How to transform your investment property with lighting.

The rental market is very competitive, so to attract the best tenants you need to know what changes are advantageous to helping your property stand out. There are many obvious renovations you can make to bathrooms, kitchens, or even cupboard spaces. However, what is often not thought of is lighting. A simple lighting change can have dramatic effects on the look and feel of your home. If your home is already modern, changing the lighting is one of the best things you can do to enhance this further.

The question now is what type of bulbs you should install.

LEDs

LEDs are becoming one of the cheapest options for homes. They are also the most energy efficient option. This makes LEDs beneficial for both tenants and landlords.

LEDs have the most flexible options for fixtures as the bulb can form part of the fixture. This means you can get creative with your lighting, creating a centre piece for your home. It can also be used to highlight other elements of your home, such as under stair lighting. To top that off, LED fixtures can also be quite affordable.

There are other benefits too, such as the fact that your tenant will likely never have to replace them across their tenancy, since they last a very long time. As well as this, you can change the warmth and colour of LEDs, allowing you to customised the feel of spaces within the home. Warmer light for bedrooms, whiter light for bathrooms and kitchens.

Incandescent bulbs

Incandescents are the older style of bulbs. They are also the cheapest bulbs available. Generally, these will have been installed in older homes. The only benefits to incandescent bulbs is nostalgia. As many have grown up with their warmer light, they are very nostalgic for them. However, the negatives are that these bulbs do not last as long. You, or your tenant, will likely have to replace them every 700, 1,000 hours of use.   

Halogen bulbs

Halogen bulbs emit light which is the closest to daylight. They are more energy efficient than Incandescent bulbs and can also be adjusted with a dimmer. However, they have one major flaw, they are prone to exploding. When patches of oil from skin are left on these bulbs they can heat up too quickly and then explode.

Fluorescents

Fluorescent lights are most common seen in offices, shopping centres, workshops, and basements. This is because they tend to be harsher. While they do last longer than incandescent bulbs, they will likely turn away potential tenants if they are in a space they are not designed for. In regards to fittings, Fluorescents also offer the least options.

Compact fluorescent bulbs

These are the alternatives commonly used to incandescent bulbs. They provide a harsher blue light similar to Fluorescents, however colour corrected versions are available. CFLs are inexpensive and have a lifespan 10 times longer than Incandescent bulbs. A negative to CFLs is that they contain traces of mercury, so need to be disposed of carefully when shattered.  

Light fittings

If you are changing from Incandescent bulbs to LEDs you will need to change both the fittings and the wiring. This will require an electrician to complete. Aside from the cost of the electrician, the fittings themselves are relatively cheap. You can find the latest designs at places like Bunnings for an affordable price.    

Conclusion

Lighting can be a low-cost solution which will enhance your investment property and add extra wow factor, to catch the attention of better tenants. A good place to start is choosing the type of bulb you would like to go for, and the changes which will need to take place to accommodate it. From there, pick stylish fittings and create a, comfortable, well lit space, while also adding a lighting feature in a well-used area.

For further advice surrounding attracting the best tenants to your property, reach out to us.