Moving to NYC, One Home Assistant Integration at a Time

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:00:00 -0400

Moving internationally to New York City turns ordinary life into a very long setup wizard: commutes, school schedules, bank accounts, bills. Naturally, my response to having too many things to do was to give myself a software project.

How much of a smart home could I build without buying a house full of smart appliances?

It started with the question that mattered most at home (the “wife approval factor,” if you will): when should my wife leave for her train? School pickups, kitchen warnings, electricity, and finances followed, along with a second question: how much of Apple Wallet can I get without the Apple Card?

IOS on Golden Hex

Moving to NYC, One Home Assistant Integration at a Time