Real Estate Agent · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2017 · 224 posts · 201 votes
I just recently closed on a property in Colorado Springs with a single family home on the front lot which we are going to use for a long term rental. We are currently converting the 1200 sq foot space above the 3 car detached garage into a 2/2 which I plan to do short term rentals out of. Doing a ton of research and getting a lot of conflicting advice on the best smart locks to use. It looks like both Schlage and August have locks that coordinate with your Airbnb calendar. Does anyone on here use either of those? Feedback or other suggestions? I want to automate as much as possible.
Hi, @Robin Searle I have used both Schlage and August and must say Lockstate currently beats all products on the market and is the first smart wifi lock or product for that matter, that got officially promoted and supported by Airbnb and the channel management solution Beds24.
I use Lockstate in all our rentals in Germany, Tuscany, and USA. They work so well, that I became an exclusive distributor for many European countries to spread the good news ;-)
Hi, @Robin Searle I have used both Schlage and August and must say Lockstate currently beats all products on the market and is the first smart wifi lock or product for that matter, that got officially promoted and supported by Airbnb and the channel management solution Beds24.
I use Lockstate in all our rentals in Germany, Tuscany, and USA. They work so well, that I became an exclusive distributor for many European countries to spread the good news ;-)
Kudos to @Ken Breeze, I'd have to agree with him. I haven't personally used Lockstate on any properties, but have spoken at length with their reps and know that they have a high quality product. They're especially well-suited for use with Airbnb now that they can be directly integrated.
Another quality lock is the 660i by dormakaba that's designed for vacation rentals. Completely wireless and can be monitored/controlled from online. Also weather-proof and meets all hospitality security requirements. Just installed 10 on a project in Lubbock, and their customer service and technical support has been unmatched.
Hi Robin! Nice to see a post from you. I just installed an August. Know that you need the wifi bridge, and if your guests are not willing to install an app just to open the door, you'll also need the keypad. These are sold seperately. I do like that August works with existing deadbolts (mostly) so you don't need to rekey and doesn't appear to be a smart lock from the outside.
I am about to install either a Resortlock or a Schlage 916. Feel free to touch base with me and I'll share what I learn.
@Tim Thornton@Robin Searle I have been doing a lot of research on this. The problem with August locks (for me anyway) is that you can't expect your STR guests to install an app just to open the door. I'd be irritated I were them. Plus, what if they forget to install the app in advance and when they arrive there is no cellular signal? Or their phone battery is dead? Or the kids want to open the door but don't have a smartphone? Or they are elderly and can't figure it out (or just don't want to)? I hear there is a keypad but I found a lot of complaints about it being unreliable. I also read a complaint that the AirBNB integration does NOT extend to keypad codes, the integration only works for users who use the app. But I can't say for sure that is the case.
RemoteLock (made by LockState) is the only lock I could find that supports full integration with both AirBNB and VRBO. To me, integration is useless unless it works perfectly, and with all listing sites. Although I like the idea of guests being automatically emailed a unique door code, I wonder how well it will work in practice. If a guest is emailed a code when they book, will they be able to find it in their email box 3 months later when standing outside the rental? To me, it would only be of use if it automatically sends a reminder a day or two before the arrival date. Preferably also a text message an hour before check-in. The other thing is those locks use a "heartbeat timer" to save battery. So they wake up once an hour or whatever, to check in and get new codes from the internet. So that means you can't remotely unlock the door on demand - you have to wait until the heartbeat timer wakes the door up. Finally, I want a remote thermostat, security cameras, maybe light controls too --- so I'm thinking of a SmartThings, Wink2, or Nexia home automation option with a Schlage or Kwikset z-wave compatible lock. (FYI -- I don't have a RemoteLock. Everything I said is based on research not experience)
RemoteLock (made by LockState) is the only lock I could find that supports full integration with both AirBNB and VRBO. To me, integration is useless unless it works perfectly, and with all listing sites. Although I like the idea of guests being automatically emailed a unique door code, I wonder how well it will work in practice. If a guest is emailed a code when they book, will they be able to find it in their email box 3 months later when standing outside the rental? To me, it would only be of use if it automatically sends a reminder a day or two before the arrival date. Preferably also a text message an hour before check-in. The other thing is those locks use a "heartbeat timer" to save battery. So they wake up once an hour or whatever, to check in and get new codes from the internet. So that means you can't remotely unlock the door on demand - you have to wait until the heartbeat timer wakes the door up. Finally, I want a remote thermostat, security cameras, maybe light controls too --- so I'm thinking of a SmartThings, Wink2, or Nexia home automation option with a Schlage or Kwikset z-wave compatible lock. (FYI -- I don't have a RemoteLock. Everything I said is based on research not experience)
I still use a standard lockbox and the batteries never die and there is not much Murphy's law can do with it. I do use wifi thermostats which I love. I use the Honeywell 9000 color touchscreen and have one for each heatpump. I use a more commercial camera system. It uses Digital Watchdog software and cameras with POE (Power over Ethernet) no batteries to die at the wrong time. You can get cheap to really nice cameras. I have a couple exterior cameras that have zoom and motion detection. Software is installed on a $300 laptop that does pretty well.
