Smart Home Features Buyers Want Today
Ask homebuyers in Mumbai what they want beyond location and carpet area, and a new answer keeps coming up: intelligence. India’s smart home market has grown into a USD 6.7 billion industry in 2026 and is projected to nearly quadruple by 2031. From door locks that recognise your fingerprint to ACs you switch on from the highway, smart features have moved from luxury showpieces to practical expectations. Here’s what today’s buyers actually ask for — with the numbers behind the trend.
Quick Answer: The smart home features Indian buyers want most in 2026 are smart door locks and video door phones (security is 36% of all smart-device demand), app-controlled lighting and ACs, energy monitoring, and safety sensors — supported by smart-ready wiring and whole-home Wi-Fi infrastructure built in at construction stage.
Key Takeaways
- India’s smart home market: USD 6.71 billion in 2026 → USD 24.1 billion by 2031 (29.12% CAGR, Mordor Intelligence).
- Security devices lead with ~36% of demand; energy & climate control is the fastest-growing category (~30% CAGR).
- Basic automation costs a small fraction of the flat’s price; smart-ready wiring at construction stage beats retrofitting.
- A well-constructed home — sound electricals, network conduits, VDP provision — is the real foundation of a smart home.
1. Security First: Smart Locks and Video Door Phones
Security is the single largest driver of smart home adoption in India — security and surveillance devices account for about 36% of the country’s smart-device demand (Mordor Intelligence, 2025). For Mumbai families the appeal is practical: smart door locks with PIN, fingerprint or app access end spare-key anxiety; video door phones let you see and speak to visitors from the flat or from the office; and societies with gated access and CCTV-monitored lobbies command a visible premium in resale conversations.
2. App-Controlled Lighting and Climate: The Fastest-Growing Category
Energy and climate control is India’s fastest-growing smart home segment, expanding at nearly 30% a year. The reason is on every electricity bill: air-conditioning dominates household power use in Mumbai’s climate, and app-controlled ACs, schedulable lighting and smart plugs let families cut consumption without cutting comfort — switching everything off from bed, pre-cooling a room before arriving, or making the house look occupied while travelling.
3. Safety Sensors: The Quiet Guardians
Gas-leak detectors in the kitchen, smoke sensors, and water-leak alerts near geysers and washing machines cost a few thousand rupees each and prevent the accidents families fear most. In high-rise living, minutes matter — which is why these sensors are quickly becoming standard specification in well-designed new homes rather than optional add-ons.
4. Smart Energy Management
Smart meters and plugs show exactly where your units go — which ageing appliance is guzzling power, what the AC actually costs per night. With domestic power tariffs rising and appliance star-ratings tightening, buyers increasingly ask about energy-efficient fixtures, LED-first lighting design and inverter-ready wiring — both to trim bills and to live more sustainably. (Read our guide to eco-friendly living in urban Mumbai.)
5. Connectivity Infrastructure: The Feature Behind the Features
A smart home is only as good as its network. Discerning buyers now check for concealed conduits for fibre broadband, router points positioned for whole-home Wi-Fi, and adequate power points in every room — details that are inexpensive to build in during construction and disruptive to retrofit. This is where a well-constructed home proves its worth: quality electrical work is the invisible foundation of every visible smart feature.
6. What This Means for Homebuyers
You don’t need a gadget-stuffed flat — you need a home whose bones support the technology you’ll add over the years: sound wiring, video door phone provision, good network infrastructure and a society that invests in common-area security. India’s smart home market is set to nearly quadruple by 2031; choose the right foundation, and your home gets smarter every year you live in it.
Looking for a 2 or 3 BHK flat in Mulund West? Horizon Promoters India Ltd has been building quality homes exclusively in Mulund West for over a decade. Explore our projects — Horizon Garden View (Dr. Ambedkar Road), Horizon Atulya and Horizon Nitya (Valji Ladha Road) — or speak to our team for a site visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What smart home features add the most value to a flat in India?
Smart door locks, video door phones, app-controlled lighting and air-conditioning, smart energy meters and safety sensors (gas leak, smoke, water leak) add the most daily value and resale appeal. Security devices alone account for about 36% of India's smart home demand.
How big is the smart home market in India?
India's smart home market is valued at approximately USD 6.7 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach USD 24.1 billion by 2031, growing at about 29% annually (Mordor Intelligence).
Do smart homes cost a lot more in Mumbai?
No. Entry-level automation — a smart lock, video door phone, smart lighting and plugs — typically costs ₹50,000–1.5 lakh, a small fraction of a Mumbai flat's price. Many new projects include smart-ready wiring by default.
Is a smart-ready home better than retrofitting an old flat?
Yes. Homes built with concealed smart-ready wiring, quality electrical infrastructure and video door phone provision make automation cheaper, cleaner and more reliable than retrofitting an older building.
Which smart home category is growing fastest in India?
Energy and climate control devices — smart ACs, thermostats and energy monitors — are the fastest-growing category at roughly 30% CAGR, driven by rising power costs and hot summers.