Homes Go High Tech, By Kristin Brown, Realtor, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Lexington, MA

LEXINGTON, Mass. - July 30, 2015 - PRLog -- The last couple of decades have seen enormous advances in the technology industry. From to smartphones to smart watches to smart cars, cutting-edge tech is everywhere we look. We're an increasingly computerized society with a demand to be wired for virtually everything. So why should the homes we live in be any different?

Homeowners are beginning to turn to technology to manage everything from environmental controls to security to entertainment. And early adopters have already incorporated innovative technologies and systems into their homes. Here are just a few of the recent advances:

•Smart kitchens. Modern kitchens are not only sleek and streamlined with stainless steel appliances, but many are beginning to incorporate the use of technology to simplify culinary tasks. Portals and docks for tablets and smartphones allow home cooks to access recipes from the Internet with a touch of a button. Touchless faucets provide an extra measure of sanitation and top-of-the-line refrigerators take stock of their own inventory and can notify you when it is time to head to the grocery store. Appliances equipped with WiFi can assist home cooks with monitoring cooking times and temperatures.

•Home environment and security. Leaving on vacation? If your home is wired for it, you just might be able to the lights on and off, alter temperature, and even manage your home surveillance remotely. So if you forgot to close the garage door or turn down the thermostat before leaving on vacation, no worries! Just use your smartphone to put everything in order back at home.

•Fun and games. These days, on-demand home entertainment allows homeowners to enjoy watching movies and playing video games without ever leaving home. Advanced connectivity means that you can use your wall-mounted flat screen to stream videos, play music from your personal library, and even display information from your computer. New TV sets are being built to incorporate 3D technology that is already available via certain networks. Zoned entertainment travels with you throughout your home, so you can move from room to room while continuing to watch television or listen to music without interruption.

•All of the extras. If you think that robotic vacuum cleaners and lawn mowers are the stuff of science fiction, think again. For the ultra tech-savvy, nanotechnology-driven air purification systems and whole-house lighting panels are just a couple of the most recent advances for the home. Smart glass changes from transparent to translucent, darkening your windows to provide the level of privacy you desire. And after this winter, everyone is going to be coveting the heated driveway system that melts snow and eliminates the need for hours of back-breaking snow removal.

With the world of high tech becoming accessible to the masses, science fiction is turning into reality. Who knows what innovations the next decade will bring into our homes? It would seem that we're limited only by the bounds of our imaginations.

Would you like to find out more? Visit www.lexingtonresidences.com for more information.