Thinking about selling your home? The market in Sacramento, California just keeps getting better and better. Property values only continue to accrue in suburbs like Davis, Gold River, Folsom, El Dorado Hills, and Rocklin with no sign of stopping. Many are flipping their homes and getting several times what they paid just a few years ago. That’s what makes property in a great suburb like Sacramento such a smart investment.

Know what’s also a great investment? A new garage door. Overhead door installations have one of the highest returns on investment for all home improvements, with The Journal of Light Construction putting garage door replacement at a 193.9% return on investment in 2024.

That’s why investing in a new garage door is one of the 4 things we suggest home buyers do to boost the resale value of their homes. Want the best sale price on your house? Read on.

Start by Installing a New Garage Door and Windows

Installing a new garage door has the biggest return on investment, according to studies. That’s because curb appeal is the dominating determining factor when it comes to property values. Most people only decide to even tour a perspective home if it looks amazing from the street. A new door is a great way to turn heads. It’s also a sign you’ve taken care of the place. The fact is, the investment you make on the door will pay off in dividends.

Replacing your garage door is the first step towards making the house look well-kept and secure, the next step is to replace your windows with residential security glass. This glass is exactly what it sounds like — thicker glass with security glazing applied to it. They’re an effective forced entry protection system that’s improved further with sensors that can detect when they’re opened or broken (as hard as the latter may be). Combine this with setting up other obvious home security options like cameras can create a sense of security for the house that buyers might not have expected.

First impressions are important, and having a visible security system can help with the practical upgrade of the window replacement. If you’ve already installed residential security glass for your home, let your realtor know. They might be able to put that in the listing information.

Smaller Improvements Like Gates and Minor Repairs

Part of getting a house ready for market is to do all those little projects you’ve been putting off such as ceiling fan installation. Make a to-do list and get to work. Replace any old electric outlets, get new light fixtures, fix that broken closet door and patch up any holes or dents in the wall. Take care of your regular maintenance and repair the old garage door bottom seal that keeps flooding the garage. Weatherstripping replacement is a quick and easy DIY garage door repair but if you need major repairs, call a professional to get it taken care of quickly. No need to let it hang over your head. Once you’re through the list, you should consider your outdoor security.

If you live in California, then you understand the importance of a security gate. Installing a driveway gate on your property means car thieves will give your house a pass and continue with their neighborhood shakedown. Make crime a hassle for the criminal, and they’ll leave you alone. Custom made gates with eye-catching designs can also increase curb appeal to a property. Potential homebuyers see the property as a higher class and understand the value a gate brings in safeguarding their property and privacy. Adding an electric gate can substantially increase the property value of your home and it isn’t an option if you have a driveway gate. Very few buyers are interested in the classic farm “get out of the car to open it” swinging gate. Driveway gates are expected to be automated whenever they’re installed.

Clean Out Your Home & Purge What You Don’t Need

It’s amazing the amount of clutter you can collect if you’ve lived anywhere for a few years. And most of it you don’t really need (nor do you want to have to move it). Go through your possessions and decide what you want to keep, what you can sell or donate, and what you’ll just throw away. Have a garage sale. Donation vendors such as the Salvation Army or Goodwill may even pick up large items, depending on the value. This whole process can be incredibly liberating.

Reducing the clutter will also make your space feel more open, and this helps potential buyers during walkthroughs. When people walk through a house, they don’t necessarily want to see it lived in, but to see how they can fit themselves into the space. Your furniture (especially your Wampa bean bag chair) doesn’t matter to them, and they’d like to see less of it.

Call a Realtor to Find Out What Your House Really Needs

Even if you aren’t planning on listing your home for months, you really should contact a realtor early in the game. They can make suggestions on how to get your home ready for the market. This might include home improvements you can make, or it may also be ways you can take advantage of market trends. It can be a job as simple as residing in the house to really breathe life into a dry exterior.

It’s amazing how much life and freshness new vinyl siding can bring to a home. Be creative with the colors and ask your realtor what is the most popular in the area. Another option for residing the house is cement or stone façade, which are also up there on the ROI list. Fiber-cement siding boasts an 88% return, and manufactured stone veneer isn’t far behind these days. Selling a home takes strategic planning, even in a seller’s market like Sacramento, California. It’s best to have a professional by your side early in the process. If you’re looking to replace your overhead door, you can design a new garage door online to see what it would look like for your home.