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When sellers ask if they have to update light fixtures... show them this!

By Michelle Finnamore

Home Stager with Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket 416.928.2999

June 08, 2011 01:49 PM

Sally Weatherley, home stager extraordinaire in Vancouver, has inspired me to write about the chandliers and light fixtures that I replace when I am home staging in Vaughan. Most of these chandeliers and light fixtures were purchased 20 -25 years ago and were the height of fashion and very on trend at the time.

Lighting is like jewellery in a home. It is what gets noticed by buyers when they approach your front door, entering the foyer and in each room they travel through. When you are selling your home, it is now a product for sale so it is a good idea to put your best "jewellery" on display. And that means replacing light fixtures like these.....

outdated light fixture

With current lighting such as these...

updated light fixture Simple and elegant, not too much show. Just enough to bring interest to the room and give light to the space. This light was a three tier chandlier for only $499 from Home Depot. Most three tier lights I sourced started at $800 and up so this one was a great find.

updated lighting

When there are several light fixtures in a row, try to keep the shades very simple. These lights had a very simple crystal at the end of the installation post to give a little bling to the light.

Remember these strip lights? You felt like you were being interogated! Honest, I didn't do it!

outdated light fixture

All I did was change the look and feel of the home to appeal to buyers looking to just "move right in".

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

Advantage Staging is ready to create interest in your property when you are ready to sell.

Michelle Finnamore Advantage Staging

Vaughan, Maple, Woodbridge and surrounding area 416.928.2999

Barrie, Alliston and area 705.720.0113

2010 Ontario Home Builders Nomination for Design

2010 National Association of Home Builders U.S.A. Silver Award for Design

2010 Canadian Staging Professionals Entrepreneur of the Year Award

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Debbie Atwood

Century 21 Real Estate Center Everett, WA - Everett, WA

Real Estate Broker

Good points and it all looks great. I love seeing the before and afters.

Jun 08, 2011 01:52 PM

Michelle Finnamore

Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON

Preparing your property for sale

Hi Debbie, once the light fixture are changed out the sellers always remark that they wish they had done it sooner so they could have enjoyed them longer.

It seems at odds with the fact that they were pretty adament that the light fixtures they originally had were just fine. Thanks for stopping in to "see the light".

Jun 08, 2011 01:55 PM

Nor Yeretsian

Envoy Capitol Realty Inc. - Toronto, ON

Envoy Capitol Realty Inc., Brokerage Toronto

Staging makes a difference that we can all appreciate!

cheers

Nor

www.envoycapitol.com

Jun 08, 2011 02:04 PM

Mario Gattavara

Coldwell Banker Lifestyle Properties - Oroville, CA

(Lake Oroville Area)

What a neat post. Love the different designs. Especially love the round modern style lighting in the pic with the wood floors. Unique!

Great stuff.

P.S.

Regarding your comment on my post, "You living through 3 recessions..."

You look too young for 3 recessions ;-)

Good luck & success to you!

Jun 08, 2011 02:35 PM

Kathy Burke

Sensational Home Staging~~Danville, CA - Danville, CA

S.F. East Bay Home Staging

Really love those drum lights in the bedroom!! Very chic and "today"!!!

Jun 08, 2011 04:17 PM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Hey, thanks for the shout out, Michelle Finnamore, Stager Extraordinaire in Vaughn, Ontario! These are great examples of the difference updated lighting makes to a room. How many times have we seen that brass light fixture in the "before" kitchen! Oh my, far too many times.

As you mention, the cost is minimal to replace these lights, and yet the return on investment is 10 fold. Thanks for shedding some light on this issue!

Jun 08, 2011 04:39 PM

Cindy Bryant

Redesign Etc. Home Staging - Houston, TX

"Houston Home Staging Pros"

I love drum lights, they look so clean and simple, yet elegant!

Jun 08, 2011 05:38 PM

Michelle Finnamore

Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON

Preparing your property for sale

Hi Nor, I see a lot of homes in a year and even I am impressed by the effect that a few simple changes can in a room.

Hi Mario, round drum shades are a favourite go to light shade style to create a neutral, clean, elegant look in a room. P.S. Thanks for the compliment :)

Hi Kathy, these lights are on trend today. Home Stagers in 20 years will be saying the same thing.."what were they thinking when they installed these lights?" LOL!!! The point is that buyers want what they see today in the stores, on TV, in magazines. As you know so well, it's our job to make that all happen for the seller.

Hi Cindy, my thoughts exactly! I see so many light fixtures in my area that were so on trend in their day but have buyers shaking their heads in wonder now.