Thank you all for the great input! Just starting to research and the amount of options is overwhelming! @Luke Carl I did a rent analysis and I can get $1100 a month for the single family and not a ton more as a short term rental. I decided to have it be my stable income producer as rentals are in huge demand here right now. Plus we are looking at some serious money to decorate and furnish the 2/2 above the garage so I'd like to avoid that on the single family for now at least. Not sure yet when we'll finish the studio or whether we'll short or long term that.
Tim Thornton I looked at AirDNA but have read various opinions about the accuracy of that so I also spent time looking at other short term rentals on the west side and talking with a good friend and fellow agent who has a fourplex she does short term rentals with nearby.
hey a follow up question for those whose use last costar/remote locks: is there a monthly payment for the web interface that allows you to remotely program them? How much?
@Tim Thornton thanks for reaching out to me on a PM, which inspired me to add more of what I know on this topic.
Just a reminder that I speak here not to tout a company's toys but as a passionate traveler and host with a knack for tech that actually works and makes our lives easier. The reason I became a European distributor of this product after searching long, wide and far. This doesn't mean I will not praise where praise is due. That said...
Yes, you will need a WiFi set up to control the lock at your location and a very cheap subscription if you want to control the locks remotely (you don't have to).
One of the many reasons I chose Lockstate is that it has redundant solutions:
Real physical key (if all fails)
Keypad (stand-alone solution)
Remote App (not really a good idea - anywhere)
Together these provide 100% guarantee that I don't have to drive down to my Tuscan villa in the middle of the night to open the door for guest I can't make happy anymore :-(
The real physical key solution allows me to provide guests the keys in a nearby lockbox when all else fails. This way I never need to worry.
The battery-powered keypad is absolutely vital should wifi, internet or apps fail. And as we all know, they do from time to time.
The App is great but I'm with @Tim Schroeder on this one, too many things can go wrong and at the end of the day, we need to be able to use common sense in getting into a door.@Tim Schroeder
In terms of surveillance and privacy keep in mind that none of us like to be watched by our host or Big Brother 24/7/365 - because they can and they do. In Europe, where 440 million people live and travel, it's illegal to install or operate audio or video surveillance devices when hosting your own dwelling or in public. You can't even have a camera facing the street (like at the main front door for example) without a special exemption since it infringes on people's privacy.
It's hard to say where the smart lock journey is going but the company that stays flexible and evolves to create the most compatible, easy to install, maintain and use solution, will be around in years to come. Lockstate is partnering with competition and other related business in this space to stay ahead of the game. Because eager China and hungry India are not just catching up, they're kicking our complacent American/European butts.
Yes, you will need a WiFi set up to control your lock at your location and a (cheap) subscription to control the locks remotely, but you don't have to.
I wish I could help you out more and do some business with all you passionate travelers and hosts, but I am a distributor for European countries at the time, not the USA. For pricing, services and other questions, feel free to go to their website or give them a call.
@Robin Searle I've used Schlage. Works great as a standalone product. I'm moving all rentals over to home automation so will be going with Yale so I can control the locks, garage door, pool heater, lights all from my computer.
@Robin Searle I've used Schlage. Works great as a standalone product. I'm moving all rentals over to home automation so will be going with Yale so I can control the locks, garage door, pool heater, lights all from my computer.
My new vacation cabin's electric bill runs $600/month. Adding a Samsung SmartThings hub (Wink2, Nexia, and Vera are also good) plus occupancy sensors, door lock, smart lights, and smart thermostats should pay for itself in a couple of months. Plus, it's cool.
Great info @Ken Breeze. A couple follow up questions:
Do lockstate locks require a wifi bridge or hub? Or do they talk directly to my router?
Exactly what is the pricing structure for the subscription? There seems to be no info on this publicly available.
I did reach out to your colleagues in Denver with these questions two days ago by phone, then yesterday by email but have yet to hear back.
Your WiFi and your router are one and the same box these days. Lockstate connects to WiFi and your router to the Internet. Some of the other types use z-wave or zigbee, which require a z-wave or zigbee hub. The disadvantage of these is the hub. But the advantage is you can link up many other devices like occupancy sensors, thermostats, light bulbs, electrical socket controllers, security cameras, and much more. They also use a lot less power than WiFi locks.
I'm still deciding but here is my brief summary:
If you just want a smart lock and keep it as simple as possible, go with Lockstate. They also have ABB/VRBO integration with auto code generation (I personally don't like this because guests will need to be reminded of the code and I don't believe it sends reminders). You can also add a thermostat too.
If you want to get all techy with smarthome integration, occupancy sensors, lights and all that, get a z-wave or zigbee compatible system.