How to Use Lighting to Increase the Selling Price of Your Home
When you’re selling your home, many factors can affect whether it sits on the market for weeks or receives multiple offers right away. Everything from location to condition can affect the speed of sale and the final price, and you can’t always control it all.
One thing you can control—at least to some extent—is the lighting in your home . “In my experience, buyers don’t just buy square footage; they’re buying a feeling,” says Jonathan Ayala, a real estate agent with Hudson Condos in New Jersey. “And lighting is a subtle but powerful way to have that impact. It’s the difference between a buyer’s perception of ‘this space needs work'” and “I can see myself living here.”
How your home is lit can have a big impact on how quickly it sells, as well as the price you get for it. Here are five factors to think about to improve the lighting in your home.
Choose the right light bulbs
Each light bulb in your home is defined by three dimensions: watts (the amount of energy used), lumens (brightness), and kelvins (color temperature). When it comes to impressing home buyers, you should focus mainly on lumens and kelvins. Bulbs with a brightness of at least 800 lumens are best for giving your home a bright, open feel, and you can go up to 2,000 lumens if your home doesn’t have enough natural light or you’re just feeling a bit dark.
Color temperature is equally important. For reference: the sun at midday on a clear day has a color temperature of about 5000-6000K. “Lighting affects both how large and how welcoming a home appears,” notes Ayala. “About two or three years ago, I built a three-bedroom ranch house that looked thick and outdated on the inside. The original owner [installed] heavy drapes and low wattage light bulbs. Before I even put up the for sale sign in the front yard, I had the seller replace all the light bulbs with LED daytime running lights (about 5,000K). The change was dramatic: from a dark, cavernous living room, the house [became] bright, clean and modern.”
Within a week, the house received multiple offers and sold for more than $25,000 over asking price. “I don’t think this would have happened without those simple lighting upgrades,” Alaia said.
In general, it’s best to choose lamps with a higher color temperature in the “public” areas of the home, such as the kitchen or living room, and warmer, cooler temperatures in the bedrooms to give them a cozy feel. Temperatures in the 2400-2700K range can cause a white kitchen or furniture to yellow, making the space look old and worn, so choose carefully.
“You also have to consider the direction of the lighting,” notes Ayala. “Backlighting can highlight architectural features, accent lighting can draw attention to artwork, and ambient lighting can warm up a room—every little detail matters when preparing a home for sale.”
“Great lighting makes a space more functional,” adds Beau Belmont, real estate investor and founder and CEO of Belwood Investments. “For example, lighting above the sink or kitchen counter can make working in these areas easier. A well-lit entryway can also make shoppers feel safer and more secure.”
Keep your style consistent
Lighting is not only light, but also lamps . Old light fixtures that are showing their age will make the space look dated, even if the light itself is on. Simply updating fixtures without considering the overall style of the home won’t be effective: If your home has a modern, minimalist feel and you install ornate brass fixtures, they may appear old to buyers due to the contrast, while installing modern fixtures in a home with a rustic-chic vibe may look cheap.
First impressions matter
Omer Reiner is a realtor with FL Cash Buyer’s in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., warns not to forget about outdoor lighting. “If a potential buyer drives up and can’t make out the house number because the light is dim, they’ll immediately become tense before they even step inside.” Ensure that outdoor lighting is installed, in working order, of sufficient brightness and directed correctly.
This extends to the hall or hallway . A bright exterior feels welcoming, unless the front door leads into a dark, dark space. Lighting can either lift buyers’ spirits when they enter a home or give them a sense of foreboding, so make sure they get inside without using their phone as a flashlight.
Enhance Natural Light
When thinking about lighting your home, don’t forget the most obvious aspect: natural light . “Natural light is the most valuable,” says Alexey Morgado, a Florida realtor and CEO and founder of Lexawise Real Estate Training. “This helps make the space feel larger and more inviting. Maximizing natural light in your home can be an expensive renovation project, but a few simple tricks include opening curtains and blinds before and during shows, keeping windows clean to allow light in, and trimming exterior foliage that may block sunlight.”
You should also think about window treatments: while open curtains or blinds can let light in, heavy, light-blocking curtains will always darken a room a little. Lighter materials allow more light to pass through and promote a feeling of lightness in terms of weight and style.
Keep them in working order
Finally, all the good decisions will be in vain if you do not perform proper maintenance and care of your lighting. If you plan to show your home to potential buyers, inspect it and:
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Look for burnt out light bulbs. Burnt out light bulbs are not always obvious when you live at home (especially when they are part of track lighting or backlit decorations). Burnt-out light bulbs create a dilapidated feel and also slightly darken the space, which directly contradicts your efforts.
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Check for broken fasteners. Cracked, stained, or crooked fixtures will attract attention and make buyers think there are other, less obvious problems with the home. Flickering lights or sparking appliances should be repaired immediately for obvious reasons).
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Make sure everything is level. If you’ve set up your lighting to highlight certain details, make sure they don’t drift.