Earlier this year I wrote an article about “smart homes”. The idea of a smart home has changed how we see our living spaces. It brings technology to make our lives easier. But, there’s a debate if it really makes our lives better or just makes things more complicated.
For more than a decade, tech companies and real estate marketers have championed the dream of the fully automated home—a modern haven where voice-activated lights, smart thermostats, cameras, and sensors work together to create seamless comfort. But in 2025, a surprising trend emerged: a growing share of homeowners are stepping back from the smart home revolution.
The same technologies once celebrated for offering convenience and control are now prompting a wave of reassessment. As everyday life becomes more digitally saturated, many Americans are reconsidering what kind of home environment actually feels restful, intuitive, and secure.
Despite their futuristic promise, modern smart devices can feel overwhelming. They often require apps, updates, subscription fees, and a stable internet connection—elements that can turn simple tasks into complicated routines.
By contrast, traditional non-connected devices offer a kind of reliability that’s increasingly appealing. They work during power or Wi-Fi outages, aren’t susceptible to hacking, and rarely become obsolete due to software changes. A basic thermostat, for example, continues functioning regardless of internet connectivity—something many homeowners now see as an advantage rather than a limitation.
This shift is partially driven by digital fatigue. After years of living with listening devices, motion sensors, and screens in nearly every room, many people are finding the constant low-level presence of technology more stressful than soothing. For them, simplifying the home has become essential to restoring a sense of calm.
The cost of smart home living is another catalyst behind the movement. While the devices themselves can be expensive, the long-term financial burden is often greater: frequent software updates, inconsistent compatibility between brands, and short upgrade cycles all contribute to ongoing maintenance costs.
Real estate agents report that some buyers now actively avoid houses filled with smart gadgets, viewing them not as selling points but as potential headaches. A system that requires regular troubleshooting or replacement is increasingly seen as a liability, not an asset.
This reassessment isn’t limited to gadgets—it’s influencing how homes are designed. According to Zillow’s 2026 Home Trends Report, mentions of “reading nooks” in home listings have surged 48 percent over the past year. Zillow interprets this rise as evidence of a growing desire for spaces dedicated to “unplugged relaxation,” where screens and automation take a back seat to quiet, analog comfort.
Meanwhile, landline phones—once considered relics of the past—are making a modest comeback, especially among parents looking to curb children’s screen time. While far from mainstream, their reappearance reflects a broader cultural questioning of constant connectivity.
The retreat from smart technology is not universal. In dense urban markets, buyers still expect integrated tech systems and often view them as adding significant value. Convenience features like smart security systems or app-controlled locks continue to appeal to city dwellers whose lifestyles revolve around efficiency.
But in second-home and leisure markets, the opposite is true. Buyers of vacation properties frequently seek refuge from the digital noise of everyday life, valuing simplicity and low maintenance over automation. In these spaces, a “dumb home” is often the real luxury.
Perhaps the clearest example of the shift is in the bedroom—traditionally a space for rest but increasingly cluttered with screens and devices. Today, more homeowners are carving out electronics-free sleeping environments, motivated by concerns about sleep quality and mental well-being. For many, the ideal bedroom now includes no TVs, no voice assistants, and not even a phone charger within arm’s reach.
The movement away from high-tech living isn’t a rejection of innovation—it’s a recalibration. As technology continues to weave itself into nearly every aspect of daily life, homeowners are becoming more selective about where, when, and how they invite it in.
For some, the ultimate smart home is no longer the one packed with devices, but the one that offers something increasingly rare: clarity, calm, and the freedom to unplug.
This article was brought to you by Carrie Colby, a Broker with Allied Real Estate, 909 Roosevelt Trail in Windham. She can be reached at 207-232-5497. <
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