{"id":5425,"date":"2013-03-12T05:00:13","date_gmt":"2013-03-12T12:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/?p=5425"},"modified":"2013-03-05T15:47:27","modified_gmt":"2013-03-05T23:47:27","slug":"the-future-is-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/the-future-is-now\/","title":{"rendered":"The Future Is Now"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Walter<\/a>
Image via SmithsonianMag.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Editors’ note: Geneva Ives is the marketing writer for Point2<\/a>, a leading provider of online marketing solutions for real estate professionals, including custom websites, syndication tools and prospecting utilities. She will be contributing technology-oriented real estate interest posts to The Balance Sheet.<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s no secret that the team at Point2 is a little home obsessed. We\u2019ve been providing real estate marketing services for over a decade now; it\u2019s fair to say we\u2019ve seen a lot of properties (and housing trends) in that time.<\/p>\n

We recently encountered this house-centric blog post on Smithsonian.com<\/a> that features video clips from the long-canceled CBS weekly documentary program entitled \u201cThe 21st<\/sup> Century.\u201d The episode in question originally premiered on March 12, 1967. In it our host, legendary news anchor Walter Cronkite, escorts us around a vision of the single family home in the year 2001. Modern marvels abound \u2013 inflatable furniture, multicolored plastics, illuminated speakers. It\u2019s a wonderland inspired by rapid advances in technology.<\/p>\n

That got us thinking: holy moly, the future is now! Decades past had such high aspirations for the year 2000 and beyond. Are we living up to the hype?<\/p>\n

To address this question, we decided to take a look at three specific rooms in the homes of today. How do they compare to their counterparts in homes of the 1960s? And how do they compare and contrast with the futuristic visions previewed by Mr. Cronkite?<\/p>\n

The Kitchen<\/strong><\/p>\n

1960s Trends:<\/strong> According to back issues of House Beautiful<\/a>, contemporary eat-in kitchens celebrated saturated colors and wood cabinetry.<\/p>\n

\"Walter<\/a>
Inage via Smithsonianmag.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

21st<\/sup> Century Predictions:<\/strong> The CBS writers of the day posited that we would enjoy irradiated foods, automated meal preparation and dishes that are molded on the spot in the 21st<\/sup> century. Clean up would be a snap. Dirty plates, complete with leftovers, would be melted down at the end of the day.<\/p>\n

Actuality: <\/strong>While robot chefs and melting dishware aren\u2019t reality yet, we can always hope. Irradiated food \u2013 a process in which food is dosed with radiation for a variety of reasons, including to slow decay \u2013 was already being tested in the US at the time of initial broadcast and became widespread in the 1980s. You might not realize it, but many items you buy at the grocery store today may be irradiated. What modern kitchen convenience can we claim that wasn\u2019t featured in this video? A refrigerator that dispenses chilled soda water<\/a>. The cocktail culture of the 1960s would have been jealous.<\/p>\n

The Living Room<\/strong><\/p>\n

1960s Trends:<\/strong> Horizontal lines, wood paneling and easy-care aka synthetic fabrics welcomed modern families throughout that decade.<\/p>\n

21st<\/sup> Century Predictions:<\/strong> Cronkite\u2019s 2001 living room, conceived by Philco-Ford and designed byPaul McCobb, boasted a big screen 3D television, globe-like speakers that fill the room with stereophonic sound and a credenza-sized control center to operate it all.<\/p>\n

Actuality: <\/strong>Although 3D TVs weren\u2019t readily available in 2001, you can now buy them for around $500. <\/strong>And fortunately, today\u2019s control panel doesn\u2019t require nearly as much space; your entire entertainment system can be controlled from your tablet or smartphone. But the video did make us wonder:\u00a0 has anyone made those drool-worthy spherical speakers yet? A quick internet search turned up only one with a similar look: the Grundig Audiorama 9000<\/a>, a round speaker with a cult-following that can be suspended from the ceiling and was introduced in (wait for it) the 1970s. Recently updated and re-released, these speakers, unfortunately, do not light up.<\/p>\n

The Home Office<\/strong><\/p>\n

1960s Trends:<\/strong> Um\u2026 maybe desks? Home offices were in their infancy back then, with more emphasis placed on dens and studies.<\/p>\n

21st<\/sup> Century Predictions:<\/strong> Normal business activities will be carried out without needing to leave your house. Three different screens will allow you to check the weather, video-conference and watch home surveillance cameras. The news is delivered via satellite to a monitor with a large format printer.<\/p>\n

Actuality: <\/strong>The home offices of 2013 are light years ahead of even the loftiest visions for 2001. We can do all of the above and then some using a single computer or, even more remarkable, the phone in our pocket. According to The State of Telework in the U.S.<\/em><\/a>, a report from October of 2012, an estimated 3.1 million employees work from home, and that number is growing. Our home offices are rapidly becoming our primary offices.<\/p>\n

When \u201cThe 21st<\/sup> Century\u201d first aired, the house of 2001 probably seemed farfetched to viewers. In retrospect, we have realized and even surpassed many of their seemingly optimistic forecasts. So we\u2019re ready to start looking ahead and set our sights on, say, 2050. What do you hope the future holds for the homes of the future? Maybe a little something like this<\/a>? We\u2019ll watch the real estate listings for you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Editors’ note: Geneva Ives is the marketing writer for Point2, a leading provider of online marketing solutions for real estate professionals, including custom websites, syndication tools and prospecting utilities. She will be contributing technology-oriented real estate interest posts to The Balance Sheet. It\u2019s no secret that the team at Point2 is a little home obsessed. 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