If you’re looking to sell your home you want to do everything you can to make sure you’re getting a top dollar value for it. This leads people to go through the traditional process of fixing it up, staging it, and having a trusted and local realtor help sell the property.
There is nothing wrong with this process but there are some things that are often overlooked when fixing it up, sure you throw a nice new coat of paint maybe you even upgrade the appliances but what about your lightbulbs? Outside of just making sure none of them are burnt out and they are all the same (for the same fixture), what about upgrading your old incandescents to high-efficiency LEDs.
Consumer reports have written a piece on ways to increase your home value and one of the primary suggestions was to replace your standard bulbs with LEDs. They state the following “Some listings emphasize their green credentials by mentioning the presence of LED lighting”. It goes on to say that the potential increase in value is in the realm of 1 to 3 percent which is a lot for replacing some bulbs.
Why LED Lights & Not Fluorescent?
LED lights have a lot of benefits in addition to using even less energy than fluorescent bulbs they have an incredibly long life expectancy. An LED can last up to 23 years while a Fluorescent will last at the most 6/7 years. This is good news as the average length someone tends to live in a home is estimated to be around 15 years. This means the light bulbs themselves will outlast the time the next owner is in the house which can be an excellent selling point.
LED VS CFL VS Incandescent
| Incandescent | CFL | LED | |
| Approximate cost per bulb | $1 | $2 | $8 or less |
| Average lifespan | 1,200 hours | 8,000 hours | 25,000 hours |
| Watts used | 60W | 14W | 10W |
| No. of bulbs needed for 25,000 hours of use | 21 | 3 | 1 |
| Total purchase price of bulbs over 23 years | $21 | $6 | $8 |
| Total cost of electricity used (25,000 hours at $0.12 per kWh) | $180 | $42 | $30 |
| Total operational cost over 23 years | $201 | $48 | $38 |
Source: Green Is Better Inc
As you can see the operational cost of an LED over the span of 23 years is considerably less than an incandescent and still cheaper over a CFL. Not only that but the power usage alone makes them an advertising point for selling your own property. With cost savings over the span of 25,000 hours of usage being $150 over standard incandescent’s the choice is obvious.
What About Color?
One of the most common mistakes you’re bound to make when purchasing an LED bulb is selecting the color. Manufacturers don’t make this easy they usually are labeled as the following though. Warm White, Soft White, and Bright White are the most common colors you will find on the shelf at your local target.
Warm White: Warm white, produces a yellow hue close to incandescents.
Soft White: Soft white, produces a yellow hue close to incandescents.
Bright White: This is the color to avoid for most interior usage it’s closer to daylight, or light you see a store it looks more blue than warm.
For most of your interior usage, you will want to make sure you’re using a warm white, this will keep the color uniform across the house. If you’re selling a property with exterior lights maybe for a light you have outside, a bright white can work well as it’s easier to see and appears brighter.
Closing Thoughts
If you’re looking to give your home a bit of pop, when showing it to potential buyers, consider upgrading your bulbs to LEDs. Not only will it reduce the costs, but chances are is the new bulbs will likely remain in the home just as long as the potential buyers.
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