Nothing is probably more inviting than a home with a "welcome" mode. While this may not be fully possible when looking for an apartment in the MA or NY area, there are tech features which renters must consider to achieve the mood.
Thermostats and smart smoke detectors, integrated docking stations, as well as smart appliances, are all excellent extra features, on top of a good cellular signal and Wi-Fi connection. Here are a few of the homey must-haves that you should be looking for:
Portals
Complaining about a leaky faucet should not happen anymore in this day and age. Companies like Buildium and Propertyware have mobile-friendly communities which tenants could participate in, should they need maintenance services and even in rent paying. Residents can get in touch with property managers for real-time updates regarding repairs and mails.
Electric Outlets
Take note of the number of outlets each of the rooms have. Is the number enough? Are they positioned conveniently? Are they compatible with the gadgets that you have? In older apartments, outlets are sparse. Worse, it still has two-prong outlets which are not safe for gadgets anymore. Since no one wants to fry laptops in the middle of lightning, it may be worth testing outlets to check if those are grounded or not.
Wi-Fi
People have come to rely on Internet connections for almost everything. Since most have replaced television units with Netflix and Hulu, the need for a stable, secure, and fast connection has never been this strong. Ask the landlord about the Wi-Fi status. Is there high-speed service? Is it DSL or cable?
Car Charging Station
Does the family have an electric car? Or are you planning to have one? A car charging station where you could plug an on-board charger is vital. When you do not have a car charging station however, you may make use of hybrid services such as Zipcar or Car2Go. It is also important to check if the area has a dedicated parking.