Perrie & Associates

You know about Amazon Echo, the Roomba, and you may have even heard of the Nest - but did you know there's a robot to mow your lawn and a way to measure the amount of energy you use in your home? There's seemingly endless opportunities today to make your house a smart home, and there's technology available for practically every room in the house. In fact, Amazon recently announced their plans to create an entire smart community  in Cumming with homes that allow owners to be completely hands-free and live more conveniently. Using smart-home products allows homeowners to not only use their utilities more easily and comfortably, but they can also be major money savers. Most smart technology aims at being more efficient at managing a home's utilities, optimizing their use. Home automation can also improve the safety of a home with improved video surveillance, As these smart-home products become more commonplace, their costs have come down to be more convenient an

As the start of summer and the end of school looms near, many families are preparing to pack up and move to a new home. While parents may be excited about the new possibilities a new house offers, some children may be feeling sad to leave their friends and comforts of home behind. It's important for parents to prepare their children for a change, and even real estate agents can help play a part in getting kids ready for the transition. One of the most important things to remember when moving with kids is to communicate. Involving them in the process and keeping them updated will help them to better understand what is happening. Young children may not understand the reasons for moving such as a new job or a larger home; it's easy for them to focus on what all they will no longer have. Instead, show them what all the new home has to offer, whether that be a bigger bedroom, a fun basement, a pool, or a big backyard. If you can, try to take them to the new home before they