Does ceiling fans increase the rent rate or not?

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Does ceiling fans increase the rent rate or not?

Joe S.Pro Member
Investor · San Antonio · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes

Does ceiling fans/ light combo increase the rent rate or not?
I just purchased a house that had nice lighting in the bedrooms, but was not ceiling fans. I know ceiling fans are just something extra for tennis to break, but has anyone found it to be preferred by tenants?

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Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
5y

Definitely one more thing for the tenants to break, but a fairly inexpensive item that adds a nice touch to a home. And lets them stay cool on moderate days without turning the AC on. You can get nice ones for $100-$200...

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  • Daniel SmythPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2019 · 471 posts · 342 votes
    5y

    @Joe S.

    Yeah, like outlets in the wall instead of a ceiling light?

    No, that ceiling fan gets you little in added rent, but you may get happier tenants with ceiling fans.

    Ceiling fans, like special lighting, can raise value, but that might also go right along with premium flooring and wall coverings too!

    Added value, if it's enough, will rate higher rent.

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  • Genny Li
    Baltimore, MD · Member since 2018 · 431 posts · 281 votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Maksu Ize:

    Ceiling fans make the property look like its from 1990

     Says the person from Vancouver. *facepalm* Did I not just say it's regional????

    0Reply
  • Maksu Ize
    Investor · Vancouver · Member since 2021 · 165 posts · 137 votes
    5y

    @Genny Li

    Your a bit sensitive to be on the internet

    0Reply
  • Genny Li
    Baltimore, MD · Member since 2018 · 431 posts · 281 votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Scott Esmail:

    I take all them down if I buy a home before I rent out, they may be cheap to buy but then you have to pay a handyman to go fix or replace when breaks so that is an extra cost that can add up.  If you don't supply one less thing that breaks and causes a work order. We also remove garbage disposals those break a lot too and no extra rent is gotten for that too. 

     The previous PO added a disposall just a year and a half ago because they got so incredibly tired of students stopping up the sink and then causing issue.  I think for college student rentals, it's probably a better idea than for most other purposes.....

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  • Genny Li
    Baltimore, MD · Member since 2018 · 431 posts · 281 votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Maksu Ize:

    @Genny Li

    Your a bit sensitive to be on the internet

    You're expressing your personal feelings about something that is very regional and are adding nothing to the discussion.  I live in MD, right out of DC. My personal house has no fans.  However, since I am not an idiot, I don't choose things based on what I like for rentals but rather what the market demands.  I own in Texas.  If I ripped out the fans because I was so out of touch to think that "they look 80s," I would decrease the desirability of my Texas property. You are literally the only one expressing feefees here.

    I explained that it was regional.  Look at how everyone else who replied responded.  Where are fans not good?  Vancouver and RI.  Where are they a nice thing but often not worth it? MI, PA, etc.  Where are they generally de rigeur?  TX, AZ, Southern CA, FL.

    Might as well be telling someone from Texas that "AC isn't worth the money in most properties, and and it shuts you away from nature."

    1Reply
  • Genny Li
    Baltimore, MD · Member since 2018 · 431 posts · 281 votes
    5y

    A big thing to watch out for in fans are funky lightbulb sizes.  They can be a big headache.  

    Also, though those with a light canopy look better in living areas particularly, a more modern 3- or 4-light one is less of a pain for rentals when your tenant inevitably lets a light bulb burn out and ignores it.

    1Reply
  • Genny Li
    Baltimore, MD · Member since 2018 · 431 posts · 281 votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Gail K.:

    Unless the ceiling fans are "tied" into a switch on the wall be prepared to learn the art of replacing starters in them.  They often tend to get yanked out by tenants.  Replacing the switch in the light isn't too hard; the switch in the actual fan requires a little more wiring.

    Tenants here in the south like them but they don't increase or decrease the rent here.  Fan blades never seem to get cleaned and it's a mess if there's a fan in the kitchen (the combination of grease and dirt on the blades cause an interesting challenge in cleaning between tenants).

    You can alter them to be RF compatible...buuuuut a new cheap but not dated looking fan that doesn't have a pull chain is only $90. So I would go that route as soon as the starter dies.

    This sucker is totally worth it BTW: https://www.amazon.com/Unger-M...

    (Last time I tried to post this, it had Google's affiliate link from the search results.  Ooops!)

    2Reply
  • Account Closed
    Member since 2020 · 983 posts · 1k+ votes
    5y

    "More junk in the trunk"   "The more junk you own the more junk you have to maintain"

    The very first thing we do for every rental unit is we remove all the crap tenants don't need and we reduce our maintenance costs, substantially. We remove every ceiling fan, garbage dispose, ceiling fan, icemaker pipes and water filter crap and we save an abundance of service requests. I don't particularly like paying workers 1/2 to a full day to try to repair a ceiling fan and then have to go purchase one and install it when most that usually goes wrong with a ceiling light is it will need a new bulb or a 39 cent light switch.

