For tenants looking for the greatest variety of apartment homes to choose from, moving between May and September is often their best bet. Parents and college students are timing moves for when school is out for the summer, so more multi-family units become available for renters. Warmer weather also eliminates moving challenges like winter storms or icy roads.

Then, those moving in will want to be settled before school starts back up and weather starts to turn, supporting higher turnover during these high-demand months.

As prospective renters begin searching for their ideal home, property managers need to be thinking about what they can do to make their units more appealing and better than other options available. One way is to prepare for apartment unit lighting maintenance and trends.

Here are a few ways property owners can introduce LED lighting upgrades and energy savings to both encourage existing tenants to stay, and market to future tenants.

Create an Incentive for Current Residents

While apartment turnover is greater in summer months, empty units can cost you money. Plus, without tenants occupying the unit, you’re not earning any profit. Keeping current residents where they are can help save you money and hassle of finding new renters.

One incentive to encourage tenants to stay is to keep current with the times by converting lights to LED. LEDs use 75% less energy than incandescent lighting, meaning they use less electricity and last longer. Switching to LED can help your tenants save thousands of dollars on electricity costs which is especially good during the summer, when energy bills tend to be higher.

Saving energy and money for your tenants may make it more appealing for their finances, which can help encourage them to stay in their unit. Plus, it helps show your property is trying to stay up to date.

Additionally, because tenants won’t be submitting as many repair requests for burnt out lights, the boost in efficiency can increase satisfaction. They won’t have to worry about maintenance crews coming in their home as often or having to remember to submit repair requests at all.

Attract New Residents

LED has been around for a long time, so if you haven’t already converted, you’re behind the times. If someone is deciding between one apartment and another, this can be a factor they consider.

Because LED helps contribute to reducing their carbon footprint, which is appealing for many sustainability and environmental reasons, and it can also help tenants save money, it’s a great selling point. Plus, you want to give the impression you’re current with the times and your units are not lagging behind others.

Another perk is that quality lighting can have a dramatic effect on the overall appearance of your unit, as it helps elevate aesthetics and makes images of your property look better and more updated in print materials and online. From common area lighting to sconces, porch lights, bathroom fixtures, kitchen lighting, and more, LED lights can actually make a unit more attractive to renters.

Make Simple Replacements

When it comes to LED retrofit projects, building engineers and property managers often look at the cost savings vs. the expense. However, with many LED fixtures, the expense is nominal, and when factoring in the energy savings, these upgrades will quickly pay for themselves.

Plus, customers can start reaping the benefits and experiencing energy savings quickly upon installation.

Prioritize the Most Important Areas

You likely have places on your property that need to be lit at all times of day, so focusing on those areas first for replacement and refreshing can be a good idea. For example, prioritize parking garages/lots, stairwells, the lobby, or other common areas. This can help both current and prospective residents feel safer, which can be a deciding factor, and it can also help to discourage vandalism and other crime.

Plus, when you have great lighting in the common areas a prospective renter will see first, it can be a great selling point.

As far as individual units, there are a few applications found in most multi-family units that are easy to retrofit.

Top Unit Recommendations to Consider

We asked the multi-family lighting specialist at Bay Lighting for top recommendations for economical LED lighting upgrades you can make in apartment units, including some common applications within units that should be considered to make the biggest impact.

The ceiling fixtures examples below are flush mount and affordable, with great energy and maintenance savings, making them a great option for a lighting refresh as your multi-family property.

LED Glamour BN 32” Oval Flush Mount

Satco 62-1641

Attributes

• Rated Hours – 50000
• Wattage = 52W
• Dimmable
• CCT Selectable – 3000K/4000K/5000K
• Available in brushed nickel or black
• 5-year Warranty
• Round and Oval Options
• Other size diameters available

Used for:

• Kitchen ceilings
• Entry

11” Acrylic Round Flush Mount

Satco 62-1210

Attributes

• Rated Hours = 50,000
• Wattage = 16W
• Dimmable; versions with or without occupancy sensors
• CCT Selectable – 3000K/4000K/5000K
• 5-year warranty
• other size diameters available

Used for:

• Laundry Rooms
• Closets
• Utility Rooms

Contact the Experts

Whether you’re looking for ways to keep your existing tenants or attract new renters, we can help. Bay Lighting is your resource for commercial lighting in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. When you’re ready, the experts at Bay Lighting are here to provide lighting recommendations and solutions for your multi-family units. We offer full LED retrofits and installations. Call us today at 301-858-9494 or fill out our online contact form, and we will be in touch with you soon.