Apple HomeKit Offered to Residents of LA’s New Ontario Ranch Community

One of the best times to add home automation devices to a residence is while it’s being built. Homebuilders across the nation have started to embrace the trend toward smart home living, and have developed automation packages that buyers can roll into their mortgages. Buyers of homes constructed by Brookfield Residential in a new community “gigabit” community in Los Angeles, called Ontario Ranch, will have the opportunity, too, in the form of Apple HomeKit devices.

Initial HomeKit packages include a Lutron Caseta lighting system, Lutron Serena shades, Honeywell Lyric thermostats, and Schlage Sense locks. The packages are currently being demonstrated to potential home buyers of Ontario Ranch at Brookfield’s model homes. The roll-out of Apple HomeKit corresponds to the build out of the community; about 1,000 homes have been built currently, and will expand to approximately 47,000 homes over a 20-year period for up to 162,000 residents.

“At Brookfield Residential we offer home buyers the ability to customize their homes as part of our new home-design experience,” says Brookfield Residential California COO Adrian Foley. “One of the biggest innovative opportunities we see is the ability to offer technology that both adds joy and convenience and also makes a home more energy-efficient. Apple HomeKit, and the new Home app in iOS, embody those principles by offering a simple, secure, and convenient way to control home automation products.”

Home buyers will have the chance to select a complete package and Brookfield will install it prior to the move-in date. The systems will support voice control through Apple Siri, and the iOS 10 support means that homeowners will be able to control all of their smart devices without having to open up a specific app for each item—what once was a drawback of Apple HomeKit.

While HomeKit packages are an option, there is plenty of other technology included in the Brookfield Homes at Ontario Ranch as standard amenities, such as:

• LED lighting in the main living areas
• high-speed (Category 6) Ethernet wiring in the great room, kitchen, bonus room, and master bedroom
• USB outlet in the kitchen for an easy way to charge devices
• Multi-zone heating and cooling system with programmable thermostats

Homes sold by Brookfield measure around 3,500 square feet, include 4- bedrooms and sell from the low $500,000s to mid $500,000s.

Other builders offering Apple HomeKit as an optional upgrade include KB Home, Lennar Home, and R&F Properties. In addition to its model home at Ontario Ranch, Brookfield will also offer HomeKit at new neighborhoods in Irvine, Calif.