    I'm cheap, but I save tens of thousands of dollars over 1,5 and 10 years and re-invest that money and make even more money.

    2Reply
  • Aigo Pyles
    Flipper/Rehabber · Memphis, TN · Member since 2020 · 758 posts · 285 votes
    5y

    It does not add to the rent rate. It's like a kitchen sink. It does not value. It's a necessity. 

    1Reply
  • Jeffrey K.Pro Member
    Lender · Boulder, CO · Member since 2016 · 53 posts · 21 votes
    5y

    Hey, 

    1st off I, personally, cannot see a situation where a ceiling fan could actually increase rent. I my mind if a tenant were willing to pay increased rent for a ceiling fan, they would likely be better off with a cheap window fan unit that the could easily purchase on their own.

    However, I have had success with offering portable air conditioning unit to tenants for increased rent payments. I usually offer them a $400 floor AC unit for $25 dollars a month. I believe this offers a couple advantages. 

    1. At $25 per month, the unit is paid for in 1 year and everything past that is profit. 

    2. If the tenant elects to pursue this route, you have tangible buy in vs. an arbitrary rent increase.

    3. The units are easily movable. Therefore, if a new tenant elects not to have an AC unit you can easily transfer them to another unit.

    4. They look better than window AC units or window fans. 

    5. I believe that it build trust with your tenant. If you pitch it as an add on, you are solving a problem for them at a very reasonable rate. The key is pitching it correctly.

    6. I do this quite often, but it opens the door to improvements that would better the tenants experience and pay for themselves in under a year. I have had tenants reach out and advocate for additional improvement essentially on their dime.

    A very common and true adage is that good/happy tenants are cheaper than the alternative. If you can solve a problem for them, make a little money and avoid the relationship becoming adversarial...its a win win.

    1Reply
  • Steve Vaughan
    Rental Property Investor · East Wenatchee, WA · Member since 2014 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Account Closed:

    @Joe S. I wouldn’t rent a place without ceiling fans.

    Exactly.  It's not the extra $10/mo or whatever you'll get with ceiling fans, it's quality tenant capture and ongoing retention you'll get for their comfort.  

    It will also take load off your cooling system in a hot climate and reduce mold and mildew in a damp one. 

    2Reply
  • Ian WalshBusiness Member
    Lender · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y

    Likely not, but if for some reason comps show a higher value in places with ceiling fans then I could be wrong.

    1Reply
  • Joe Marini
    Real Estate Agent · Newton, MA · Member since 2018 · 30 posts · 12 votes
    5y

    My take is that if you are in a hotter climate without a/c, it will have a positive return. Otherwise, I believe you are better off with a ceiling mount light or better, recessed lighting. Best regards. 

    1Reply
  • Travis L.
    Member since 2021 · 20 posts · 10 votes
    5y

    When we showed one property they most people commented on if the fans stayed, we always said yes but included the are not guaranteed(meaning we won't replace/repair).  On another property we have none and it hasn't caused any issue but our area rentals are hot.

    1Reply
  • Nicholas Brumgard
    Property Manager · Member since 2021 · 26 posts · 14 votes
    5y

    @MichaelRobbins Hit the nail on the head!

    Maybe more desirable, but won't likely drive an increase in rent.

    -If they want it, they pay for it.

    -You approve it.

    -They use your guys to install, they pay for that too.

    -It stays upon vacating

    1Reply
  • Wale LawalBusiness Member
    Real Estate Broker · Houston | Dallas | Austin, TX · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    Ceiling fans add a nice touch to the home and have become common, especially if the surrounding homes have ceiling fans. I would focus on things like:

    1. 1.Fresh Paint (Neutral Tone)
    2. 2.Install Hardwood Floors
    3. 3.Updating the Kitchen
    4. 4.Bathroom Upgrade 

    These upgrades add value to your home! Good luck!

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  • Kiraat Boukhari
    Rental Property Investor · Des Moines, IA · Member since 2021 · 43 posts · 7 votes
    5y

    @Joe S.

    Nice feature to the property but it doesnt really.

    We try to stay away if possible to avoid additional headaches

    1Reply
  • JD MartinBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Gail K.:

    Unless the ceiling fans are "tied" into a switch on the wall be prepared to learn the art of replacing starters in them.  They often tend to get yanked out by tenants.  Replacing the switch in the light isn't too hard; the switch in the actual fan requires a little more wiring.