Jun 09, 2011 12:02 AM

Kathy Nielsen

http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA

Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

Beautiful examples of just how powerful a change in light fixtures has on a home. Love the "jewelry" analogy.

Congratulations. Your home staging is being featured in the group Staging Before and After Pictures.

Kathy

Jun 09, 2011 12:53 AM

Julia Maher

Nestings: Connecticut Home Staging and Model Homes - Fairfield, CT

Connecticut Home Stager

You know that the first thing we do when we enter a house for a Staging job is look up! Just checking the light fixtures. It is amazing how inexpensive some great-looking fixtures can be, so why not do it?

Jun 09, 2011 01:11 AM

Michelle Finnamore

Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON

Preparing your property for sale

HI Kathy, thankyou for the feature! I really think that the minimal expense to change a light fixture has the ability to completely change the look of a house. I know when I am designing model homes and the builder selects the dining room fixture, I will want to see what style it is before I buy furniture.

Hi Julia, Look up, waaay up! Isn't our work so enjoyable? To be able to update homes and have both the seller and the buyer happy is a match made in heaven.

Jun 09, 2011 01:29 AM

Janet Jones

Just Your Style Interiors, LLC - Kihei, HI

Home Staging, Interior Redesign Kihei, Maui, Hawaii

Michelle--I'm echoing what everyone else has said about those drum lights in the bedroom. Two great posts on changing fixtures and its something sellers think is very hard and very expensive--but you've demonstrated just the opposite.

Jun 09, 2011 08:25 AM

Michelle Finnamore

Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON

Preparing your property for sale

Hi Janet, the drum lights were actually a higher quality light as this property is listed for almost two million. the lights were $320 each and they do look fabulous in the home. The return on investment for the light fixture in this price point of house is still good. It's all relative as you know.

Hi David, this home had three rooms which had 3 chandeliers installed in a row across the length of the room and two wall sconces installed on each of the long walls. It was a real challenge to find something that would work well with that many lights in your direct view when you entered these rooms. Glad you like them... maybe I should put them in the cool stuff group!

Jun 09, 2011 09:43 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

One of my favorite things to do in staging is change the light fixtures...something most sellers and agents never think to do. I love your examples!

Jun 12, 2011 05:02 AM

David Peterson

Synergy Staging ~ specializing in vacant home staging - Portland, OR

Home Stager Portland OR-Synergy Staging-Portland Oregon

These are great images to share. Between fixtures and paint, a house can be totally updated at a minimal cost.

Jun 12, 2011 06:06 AM

Michelle Finnamore

Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON

Preparing your property for sale

HI Sharon, I think changing out the light fixtures is as important as updating the paint colour. Luckily here in my area the agents encourage their clients to do this. They bring me in as a 3rd party to confirm the decision. Works every time!

Hi David, these two things can definitely be done for minimal cost. Clients always ask how much more money they can ask for their property if they do these two things.

I explain that what it really accomplished is bring their property up to the top dollar level that they are asking for their property. Do they really think they can ask the most in their neighbourhood when they haven't updated in 20 -2 5 years?

I encourage them to visit current listings so that they can see for themselves that they have competition in the neighbourhood that is offering more value for the same money. If they won't visti in person they can always look online. Most take me up on the suggestion to visit current listings and they all have the same "light bulb" moment when they realize how outdated their home really is.

Jun 12, 2011 12:06 PM

Amy Bly

Great Impressions Home Staging/Interiors - Montville, NJ

Styling Homes for Selling and Staying

Hi, Michelle, came across this post late, but it is a problem I was just having with a client, so it really struck home! She did replace ONE light, the foyer light, but I hit resistance when I also suggested she change out her really outdated kitchen/dining area "chandelier", which is a brass colonial style with what I call fluted granny-type shades! I was unable to convince her to even replace the shades, although I'm still tempted to buy them more contemporary glass shades on my own dime, at least for the photos I'm about to take! Maybe she'll "get it" when she sees the improvement in person!

Jul 20, 2011 05:01 PM

Michelle Finnamore

Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON

Preparing your property for sale

Hi Amy, even when the client doesn't see the benefits of changing out the lights I try to get them to do at least one so that they can see how much the home is updated. I have an electrician on call that has a flat rate for exchanging the lights so it all happens very quickly and efficiently. Hope your client see the light.

HI Wendy, you are definitely doing your clients a great service by providing a quick and easy solution to this challenge in updating a home. I keep my eyes open for lights that have been reduced in price so that my clients really have an opportunity to do this necessary change to update their home.

Sep 05, 2011 12:56 PM

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