Before You Buy or Sell a Home, Do These Things to Prevent Smart Devices From Doing Something Dumb

Published June 30, 2023

Rachel Cericola

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Smart-home devices are incomparable problem-solvers. They light up your empty home when you arrive, alert you to flooded basements, and even out the criminal who lets their dog soil your yard. But with great convenience comes great responsibility, and when it comes to buying or selling a home with smart-home devices, you need to take a few extra steps to ensure your privacy and security.

As a buyer, you should find out what smart devices may be tucked away in your new home. Otherwise, you could end up with a nonfunctioning security system, no control over a fancy thermostat, and smart locks that strangers can open with their key code.

And the reverse is true if you are the one selling your home. Before handing over your keys, you need to purge the smart devices of any personal data to provide the new owner with a fresh start.

The good news? Opting to install smart-home devices not only makes life more convenient for the household, but it’s a legitimate selling point. “The National Association of Realtors just did a Realtors and Sustainability Report (PDF) and found that 45% of respondents said that smart-home features were somewhat or very important to clients,” said Deanne M. Rymarowicz, associate counsel at the National Association of Realtors. “It’s definitely on buyers’ minds.”

Here are the steps to take whether you’re buying or selling a smart home.

Before your house is on the market, inventory your smart-home devices and decide what you want to take with you. “Regardless of whether it’s your grandmother’s chandelier or a high-tech feature that you’ve added to your home, if you plan to take it with you, remove it before you put it on the market,” said Rymarowicz. “If it’s in the home when it’s shown, there is a reasonable expectation that it would remain as part of the sale.”

You may be tempted to hold onto pricier items like smart thermostats, light dimmers, and smoke detectors, but those tend to be hardwired and so can be time-consuming or difficult to uninstall—it may be worth leaving them. If not, give yourself time to install replacements, which for some sellers may require professional help.

Tip: If you own security cameras, unplug them if possible, and if not, turn them off or cover them during home showings so potential buyers and agents know they aren’t being snooped on. Make your real estate agent aware that you have cameras in advance, so they can notify potential buyers.

Any smart devices you leave behind should be stripped of any personal information. Security systems, cameras, smart smoke detectors, and other devices may store a range of private or personal data—user names and email addresses, but also more revealing things like video clips—so it’s best to delete everything from any apps and accounts you have and then do a factory reset of the device, which is often detailed in the device’s companion app. And some security cameras may have memory cards that need to be formatted separately or removed.

One important caveat: Make sure to reset devices per the manufacturer’s instructions, because some devices may require special processes that, if ignored, may make the device useless or at least a big pain to set up again. For instance, Ring requires that you contact them before passing devices on to a new owner (or they will contact both the new and old owner during the setup process).

Similarly, Michael Sinclair, director of product management at Ecobee, cautioned that resetting a thermostat would erase heating and cooling (HVAC) system settings. “The new owner may want to temporarily keep the existing settings to maintain comfort during the move,” he said. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer.

Tip: Don’t assume that cancelling your internet service when you move will automatically disable your smart devices. While it may work for some devices, others may continue to function like a zombie, which could be troublesome. For instance, a smart sprinkler controller could continue to run on a schedule, security cameras may continue recording to a memory card, and a smoke detector may still work but won’t have the ability to be silenced through an app.

Do the neighborly thing and leave the new owners set up for success. “Just like leaving the owner’s manual for a stove, sellers should be providing this information to the buyers. Here’s the app, here’s the website, here’s how you hook it up—all of the information that a buyer needs to come into that home and intentionally and purposefully use those items, particularly if they’re major home systems,” said Rymarowicz.

Product manuals and packaging are a wonderful bonus, but at the least provide the buyer with a list of brand names and models so the new homeowner can get support or find info—including warranty help, if it’s transferable.

Whether you just bought a home or are looking, take note of things like smart thermostats, light switches, shades, smoke alarms, sprinklers, pool pumps, and sump pumps. And if you see any random gadgets stuck to windows, doors, drawers, and cabinets, those could be sensors left behind. Ask your realtor if any smart devices are in the home and whether or not they are included in the sale—and double-check your contract for exclusions.

Tip: When looking at a home, take note of any security cameras. Though it’s unlikely that they would be left behind, you could be being watched and listened to—by the seller.

Just because a device comes with the house doesn’t mean you need to use it. In fact, in some cases you might consider not using an inherited smart device simply because it may not be the best model for your needs. Before taking the time to set up a hand-me-down device, check Wirecutter for product reviews and bug issues, as well as the manufacturer’s website for security fixes and updates.

If you are hesitant about using a second-hand device, you might still be able to use it without enabling its smart features. Some models, such as some smart light switches, thermostats, in-wall smart outlets, smart locks, and window shades, can function like a traditional, non-smart device without having an internet connection.

Note though that sometimes using smart devices without enabling their smart features can be problematic. For instance if you have smart window shades in a window that is 8 feet tall, you may discover you're unable to reach the controls. Some smart sprinklers for an irrigation system may be limited in functionality without internet access and/or a subscription. In such cases, uninstall and start from scratch. If you have problems figuring out how to do that, it’s best to contact the manufacturer, who can provide step-by-step instructions on how to dismantle and dispose of smart-home devices.

If you’ve inherited smart devices that you think meet your needs, then you’ll still want to go through the process of setting them up anew. If you move into your home and there is an existing or shared network, the first thing you should do is change the network name and password so you are the only one who can access it.

Next, download apps and create new accounts for your various smart-home devices, with unique passwords for each. You should never repeat passwords and absolutely never use someone else’s login information.

Before using any devices, double-check that they have been been factory reset. “You want to have the administrator privileges to [these devices] so you’re in control of it, and have an assurance that the previous owner isn’t spying on you,” said Jason Hong, professor at the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University. If a home seller or landlord offers to give you a username and password, ask them to transfer ownership and then fully factory reset the devices.

Once all your devices are connected, confirm before you begin using your devices that no one else still has remote access them. You can typically find the ability to to share and unshare access in the Settings menu of the companion app.

Tip: Most smart-home systems are scalable, so if you’re missing a necessary piece, such as a hub or a sensor, you should be able to add a new one.

This article was edited by Jon Chase and Grant Clauser.

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