. Since the technology is relatively new, many manufacturers are still working out problems and resolving glitches. Before you purchase a smart appliance, it's important to understand what they have to offer and to be aware of potential pitfalls. Popular Smart Appliances A smart refrigerator can make grocery shopping easier. A camera allows you to peek inside the fridge even if you aren’t home, and you can keep a running list of what you need. You can also control the temperature and humidity to keep your food fresh as long as possible. Smart refrigerators are much more expensive than traditional ones, and they are more expensive to repair. There is also the risk of viruses. If you have linked your email and social media accounts to the smart refrigerator, they could be at risk. A smart dishwasher can help you get sparkling dishes every time. It can tell you if yo...

David Deem 714-997-3486 It's no surprise that one of the most common predictions for the real estate industry in 2019 is the continued importance of technology. As smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices continue to increase in popularity and capability, smart home technology continues to grow at pace. New technology built specifically to simplify the lives of homeowners is introduced all the time, and it can be challenging to understand which applications might be worth a try. Smart home tech, or home automation systems, gives users the convenience of easily monitoring and controlling their home systems remotely. Homeowners can turn on their AC, control their lights, unlock their front door for visitors, and more—all from the office or across the country. Home automation systems can be wired into the structure of the house with a central control panel, or installed through external devices like electronic plug adapters or standalone sensors. The systems are connec...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Each January, the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) showcases cutting-edge technology by companies from around the world. The show even has an entire section of its website dedicated to smart homes . This year, home automation showed up in a big way, including these unveilings for tech-loving current and potential homeowners. For those serving younger homebuyers, remember that these groups have immense buying power and will be demanding more and different homes and home features than older generations. In the future, some of these may include: Capstone Connected Home is launching a  Google-enabled smart mirror  that responds to voice or a touchscreen keyboard, like your favorite tablet. Watch videos, view your schedule, check traffic and weather, access Google Drive and type out an email while getting ready for work! (Available soon; price not disclosed.)Smart Mirrors As if smartphones and smart televisions weren’t enough, mirrors are ...

David Deem 714-997-3486 By Brianna Barcena Using a handheld device like it's a magic wand to instantly control the temperature, lighting, security and overall atmosphere of your home is no longer the starry-eyed stuff of science fiction. Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence (AI), mobile technology and the accelerating growth of the Internet of Things (IoT), beefing up your living space with smart tech is fast becoming a reality within reach of the average person. Devices like Alexa, Amazon Echo and Google Home have led the way. And the numbers support the notion that they are at the leading edge of a rising wave of innovations. Zion Market Research predicts that the global smart home tech market will reach $53.45 billion by 2022. Here are some new and upcoming advances in smart home technology that will continue to revolutionize how we express our nesting instincts: Home Health Tech Advances in AI have big implications for seniors or hospice patients a...

714-997-3486 Smart home IT devices can handle nearly everything - from prepping your morning coffee and turning on lights as it gets dark, to activating smart cooking and cleaning appliances that prepare your dinner or vacuum the living room before you get home. And these smart home practices are only growing; the advanced electronics industry is banking on the fact that a lot more of us are going to go high tech in the coming year or so. According to the Consumer Technology Association’s report, U.S. Consumer Technology Sales and Forecasts, artificial intelligence (AI), voice-recognition technology and fast connectivity – critical ingredients for smart speakers, smart home technologies and smartphones – will help spur overall U.S. consumer technology spending by six percent in 2018 (to $377 billion in retail sales). Key categories projected to contribute significantly to overall unit and revenue growth include: - Smart speakers are experiencing a meteoric rise not seen si...