Changing Lights for Home Sale Prep

You want to sell your home, but did you know that the light colors you choose can make a difference in the eye of your potential buyer?

It’s all about the bulbs, and when it comes to lighting, there are four main things you’ll want to think about.

One: Do you have all the light bulbs in?

In the eye of the buyer, a missing light bulb can make your home look bad. For example, in a bathroom that calls for four or five lights in the bar at the top, even if you’re missing just one light bulb, it brings down the overall look of the room, and the home.

Do yourself a favor and fill in the gaps by purchasing new light bulbs and plugging them in where you need them.

Two: Are there any burnt out Light bulbs?

Similar to missing light bulbs, if you have any burnt out bulbs, your home just won’t look as nice. If you want to present your home at it’s best, then you’ll definitely want it to be well lit. Good lighting helps you show off your home, making it more desirable to potential buyers.

So make sure all of your bulbs are in good, working order.

Three: What type of color temperature do your light bulbs give off?

Is your lighting bright white, like the daylight imitating bulbs? Or, do they come with that warmer, yellowish tint?

You might be thinking, okay, color temperature… Why does anybody care?

Well, the thing is, the yellow lighting is going to give off a certain vibe, and the bright white/bluish tint is going to give off a different vibe.

To be clear, it doesn’t really matter which color temperature you pick. That’s completely up to you, your taste, and what you feel shows off your home in the best light (so to speak).

Four: Is the lighting in your home consistent?

What’s more important is that you try to be as consistent as possible. That way, when people are walking through your home, they feel the same vibe throughout the house.

For example, if most of your home has lighting in that bright white/bluish tint, but then the kitchen has a yellowish tint, the inconsistency could throw off your potential buyer.

Or, maybe you're trying to go for some kind of vintage look with those old-timey bulbs. That’s all well and good, unless you have cabinets that do better in the bright white/bluish tint. For instance, bright white cabinets might actually look older and dirtier because of that yellow tint. At the end of the day, they just don’t really go well together.

Plus, if the rest of the home is lit with bright light bulbs, the transition into the yellow lighting can be hard on the eyes and make it difficult for a potential buyer to appreciate your kitchen. People likely won’t be staying in your home long enough for their eyes to adjust, so try to be as consistent as possible and pick one kind of color temperature.

The Bottom Line

If you do have an area that has something different, it's not the end of the world. At the very least try not to mix and match in the same room.

So, make sure every light in your home has a bulb in it, make sure all the bulbs work, pay attention to the color temperature of your bulbs, and try to be consistent. That’s all there is to it!

Just like the rest of this process, taking the extra time to consider details, like the color of your lighting, is going to help you sell your home faster and for a better price. Visit our blog for more tips, tricks and good ideas for selling your home, or get started with the home selling process by connecting with one of our realtors today.