Smart student living: top 3 tech accommodation amenities

Student accommodation has come along away from dingy student halls with limited amenities, as developers all over the world are competing with each other to offer students luxury housing that will improve their university experience. This includes smart solutions which are a huge selling point, as they are being implemented into student homes to make life easier for university goers.

If you’re considering investing in purpose-built student accommodation, you may want to consider investing in smart automation tools which will significantly increase demand and returns on your property investment. Here are some of the top smart devices which will make your property stand out to student tenants.

High-speed internet

The most sought-after amenity in student accommodation is high-quality internet, as the majority of students are Generation Z, who are around 18 to 22. This is an age group that utilizes the internet at all times and own an average of five internet-ready devices, including laptops, smartphones, tablets and more which they rely on for both work and leisure purposes. To attract tenants to your property, you need to ensure that your internet is fast and reliable, so choosing the right broadband provider is vital in order to cater to students needs and generate demand.  

Top Tip: To make sure that you’re getting the best connection possible, do some research on the different internet providers, and which is best suited to your area. If the architecture and design of your home results in some dead spots in certain rooms, you might also want to make sure you position any routers in an optimum location, and perhaps even invest in some boosters that will help to maintain a stable connection.

Security cameras

Another element that students and their parents consider when shopping around for accommodation is the level of security the property offers. Parents want to know that their child is safe, especially if they are moving to another city where they are out of reach. Many developers and landlords are solving this problem by installing security cameras in the property, which allow students to monitor their accommodation in real-time. This is possible with hi-tech security cameras like the Nest Cam Indoor Security Camera, which can actually send alerts to the tenant’s smartphone if motion is detected. It also allows them to talk to the person at the door with the two-way talking function, as well as the option to live stream. This is a great way to combat theft and will also provide an extra level of security, offering both students and parents reassurance.

Top Tip: Wondering which sort of security solution to invest in for your property? There are a ton of different shapes and sizes, with different features, dependent on what you need. Think about which points of your home might be the best suited to set up the devices, where you can conceal them if wanting them to be discreet, and what uses you will actually need.

Smart security cameras can get as expensive and extravagant as you see fit, but try not to go crazy with what you’re spending, as often you might not use all of the features. Nowadays, some of the higher-end premium models even have facial recognition software built into them, understanding who lives at the property and only alerting/triggering when there is a new or unwanted visitor. This can save a good amount of time typically spent trawling through footage only to find that its been sparked by a family member or pet.

Smart lighting

If you’re investing in student property, you need to consider how you can meet your tenant’s needs in terms of their bills, as well as environmental factors. One of the best ways to combat this issue is by implementing smart lighting in your property, as this is an eco-friendly feature which can also help tenants to lower their energy bills. There are different types of smart lighting, including smart lightbulbs which can be connected to a smartphone or tablet. This is ideal for students if they have forgotten to switch off their lights when rushing to a lecture, as they can turn them off from anywhere. The most popular type of smart lighting is automated lights. RW Invest has generated a significant amount of interest in their PBSAs by using this type of lighting, which only switches on when motion is detected, helping to improve their carbon footprint as well as their tenants.

Top Tip: If investing in smart-lighting in your property, make sure that you’re using it to its full potential, and getting the most out of the different features and functionalities. For instance, one of the most helpful things you can do with smart lights such as the Philips Hue series through smartphone control is setting up Schedules.

Lights can be set to turn on or off at certain points throughout the day, based around your tenant’s sleep pattern or work schedule, and you can even have them fade in or out to emulate natural sunlight during the sparse winter months.

Not only are these sorts of functions a great help in the busy lifestyle of a young professional or student tenant, but they’re the sort of things that make a property stand out from the rest, and so are worth looking into to bring your offering into the modern day.

What other facilities and trends to students favor?

High-tech fixtures and amenities are a huge bonus, and are popular amongst young people, but they’re not the only things they look for in the perfect home. Here’s a quick look at some of the other stuff they tend to gravitate towards:

• The prime location – Students moving to a new city to study at university will want to make sure that they’re as close to the action and social options as possible, so try to advertise your property’s proximity to the different universities and nightlife hotspots, and make a note of transport options for them too. This will help them to envisage living there.

• Affordability – Obviously having the most luxury apartment available will come at a price, but If you’re adding all these things in to your property only to then have to increase it’s value, consider what your target tenant might be able to afford, and gauge whether it’s worth it.

• Customization – Students like the ability to change and customize their own space in some way, and so providing them with a minimalist interior with shelves and wall space might be beneficial, while also saving you money on unnecessary furnishings in the process.