Lighting for Listing: 5 Lighting Hacks to Make your Homes Stand Out

There are so many factors that contribute to the time houses stay on the market, and some of those factors are beyond your control. However, how you present your homes is within your control, especially if you use lighting as a tool. Here is a list we have compiled a list of five easy lighting design “hacks” that can help you illuminate your homes to make a big impression at your next showing:

#1 – Make a statement with fixtures.

Many builders opt for neutral fixtures, which can be seen as plain and generic. Choose stand-out statement fixtures and light bulbs that can act as fixtures (such as the Grand Nostalgic Collection’s LED Iceberg Grand Filament bulbs) in your model homes to step up the “wow” factor. Statement light bulbs can also be a more economical alternative to purchasing an entire fixture in addition to bulbs.

#2 – Add smart lighting

Smart bulbs are an easy and low-cost way to impress potential buyers. As part of a connected-home ecosystem, smart bulbs give a contemporary and premium feel to any home. Controlled by an easy-to-use free app, smart bulbs enable homeowners to set lighting schedules, change color temperature, create pre-set scenes (think: “movie night”), implement dimming, and use their phone as a remote-control for lighting on-the-go. Homeowners can even connect their smart bulbs with other smart home products like Google Home or Amazon Echo to control their lighting via voice commands. No special hubs are required. Visit Bulbritesolana.com to learn more about our newest Smart LED bulb collection.

#3 – Utilize LED Bulbs

Home buyers are increasingly looking for eco-friendly options for their living spaces. Installing energy- and cost-efficient LED bulbs can help position your builds as eco-conscious, and the long-term savings in energy bills is a great selling point as well. Having LED bulbs doesn’t mean you need to compromise the aesthetics of your homes either– using decorative LED filament bulbs throughout the rooms add a more stylized feel.

#4 – Outdoor lighting for safety and inspiration

Impactful lighting is not confined to the interior of a house – there are plenty of exterior areas where well-placed lights can add to the curb appeal. Hanging string lights above a deck or around a garden trellis can create a warmer ambiance and help prospective buyers envision themselves throwing parties on the back porch. And don’t forget about security considerations – placing path lights along outdoor walkways and garden paths provide added safety benefits beyond just making a yard look beautiful.

#5 – Task lighting in the kitchen

This might sound like a no-brainer, but residential lighting should be both aesthetically pleasing AND functional. Nobody wants to cook in a dimly lit kitchen; install bright bulbs in lighting fixtures above kitchen islands and counter tops so buyers can meal-prep with ease. Under-cabinet lighting is another way you can win over even the most discerning home chefs and help them envision themselves being top chef in YOUR kitchen.

For more information about any of the products featured, please contact your Bulbrite distributor or visit Bulbrite.com.

Get Smart about Smart Homes

The term “smart home” is everywhere these days. One of the great things about the smart home space is that there are now so many cost-effective and easily-scalable options. Smart home add-ons can be a great selling point to make your homes stand out. Whether it is connecting an Amazon Echo or creating a whole connected-smart home ecosystem, here are some tips to help bring your latest builds into the current century:

Doorbells – If you have ever seen a viral video featuring a “porch pirate” stealing someone’s Amazon delivery from their porch, you likely have a smart doorbell to thank for that footage.  Featuring a real-time video feed, smart doorbells such as the Ring allow homeowners to keep tabs on their porch and to communicate with visitors via their mobile device. This is especially handy when homeowners are expecting a visitor or package delivery while they are away, and installation is quick and easy. With the increasing popularity of these cameras, it’s a great sales advantage to have one already included in a new home.

Lighting – According to a survey by the National Association of Home Builders (NHB), 68% of new home buyers are concerned about their home’s impact on the environment. Whether a home buyer’s primary concern is being environmentally friendly, saving money on their energy bill, or simply more convenience, Smart LED bulbs offer an added incentive for potential buyers. Smart lighting also creates a “wow” factor in model homes with the demonstration of benefits such as scheduled lighting and settings that vary based on moments of the day like a gradually brightening wake-up setting and a bright cool white light setting for homework time. Including smart lighting in model homes helps potential buyers envision their lives in the space and can also be offered as an upgrade. Offering scheduling, scene-setting, color-temperature setting, remote dimming, and even color changing capabilities (on select bulbs), Bulbrite’s Solana Smart LED bulbs are a great choice for including smart lighting in new home builds.  With a variety of decorative bulb styles available, you don’t have to sacrifice a home’s design aesthetic in favor of functionality.

Smart thermostats – Add extra control with the option of a smart thermostat. Prospective buyers will love the ability to maintain a comfortable temperature from anywhere with the ability to change the temperature via a mobile device. Scheduling is another benefit provided, which again allows homeowners to moderate their climate control and hopefully, to allow them to enjoy a lower energy bill.

Close the deal – Why not offer prospective home buyers a smart-home-themed gift basket upon closing? With the press of a button on a smart phone, smart vacuums enable users to start and schedule automated cleaning. Or, for the reasonable sum of $49 each, invest in smart home devices such as the Amazon Echo or Google Home. Connected via Wi-Fi, these little devices can help homeowners control their other smart home products via voice command, but also provide entertainment value with streaming music, podcasts, and other voice command capabilities. As the saying goes, “work smarter not harder” – and with these “smart” upgrades your connected homes will effortlessly stand out in the competitive real estate market.