Lighting tips to add thousands to your property’s value, according to lighting experts

• Property listings with all lighting switched on see a 0.4% (£1,108) increase in offers, while home’s full of natural lighting increase offers by 1.7% (£4,709).
• Property buyers are willing to pay 3.1% (£8,587) more for home’s full of both natural light and modern fittings versus a dimly lit home with older electrical fittings.
• Replacing old fittings with flush spotlights adds an average of 1.8% (£4,986) to your home’s value.
• YESSS Electrical reveals the interior lighting trends that boost your home’s kerb appeal, adding thousands to your property’s value.

New research into property adverts and offers above asking price has revealed the fittings and staging in property listings that garner higher offers.

The lighting team at YESSS Electrical analysed 500 property listings from across the UK, to reveal the staging tips and fitting switch outs that add thousands to the value of your home.

The quickest way to encourage your property’s sale is to ensure all lighting is turned on for listings and showings, boosting the average offer by 0.4%.

Natural lighting sells, with buyers increasing offers by 1.7% when bidding on a home with open blinds and curtains, versus one with shut curtains. Without natural lighting, rooms appear darker and colder, and any features of the property aren’t accented.

A combination of natural lighting and electrical lighting around the property increases offers by 3.1%, versus a dimly lit home.

To increase light distribution around the home, homeowners can strategically use the lighting already in their home – placing mirrors around the property, or opting for doors with windows to keep light flowing through the home.

If areas of the home see less natural light, increase lighting levels with innovative light fittings. Our team’s analysis of UK property offers summarises the most desirable light fittings for each room of the home below. 

When comparing light fittings utilised in different rooms across the home, the results highlighted that downlights are the most popular fitting. The energy efficient LEDs used in downlights, dimmable features offered to change the ambiance of the room, and the even light distribution they provide are all reasons why downlights are so popular.

The least popular fitting is the dome light, a lighting type often associated with utility usage and older properties. While these lights are functional, they aren’t as sleek and subtle as recessed lighting.

The choice of lighting in the lounge followed this main trend, with the replacement of dome lights with downlights adding an average of 1.8% to the value of the property.

While dining room renovators should also opt to replace dome lighting, pendant lights are the most popular style, with this switch adding 1.5% to a properties value. Pendant lights are low hanging lights, that often hang over breakfast bars and tables.

The largest increase in value comes from the kitchen, where replacing a utility bar light with a spotlight plate can add 2.3% to the home’s value. Spotlight plates are mounted spotlights that can be adjusted and positioned for different tasks. These are favourable for a kitchen setting as they provide direct lighting for tasks such as cooking.

To complement overhead lighting, also install under-cabinet lighting. These also illuminate worktops, and provide additional, striking ambient lighting by highlighting the features and aesthetic of your kitchen.

Semi-flush multi-lights are the most popular choice for bedroom lighting, while dome lights are the least popular. Switching out dome lights for multi-lights could add 1.7% to your home’s value. These fittings provide a more yellow, less direct light source than spotlights – perfect for the bedroom, where softer hues provide a more relaxing atmosphere.

Bathrooms are another room that benefits from downlights – replacing a basic lightbulb with this fitting adds 1.1% to your home’s value. This style of lighting is useful for tasks, highlighting certain areas of the bathroom for things like doing your makeup or shaving, but also provide a clean, neutral lighting to the room.

Despite the popularity of shows such as Bridgerton, a grand chandelier in the hallway is an eyesore for buyers-to-be. Unless the space has extraordinarily high ceilings and a large entrance, buyers were put off by chandeliers, instead preferring more discreet downlights or light shades. A highly ornate entrance light can make the area feel too cluttered if it isn’t appropriate to the scale of the hallway.

Dave Simpson, Product Manager – Lighting and Lamps at YESSS Electrical: “Lighting around the home creates a warm, habitable atmosphere, while rooms without light can seem colder – and are harder for buyers to envision themselves living in.

“Ensure your lighting is switched on if any part of your home is accented with light. You might have cabinet lighting installed to emphasise a new worktop, wall lighting to accentuate a bare brick wall, or period features lit up across the home. The lighting will draw viewers to these features, increasing your home’s kerb appeal.

“As many UK residents spend more time than ever before at home, ensuring that all rooms are well lit and bright massively boosts your home’s kerb appeal. People don’t want dark rooms that require creative solutions to light, be usable, and inspiring to work from and live in. Instead, buyers are willing to pay for the convenience of south facing main rooms and home features already distributing lots of light around the property.

“Despite interior trends changing quite drastically year on year, it’s interesting to see that downlights are the most popular fitting to install in your home and have been for many years.

“In comparison, shorter term trends such as chandeliers, inspired by period TV dramas, haven’t caught on and actually devalue a home.

“Generally, you can’t go far wrong if you light each room of the home for its purpose. Use task lighting such as downlights with cabinet lighting in kitchens, and downlights with mirror lighting in bathrooms. Utilise warmer lighting in rooms you want to relax in, such as the bedroom.

“On the whole, subtle recessed lighting is more popular to implement across the home. If you do choose to install downlights in the lounge and bedroom, dimmers are an effective touch that mean the room’s lighting won’t feel overly bright in the evenings.

“When selecting light fittings, avoid lights incorporating fans and floral-glass themed multi-lights. The most in-demand surrounds are currently metal designs, especially when paired with pendant style lighting.”

About YESSS Electrical

YESSS Electrical are the fastest growing electrical wholesaler in the UK with over 95 branches nationwide. Locations include London, Sheffield, Leeds, Nottingham and even the Channel Islands. 

The YESSS Lighting team supplies efficient indoor and outdoor lighting solutions for home and work to both the trade and B2C customers. They offer a wide range of light types including LED downlights, decorative spotlights, and LED light bulbs.

Methodology

The team started with a list of the fifty most populous cities across the UK, according to the Centre for Cities. They then recorded the light fittings and advert lighting for ten properties in each city, sold recently, comparing the overall average asking price versus sold price to see which lighting types and staging is the most beneficial to property value.