Does a custom built landscape lighting system add re-sale value to my home?

Does a custom built landscape lighting system add re-sale value to my home?

By Mike Gambino

I get asked this question often.  Let me answer it this way:  Does a home theater add value to your home?  Does a pool add value to your home?  Does a fish tank built into the wall of your home add value to your property?  You know the resounding answer.  What they all do is create beauty, enjoyment and enhanced usability of your property.  Memories of family and fun, friendships, get-togethers, cook outs and social gatherings.  And spectacular landscape lighting systems not only create enhanced usability and enjoyment of your property when the sun goes down but in addition provide safety, security and beauty. It also provides an added wonderful usable outdoor living space to the square footage of the home after dark.

Granite Countertops, Travertine Floors, Viking Cook Tops, Sub Zero Refrigerators are considered luxury items for the home.  Do they add more equity to the home?  Who knows what someone else will place value on.  Home appraisers won’t give you much equity value for them.  But one thing is for sure, although they may be physically beautiful to look at and add enhanced usability and enjoyment, they don’t add Safety and security value .  What we once thought our homes were worth are not worth that today.  Lots of people are “underwater” in what their homes are really worth based on what they owe on it’s mortgage to the lender.  So what does one do?  Wait for the housing market to “come back”.  Is your home your best investment any more.  If history repeats itself like we are told it does then I believe it is but  who knows for sure going forward.  If you are going to stay put for awhile then why not enjoy life and not deprive ourselves of luxuries that we can afford.

There are people who go about their lives placing dollar signs on everything they observe and research.  These are the same people who convince themselves that owning something like a pool, Boat, RV, Motorcycle, and yes, even a landscape lighting system, are not a good “investment”.  To each their own.

What we are talking about here is “investing” in your lifestyle and creating those special moments that last a lifetime.  What we are further discussing is taking many backyards that are currently wastelands when the sun goes down and turning them into private resorts to use and enjoy.  As I get older, I see how fast time flies and how short life really is.  I don’t know about you, but maybe its time to seize the moment.

So when people ask me, Does a custom landscape lighting system Add Value To My Home? Well, what does family fun, that place for gathering friends, building relationships, having the children and grandkids over to your place to spend time together mean to you.  I don’t know how much emphasis you place on that — only you can answer that question.  If it all creates more enhanced usability of your living spaces and a lifetime of enjoyment, then maybe you got your monies worth or better yet, the added “value” to your lifestyle or home.

OBTW:  Now perhaps you’ll see why I always laugh when someone says to me, “I won’t get anything for the landscape lighting when I sell my house”……

This landscape lighting blog is published by Mike Gambino of Gambino landscape lighting inc. all rights reserved. Mike is a professional landscape lighting system designer/ builder and has been designing, installing and maintaining landscape lighting systems for more than 20 years. Mike resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife and 2 sons. To visit his website go to www.gambinolighting.com . To inquire about hiring Mike please click here .

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