With hundreds of home improvement options on the market, most of us are guided towards granite countertops, bathroom and kitchen renovations as a means of increasing our property value or reclaiming some of our costs come time to sell. But there’s another option you don’t hear much about and that’s landscape lighting.
People are drawn to various landscape lighting options with the thought in mind of improving security, safety or functionality. But did you know that the image of your home beautifully lit at night in an online ad can both improve your chances to sell and add to your asking price? Most never even think about it because landscape lighting isn’t something you can really show off during the day when potential buyers are most likely to visit your home.
So how can you turn what should be a sales-boosting feature to your advantage? As already mentioned, be sure a nighttime picture of your home, garden or landscape beautifully illuminated is included in any sales literature. My recommendation is that it be a professional photograph, but if you are a talented shutterbug, you might be able to get away with your own work.
If your home is being shown while furnished, consider having photos of your home at night, bathed in beautiful light, strategically placed in places where they are likely to be seen. You might include pictures of family gatherings on the mantel or an artistic print on the wall near the front door. Don’t be shy about going big, here. I have a huge print of my own lit home hanging in my hallway. It was an accidental soft-focus shot of some out-of-town visitors lounging comfortably and drinking Pina Coladas on my patio. There’s lush foliage and it’s all painted in tasteful light from my landscape lighting. Guests and visitors always comment on the picture and are delighted to discover the scene reproduced in real life just outside my back door (minus the out-of-towners who had the courtesy to depart after a few days).
Also ensure your lighting is functional, practical and accessible. If your landscape lighting provides specific zone coverage (tree lights, security lights, path lights, etc) it is worth the cost to have a master control panel installed indoors so that everything or anything can be turned on from inside. If you must have the switching outside, try to place it just outside the patio door.
Assuming you’ve done a good job with your landscape lighting or have had it professionally installed, there is no reason it shouldn’t contribute to the value of your home. Selling anything, including your home, is a bit about creating a fantasy. You want a potential buyer to envision themselves cooking in your well-appointed kitchen, eating in your beautiful dining room, bathing in your luxurious tub and, yes, relaxing and enjoying the company of their friends in the beautifully lit, backyard paradise you’ve created. If they don’t know about it, they won’t appreciate it. Be sure your realtor is working with you to get the word out.
Tags: Bathroom, Countertop, Countertops, Garden, Granite, Granite Countertop, Granite Countertops, Home, Home Improvement, Kitchen, Kitchen Renovation, Kitchen Renovations, Landscape, Landscape Light, Landscape Lighting, Lighting, Lights, Path Lights, Patio, Room