3 Reasons Your Sellers Need to Change or Upgrade the Dining Room Fixture

Almost every house that I have taken Buyers to see has had some type of lighting fixture in the diningroom.  Every Buyer has inspected the light fixture to determine how much they love it.  Knowing this, if your client is putting her house on the market,  there are three reasons for upgrading and/or changing the dining room light fixture. 

1.  The Seller tells you that she has a sentimental attachment to the current fixture and will be taking it with her to the new house.  Tell her to take it down before the house goes on the market and replace is with something suitable in both price and style for the house.  A really cheap fixture can be a deterent if the house will be listed at $300,000 or higher.

2.  The current fixture is old, dated and unsuitable for current design.  Old isn't bad if it is a rewired antique.  Old is bad if it looks like the one installed in 1960.  Old is bad if it is a kitchen fixture installed in the dining room as a temporary measure - 15 years agoe.  Ask your client to go to a lighting store and see what is in style.  There will be hundreds of choices in all styles and price ranges.   

3.  Finally, there are some newer homes where owners have never installed a light fixture.  There is a metal plate in the ceiling covering the opening for the installation.  If your Seller has one of these, ask her to please find a nice new fixture and install it before putting the house on the market. 

There is almost nothing worse than a bad fixture except no fixture or the promise by the owner (through exclusions) that the one in the house will be removed before possession.  

Good style does not have to cost a fortune. 

Photo credit:  dining room grandma's light fixture @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/eponabri/2249768758/

Valerie Zinger  email: vzinger@royallepage.com  (613-723-5300)

Royal LePage Gale Real Estate,  Ottawa, Ontario, Canada