Global Scans · Homes · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: The number of smart homes is expected to grow further and by 2020 it is expected 46.2 million homes in the US and 44.9 million in Europe will be classed as smart homes. By 2022 there could be nearly 500 smart devices that can be connected to a smart home.

• [New] 2026 will see a drop in mortgage rates and an increase in median home prices. Rate
• [New] Reform would lower costs for households with or without solar or batteries, and some families could save up to $740 a year on their electricity bills by 2040. Ashurst
• [New] Britain's housing benefits bill is projected to reach a record £39bn as rents continue rising and housebuilding remains weak. CPA | The Credit Protection Association
• [New] US home sales rose by less than expected last month, as higher interest rates hit demand. The Guardian
• [New] People are worried that younger Australians are never going to get a crack at home ownership. 9News
• [New] The falling cost of home batteries could prove to be a gamechanger in 2026 by allowing customers to fill up when electricity is cheap, and power your home when it's expensive. The Guardian
• [New] The federal government committed $10bn through the Housing Australia Future Fund in 2023, promising to deliver 55,000 social and affordable homes by mid-2029. The Guardian
• [New] As many as 1.8m homes in England are close enough to green spaces to be at risk from wildfires. The Guardian
• [New] The national average home price is forecast to rise 1.5% on an annual basis to $688,955 in 2026, with virtually no growth in B.C., Alberta, and Ontario, and gains fading into the 2% to 5% range in other provinces. CREA
• [New] In 2027, national home sales are forecast to climb a further 2.1% to 485,071 units. CREA
• [New] Gas and electricity bills are expected to climb to an average of almost £2,000 a year for the average dual fuel bill from July, while households struggle to pay off record high debts totalling more than £4.5bn. The Guardian
• [New] Nearly 70% of households will own at least one Smart Device by 2026. 2026 Best Intelligent Device Innovations for Global Buy
• [New] In the U.S., a uniform national building code for manufactured homes (the HUD Code) is in place, and Australia is planning to implement a National Voluntary Certification Scheme for MMC manufacturers that will make meeting code requirements more straightforward. RBC
• [New] Private housing output, the largest construction subsector, is forecast to fall by 7% in 2026 and remain flat in 2027. Construction News
• [New] Patient Preference for Home-Based and Convenient Care Models Patient preference for home-based, convenient, and minimally disruptive care delivery in North America is driving voluntary adoption of remote monitoring programs among chronically ill and post-acute care populations. Mobility Foresights
• [New] As hospital-at-home programs scale and telehealth infrastructure matures, demand for connected monitoring devices and analytics platforms will strengthen across North America. Mobility Foresights
• [New] Millions of service members, veterans and military families could see their prescription drug costs drop significantly under a newly introduced bill aimed at extending Medicare-style drug price protections to other federal health programs. Newsweek
• [New] Energy codes will save U.S. homes and businesses $182 billion between 2010 and 2040. Energy.gov
• [New] Among licensed agents, 66% forecast an increase in Seoul-area home sale prices. Seoul Economic Daily
• [New] 2026 will be a big year for green living and smart houses. Sustainable Business Magazine

Last updated: 16 May 2026