Do recessed can lighting improve rental prospects?

Do recessed can lighting improve rental prospects?

AL · Member since 2012 · 38 posts · 6 votes

Hey BPers.

I have my first unit and, to be honest, it's being sitting the last 9 months because of other business endeavors.

I'm circling back to it and my question is this (see picture).

There are 2 light fixtures on the sidewall that really make the place look dated.

There are no can lights in the ceiling and am considering removing the 2 sidewall fixtures and instead adding 4 overhead

4 can lights in a square pattern.

I estimate it will cost around 1300 to add the can lights, move the ceiling fan to the center, remove the sidewall lights and patch.

Would you make this expense yourself? Or just swap out the fixtures for something a little fresher?

Do overhead can lights increase desire from the rental prospect?

Thank you for your knowledge and experience!
Dan

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Jon KellyPro Member
Investor · Bethlehem, PA · Member since 2016 · 929 posts · 951 votes
4y

@Account Closed you're overthinking this. Just get the unit in decent shape and put it on the market. You can always adjust some features later, but don't let these little details slow you down. 

The answer to your question is YES, recessed lighting looks more modern, BUT it's not necessary. 

See this reply in the discussion

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  • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
    Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @Gary L Wallman:

    I don't think that's quite fair. I just did this in one of my units. An Electrical Contractor using a helper should have that done in one day, then another 4 hrs for drywall patch and paint. That's about 24 man hours or about $15 per hour. I don't know anyone licensed who wants to work for that amount.....


  • Rental Property Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2021 · 32 posts · 32 votes
    4y

    I would recommend recessed lighting if you are wanting to modernize. I would not recommend canned recessed lighting as that is becoming a dated look. There is recessed lighting that is flush.

  • Rental Property Investor · Lehigh Valley, PA · Member since 2017 · 200 posts · 191 votes
    4y

    Its a rental and it looks fine now.  Leave the overhead fixtures and wall fixtures.

    Come renewal time replace the wall fixtures with modern light- materials and cost ~$500

    Sometimes the tenants offer to pay for the replacements- say yes

  • AL · Member since 2012 · 38 posts · 6 votes
    4y

    Thanks for the replies everyone, this was helpful!

  • JD MartinBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @Johann Jells:
    Quote from @JD Martin:

     Ceiling fans in rentals are a PITA anyway; we always take them down when they die. Tenants never clean them so you end up with dirt pancakes on top of the blades, and unless you get good ones they end up wobbling or squealing. 


    I've read this here many times, and yet have very few problems with the many low end ones I've installed. Tenants seem to like them, I think they're a plus when showing the unit.


     That's why it's always good to do what works for you :) Most of the time the properties we buy, if they have a ceiling fan in it, someone attached it to a regular ceiling box rather than a ceiling fan box, and it's wobbly, off-center, loose, etc. Our electricians won't install a replacement fan without upgrading to a ceiling fan box, so when they die away they go. And eventually all the cheap ones die or get noisy. 

    Down here (south) everyone uses AC 7-8 months of the year anyway so they don't really bridge anything. I personally love ceiling fans but I'm also not as dumb as some (many?) of my tenants. We don't rent to C-class but I still can think of at least 3 or 4 fans where the tenants busted the pull-chains off the fan, or cracked a blade pulling on it or doing who knows what, etc. 

    Skyline Properties
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  • Rental Property Investor · Columbus, OH · Member since 2017 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    4y

    I personally add nicer touches to my rentals to make them feel more like a home, then a rental. Simple things can go along way including

    - Granite

    -Subway tile showers and backsplash

    -Fans in the bedroom

    -Hard flooring (no carpet or linoleum) 

    -Exposed brick or other subtle things

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