Yard Light Path

Lighting the Home to Sell

Moving is tough. Not only do you have to deal with the emotional stress of leaving a home, but you have to deal with the physical stress of getting your house ready to sell. The housing market is terrible. And on top of a bad market, getting the home ready to sell is practically a death sentence. I remember when my family moved, we had to do some major demolition projects to make sure our home looked modern and inviting. One of the things we learned when updating our home is the importance of lighting. Lights are actually one of the biggest and simplest tricks to selling your home.

Adequate lighting in your home is key to selling. Lighting can have a strong influence over whether or not the buyer will like your home, and can see themselves in it. Too little light makes the home seem gloomy, dirty, and small. However, too much light is overwhelming and gives the my-house-is-a-sports-arena type of look. The key to appropriately lighting your home is balance. The right balance of light can help create a clean, inviting, warm home that your buyer will be able to picture them self in.

Use the Natural Light

Before you even look at any fixtures in your home, take a look at your natural light potential. Open up all the windows, blinds, and draw the curtains back. Look to see if there are any tame-able tree branches that are providing too much shade. Cut a few branches back if you could potentially get more light in the home. However, don't sacrifice your outer curb appeal—use your judgment on what looks right. Another trick with the windows is to replace heavy, dark, dramatic drapes with lightweight and sheer curtains. Also make sure you clean your windows. Dirt can obstruct the amount of light getting into your home.

Check Existing Light Fixtures

Take a look around your home. Make note of light fixtures that are dirty, cracked, or broken. Don't forget about light switches. If the light switch is cracked, this is a quick, painless, and cheap update you can do yourself. Simply take the switch off, and replace it with a new, clean one. If you have any bulbs that are dirty, you might want to replace them with new ones. Dirty light bulbs make the whole room look grimy and depressing.

Replace Outdated Fixtures

Light fixtures can often be the focal point of the room. If the fixture is old, it's a good idea to replace it with a more modern one. You don't have to spend a lot of money on a new one—it can even be less expensive than the existing one. Just make sure it's modern. Modern means versatility for your potential buyer.

Floor Lamps

Although these lamps are great for adding a little boost of light, they can sometimes clutter a room. Instead of having the light on the ground, see if you can add a ceiling mounted light. If this isn't an option, try to minimize the amount of floor lamps you have, and take out excess fixtures that you don't need.

 Bathroom and Kitchen Lighting

Bathroom and kitchen lighting are the most important lights in your home. Buyers want a clean and open space in these rooms. Make sure your lights in the bathroom are bright enough for a woman to do her hair and make-up. Bathrooms probably need the most light in the house. Also make sure that the light complements the mirrors. You don't want a overwhelming glare, or blinding light shining off the mirror.

 Kitchens also need a lot of light. Kitchens are an easy way to use lights as décor for fairly cheap. Use of pendant lights can bring color and style into your kitchen, as well as a little extra light. Under-cabinet lights are also a great addition. Under-cabinet lights will show off your counters—but make sure the counters are clean!

Pay Attention to Detail

Look around your home and see where you may need a little more light. Pendants are easy to add anywhere in the home. LED lights can also help light up rooms like the kitchen, and are very energy efficient. Just pay close attention to detail.

Exterior Lighting

If you don't have any exterior lighting—get some! Chances are a potential buyer will be driving past your home to get a feel for the "night life" in your neighborhood. Make sure your house is well lit; but make sure it isn't lit up like a theme park. Some easy outdoor lights are path lights and flood lights. Path lights can add curb appeal to your pathway or garden. Flood lights can be used to illuminate the best areas of interest in your yard. Using flood lights, you can illuminate your favorite tree, a fountain, or a statue.

Ready, Set, Sell!

A common misconception is that you have to spend thousands and thousands of dollars on updating your home while preparing to sell. However, keep in mind that just buying a few replacement lights can change the aesthetics of the home completely. There's no need to spend a lot of money. After all, the buyer just needs to be able to picture them self in the home.

About the Author

If you're interested in learning more about lighting to sell your home, let us at 1STOPlighting help. We are the lighting experts. 

Garden Gnomes Gone Evil