‘Alexa, open the blinds’: Virginia real estate firm to offer Amazon Alexa-enabled smart homes

Brookfield Residential, a real estate company based in Virginia, announced this week that it’s gearing up to begin offering brand new homes powered entirely by Amazon’s voice-activated platform, Alexa. Unveiled during AWS re:Invent 2016, Brookfield Residential’s Smart Home — as the firm is calling it — serves as the very first domestic home to feature a fully integrated voice-enabled automation platform once it hits the market. Headquartered in Virginia, the first batch of Alexa-enabled homes will launch in the Avendale housing community just outside Washington, D.C.

What’s particularly interesting about Brookfield’s venture into Alexa-enabled homes is how simple it will be for families to adopt cutting-edge home automation technology. Instead of researching the ins and outs of various smart home gadgets and devices, Brookfield does all the work for them. Furthermore, integrating this smart home tech with Amazon’s Alexa not only makes it an easy transition but one which doesn’t require a steep learning curve for entry.

Brookfield Residential

“This was the perfect venue, and we couldn’t be happier with the reaction,” said Brookfield’s division president, Robert Hubbell. “The developers are energized, and many already have great ideas for new technology that can be incorporated into the home. The best part about the Brookfield Residential Smart Home is that it will adapt as new technology appears. If the home buyer wants to incorporate the latest device in the months and years ahead, the home will immediately recognize it.”

Buyers of these innovative new Smart Homes can expect to operate a wide range of their home’s features with just their voice. From checking security camera footage and changing the thermostat, to unlocking the door, turning on the lights, or turning on their favorite music, Brookfield’s new houses are the definition of smart. Additionally, the company has included a series of custom actions which allow the homeowners to set skills and voice-enabled rules geared toward letting them tailor the home to their specific needs.

It’s unknown when exactly the first batch of Alexa-integrated homes will be available for purchase but considering the announcement boasted a clear path for what’s going to be offered, the Brookfield Residential Smart Home shouldn’t be terribly far off.