In modern times electricity is used daily and for almost everything. Most homes in Long Beach were built in the 1940’s when the use of electronics and appliances was limited to a television, radio and a refrigerator. Homes of the time also lacked good lighting(at least when you compare it to modern options), usually allocating an outlet powered by a switch or wall sconce as the main source of light.
Unfortunately many older houses can’t quite keep up with the power necessities used today. Tenants have become attracted to homes that can accommodate their personal electronics as well as home offices.
While you might have considered larger
rental property upgrades before, we invite you to consider select electrical upgrades that appeal to modern tenants. For electrical upgrades we recommend hiring a trusted and qualified electrician for these jobs.
As previously stated, many homes in Long Beach don’t have the best lighting due to their age. A fantastic way to increase lighting and modernize a rental is with recessed can lighting. Getting rid of ugly and dated lighting fixtures for recessed can lights can not only bring great lighting to any room, but makes rooms look significantly more spacious.
You will find options available at specialty lighting stores or more general stores like the Home Depot or Lowes that allow you to select different sizes and trim styles. Many of the can lights come with your choice of light temperature from daylight to warm white. With the majority of recessed lights being LEDs, they can help keep tenant’s electric bills low.
When hiring an electrician for lighting, ask them about installing fans as well. This can help with a couple of things. Living in Long Beach, having a fan in each room feels like a must. Whether your rental has central air conditioning, a fan gives your tenant a more economical option to stay cool. Ceiling fans also ensure proper ventilation and airflow which is a major component to preventing mold growth.
As an added tip. If you had your electrician remove a central light, having a fan installed in the same location can save you money in patching costs.
Simply switching old electrical receptacles with receptacles with USB charging ports in bedrooms and countertops can be alluring to tenants. If you have a larger budget, you can also add more receptacles around the house. In modern homes most rooms have 1 outlet per wall, or more depending on how long the walls are. If you are planning on offering your rental with one of the rooms as an office, you should definitely consider adding sufficient receptacles.
Many houses built in the 40’s tend to have only a few circuits for the entire house. Consider upgrading the rentals’ panel. A 100 amp service upgrade can have up to 40 circuits or 200 amp service which can have as many as 80 circuits. Having extra unused spaces helps to future proof the rental as well. As an example, 6 circuits are used in modern kitchens alone, whereas in the 40’s you would only have one and it might even be shared with other rooms.
Efficient outdoor lighting can attract happy tenants in more ways than one. Having exterior lights with photocell sensors (sensors sensitive to light) can give your tenants peace of mind knowing that the outdoor lights are only ever on when it is dark. When combined with a switch that can be controlled from within the house, tenants still keep the option to turn off lights as well.
Outdoor lights with motion sensors have the added benefit of security. They can alert tenants if there is someone on the property. They have also been shown to discourage people like porch thieves and trespassers. Motion sensor lights are also a practical solution when arriving home after the sun has set and it becomes difficult to see.
If you have any questions about electrical upgrades that can help attract tenants, or need help finding the right electrical upgrades for your rental feel free to call us at (562) 888-0247 or feel free to fill out our
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