@himmelssohn Well, my current level of home automation is only lights and smart plugs right now (I'm renting too). More of a convenience factor than anything else.
I like having things all wired up for certain routines (outside lights going on at sunset/off at sunrise, changing to soft blue lights and dimming things in the evening, having my old-school component stereo system on a smart plug to make sure they're off at night, etc).