All of my neighbors and friends that spent $$$ putting speakers into walls back when Dolby Digital (5.1) was all the rage are now stuck trying to figure out how to upgrade to 7.1... a low-cost soundbar can do Atmos but they can't. Home intercom systems used to be HUGE but now its easier to just text your kids and tell them dinner is ready. I spent a ton of money running 2 CAT6 cables into every room of my house... but now I just use WiFi for everything.

Just make sure you put your money into things that can be easily upgraded when it comes to home tech.

Smart Thermostats are worth it (best feature: you can stop your kids from messing with them)

Smart Sprinkler systems are worth it (Rain Skip, seasonal programming, "Alexa.. turn on the sprinklers" when the neighbor's kid is playing on your lawn)

Smart Door locks are great.

Smart Lights are cool when done correctly. they can be a pain when done wrong.


I would focus on the things that build memories first...

I've always regretted not doing a Pool. My kids would always go over to friends to hang out at their pools, it would have been nice to be 'That home'.

2nd regret is not doing our sports court. We have a spot for it... never had it poured.

It's crazy how fast kids grow up. The best home upgrade you can do is going to be family-based.