The quote “Everything has a price” may well be talking directly about your home.

These days, any home upgrades, even minor renovations, cost something. Therefore, it is only fair when you put your Pleasanton home up for sale, the upgrades should also be considered.

When you are selling your home and you want to increase its value, you may consider getting renovations.

But before you start planning home renovations, there are three important principles you have to remember.

• Choose the right upgrade. Anything and everything that you do in or out your home may raise your home’s price from the ‘average’ price of homes for sale in your area.

What is its complication? If the renovation you choose will raise your home’s price to the “upper end” but your neighborhood does not exactly give the “high-end” feel, you may have a hard time selling your home.

• Not all upgrades and renovations will bring you ROI. Different upgrades, improvements and renovations have different returns, however, when you are selling a home, there are some improvements that will have higher returns.

These improvements are usually more on the “general maintenance” scale, simply because homeowners have different preferences, and what you like may not be what the new homeowners prefer.

Improvements should be geared toward what would make the home “timeless” and “always in style”.

• Don’t overspend. The idea of upgrading the home before selling it is to make it more enticing and marketable so you will have home buyers flocking to your door.

You don’t need to overspend or borrow money to make your home more presentable.

Here is a list of upgrades you can do that will not cost you too much, but will be considered when agents come in and appraise your Pleasanton home for sale.

1. Landscape. The first thing people see when they visit your home is the landscape. This means everything you see outside your window when you look out.

Window boxes, porch planters, and new mailboxes are considered in valuations, so improve and repaint them. If you don’t have them, buy some and install them. They not only make a house look cozy and more alive, they also bring color to the home.  

The fence, porch railings and front door are also part of the  landscape, so fix them and  give them a new coat of paint.

Work on your lawn and garden. Remove any weeds. Get the grass as green as possible.

2. Insulation. An attic air seal and fiber glass installation has an ROI of 116/% upon resale, says the Chicago Tribune.

Some upgrades are meant to beautify, others to tighten the home’s shell. You may not see it, but when you look at your utility bill, you’ll know the value. Home seekers care about these things because it means fewer expenses for them.

3. Kitchen remodels. The kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the house, and is often among the living spaces visited by potential buyers. A kitchen upgrade can be expensive, but it also has a high ROI.

Painting your kitchen is an improvement. New cabinets, kitchen fixtures and lights will also add value.

4.  Basement renovations. Improving the basement means adding finished space to the home. It increases value because it converts a rarely used room into one that is usable.

You can convert your basement in your Pleasanton’s home for sale into a game room, a den, or a play area. Or you can leave it like that, and let the new owners decide how they want to use it.

While these are the common ones that are usually looked at when deciding the value of a home, there are still many other upgrades out there.

Don’t worry! Your real estate interests are my top priority. That is why upgrades you have, that might not be on this list will also be considered. :)