Enlightenment: How to choose (and shop for) home lighting when preparing your home for sale

Home Lighting by Ruth Alexander

When preparing to list a client’s home I have a few non-negotiable housekeeping items that should be addressed, not only for picture day, but for the buyer’s experience during SHOWINGS. 

One of the most profound ways to show off your home in its best light is to (you guessed it!) show it off in its best light. 

People fall into a few categories on this one. Some people are completely in the dark and don’t even notice when multi-bulb fixtures are half out. On the opposite end of the light spectrum are people like me that can’t stand burnt-out bulbs, or worse MISMATCHED bulbs. My pet peeve is “blue” hue or ‘cool’ hue lights. To the people on the “fully lit” side of things (pun intended), you already know where I am going with this. 

The dreaded trip to the home improvement store. You’re going to need an extra-large coffee for this task.

Argh - LEDs, dimmable, halogens, incandescents - the mere thought of lightbulb shopping is stressful. If this task does not stress you out, thank your spouse or landlord or whoever manages your home lighting needs. Many (many) years ago, lightbulb shopping was a no-brainer that involved choosing a bulb from one of three available wattages, larger stores maybe going so far as offering each in a frosted or clear version. Now, this is serious business, and if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for,  you will quickly become overwhelmed. Not only are there about a thousand options, these options are not inexpensive~ it adds up quickly. But it’s worth it when listing your home!

As difficult as this task is, it is absolutely imperative that we address the lighting needs in EACH room prior to photo day. If burnt out and mismatched bulbs don’t bother you on a daily, they will bother you when you see the pro photos and realize how glaringly obvious they become. 

My job is to help you and get this sorted out BEFORE photo day. We can go through your home and decide room by room what needs to be done to prepare your home for photo day, including:

  • bulb style for fixtures
  • wattage based on room
  • outdoor porch lights
  • chandeliers vs. spotlights
  • bulbs on timers
  • dimmers

Here is a link to help choose the right lighting: https://www.batteriesplus.com/blog/lighting/seeing-things-in-a-different-light

If you need help choosing the right lighting or any other details… we have compiled a complete checklist of PRO TIPS for any homeowner thinking of listing their home.

Click here to download the PRO TIPS, then set up a time with a RARE GROUP AGENT to meet you onsite and go through it together before you start prepping! We’re here to help you save your most valuable asset - TIME - and get the MOST OUT OF YOUR HOME when it comes time to list.

Let's Get You Noticed 
RAREGROUP.ca
Ruth Alexander, Realtor®️
GLOBAL LUXURY Coldwell Banker Mountain Central
Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist
403-969-0109

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