    Tenants here in the south like them but they don't increase or decrease the rent here.  Fan blades never seem to get cleaned and it's a mess if there's a fan in the kitchen (the combination of grease and dirt on the blades cause an interesting challenge in cleaning between tenants).

     +1. I love ceiling fans but hate them in rentals. Tenants *never* clean them and they are hard on the pull strings. If we get a property that has fans in it, we'll leave them unless they're dead/wobbly/bad taste, but we do not include them as a feature in the lease and will not replace them with another unless the existing fan is already connected to a ceiling fan box. Our electrician won't install a fan that's not attached to an approved mounting box (city code) and so we will leave the choice to the tenant that we either replace it with a standard light fixture, or we will pay for the fan but the tenant has to pay for the required upgrade for the ceiling box. I've never had a tenant opt for that route.

    I wish I had taken a picture, but one time on a multi-year tenant who moved out and had 2 dogs, on top of the ceiling fan blades were a mat of dust and dog hair so thick that it peeled straight off the fan blade intact, and you could hold it up in the perfect shape of the fan blade. I called it a dog-hair pancake. 

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  • JD MartinBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Account Closed:

    "More junk in the trunk"   "The more junk you own the more junk you have to maintain"

    The very first thing we do for every rental unit is we remove all the crap tenants don't need and we reduce our maintenance costs, substantially. We remove every ceiling fan, garbage dispose, ceiling fan, icemaker pipes and water filter crap and we save an abundance of service requests. I don't particularly like paying workers 1/2 to a full day to try to repair a ceiling fan and then have to go purchase one and install it when most that usually goes wrong with a ceiling light is it will need a new bulb or a 39 cent light switch.

    I'm cheap, but I save tens of thousands of dollars over 1,5 and 10 years and re-invest that money and make even more money.

     I agree as well and it's not even so much about being cheap as the fact that most of those things are nothing but headaches and can cause some real damage to other things. We always pull disposers, filters, and icemaker supply lines because these things are either dangerous or can cause a lot of damage when they go bad. Fans we will leave (unless they're real wobbly or dangerous) but don't replace unless they're already in a fan ceiling box or the tenant wants to pay for the upgrade to the ceiling box. 

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  • Patrick HancockBusiness Member
    Real Estate Broker · Orlando, FL · Member since 2018 · 101 posts · 108 votes
    5y

    I just added new modern ceiling fans to one of my properties as I was doing a substantial renovation.  If I had not done the renovation I would have not added the fans.  Brand new modern looking fans with three year old carpet, dark painted walls and seventeen year old white appliances adds zero value.  However, the new modern fans as part of the "complete package" of a newly renovated and remodeled property would add value in my humble opinion. 

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  • Matthew Edge
    Rental Property Investor · Member since 2018 · 34 posts · 21 votes
    5y

    @Joe S.

    We have not found renters to ever care about ceiling fans, with the exception of when they call to complain they do not work. We never put them in rentals we are rehabbing.

    1Reply
  • Matt M.
    Specialist · Easton, PA · Member since 2018 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    @Joe S.

    I’ve never had someone say “gee, it’s a really nice place but there’s no ceiling fans so I’ll pass”

    I have put some in my rentals, but only if they were on clearance. I don’t think you’d get more rent for ceiling fans.

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  • Account Closed
    Member since 2021 · 237 posts · 153 votes
    5y

    @Joe S. no. But boiling tenants in July leave for places with central air

    1Reply
  • Scot Howat
    Investor · Hoffman Estates, IL · Member since 2014 · 434 posts · 185 votes
    5y

    Don't put fans in your units.  It's another thing that you have to manage, and that tenants could break.  

    1Reply
  • Scott Mac
    Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Joe S.:

    Does ceiling fans/ light combo increase the rent rate or not?
    I just purchased a house that had nice lighting in the bedrooms, but was not ceiling fans. I know ceiling fans are just something extra for tennis to break, but has anyone found it to be preferred by tenants?

    Hi Joe,

    I doubt ceiling fans can increase the rent in San Antonio.

    In the bedroom(s) and living area I think of them as must haves to retain residents (in Texas).

    I have no formal data for this, just a gut feel, that residents will stay longer if they have (the proper) comforts in the unit.

    Some fans must be oiled regularly, avoid those.

    Home depot sells replacement blades and replacement parts for them.

    Them make a kit where you can reach up into the old light hole and secure some bars in there and that holds the fan steady--meaning don't just bolt it to the old electrical box.

    The reason I hold my beliefs about them is every time I have been inside an apartment or home, and someone is in the room, winter or summer--the fans are on.

    So I assume people consider that a comfort item like having heating, especially if it's a SFH without AC (which San Antonio has a lot of).

    Cheap fans cool the same as fancy expensive ones, and when they are turning you can't see the fancy blades anyway.

    Good Luck!

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