Real estate wasn't always part of the plan for Sidney Torres.

"I thought I wanted to be in the music business," he tells CNBC. But after a brief stint as Lenny Kravitz's personal assistant, Torres changed course.

He started working for a construction company making $40,000 a year. It was then that, with help from his grandmother, he bought his first property in an up-and-coming neighborhood in his hometown of New Orleans.

Torres used the proceeds from his first flip to buy a property next door and his real estate career took off. Today, the self-made millionaire has developed over $250 million in commercial and residential real estate.

While Torres is adamant about staying on budget when flipping a property, there is one feature that is often worth the splurge: skylights.

"I love natural light. I'm a big fan of skylights," he says on the latest episode of CNBC's "The Deed," in which Torres uses his money and expertise to help struggling property investors.

Skylights can open up a dark interior kitchen or bathroom, and while they can "cost a little extra money, I think it pays off in the end," Torres says.

In general, he's always looking for ways to maximize the natural light available, whether that means installing floor-to-ceiling windows, simply making sure the bed in the master bedroom faces a window or adding a skylight.

Plus, there's an added perk that comes with skylights: Solar powered ones — and the cost of installing them — are eligible for a 30 percent federal tax credit.

Watch Sidney Torres in CNBC's "The Deed," Wednesday 10 p.m. ET

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