HomeKey Systems: Simplifying Home Management

Homeownership is the biggest investment most people make in their lifetime. Yet, many homeowners don’t properly maintain their homes because they are too busy, cannot locate the information they need or, simply don’t know-how.

To help such homeowners simplify their home management, Arizona-based HomeKey Systems has developed a comprehensive and easy to follow home care plan that eliminates the guesswork, puts maintenance on autopilot, and provides instant access to the information whenever and wherever they need. “When we created HomeKey, we did so as frustrated homeowners,” says Shane Ettestad, Co-founder and CEO. “We knew that there had to be an easier way to know exactly what was in our homes, and how to better maintain them.”

For that reason, HomeKey Systems created an “Intelligent home,” experience. “We are not a smart home device. We don’t control things in the home like a thermostat or door locks. Instead, we empower homeowners with information - we put everything they need to care for and maintain their home within the easy reach, 24/7,” says Ettestad. A HomeKey home, once activated, provides a customized maintenance plan and to-do calendar. The system educates and guides the homeowner in properly maintaining their home. Automatic reminders and product suggestions, through our SmartShop feature with Amazon, ensure each task is completed based on the exact items & materials in their unique home.

With such unparalleled capabilities, the company, today, on average tracks roughly 285 items in a standard new house. HomeKey uses this information to create comprehensive data, encompassing paint colors, fixtures, appliances, warranties, manuals, parts, and clean care items available to the owner.

Ettestad further points out that most buyers of newly constructed homes currently use archaic systems, such as a three-ring binder, to retain all the important information about a house. This binder is frequently opened during the new home walkthrough and then tossed into a closet. So, when questions about home care arise, homeowners immediately pick up the phone and call the home builders maintenance support lines rather than referring to the binder. The HomeKey app addresses such issues by providing users with quick access to all of the required information, helping reduce the number of calls made for such tiresome tasks.

A HomeKey home, once activated, provides a customized maintenance plan and to-do calendar. Home maintenance reminders are automatically provided based on the details of the property, its location, and the homeowner’s lifestyle. By integrating with Amazon, the company also includes components and cleaning care items, making it a one-stop-shop for all the necessary maintenance.

Did you know that you can extend the life of your water heater by draining it annually? A HomeKey homeowner knows. How about paint? Paint is a big pain point for homeowners. HomeKey tracks the brand and sheen in addition to the color swatch so that home owners can perform touch-ups without worry. When homeowners do repaint a room, add a water softeners or other appliance, they are easily able to update their home details in HomeKey.

As a result, when a house is sold, HomeKey’s scannable KeyCode allows the new homeowner to have a detailed record of the maintenance history and all pertinent facts of the home—from the beginning, like Carfax, but for the home. This information will be available to every homeowner, for the life of the home.

Ettestad is optimistic about future developments in the coming year as the company anticipates having numerous new contracts with major builders in place. From a product perspective, HomeKey intends to incorporate voice integration to make the systems smarter, allowing homeowners to simply make requests through Alexa and buy their desired products. In addition to voice integration, the company is working on improving the HomeKey experience by adding a functionality that tracks home improvements and manages home service professionals.