Maintaining your property is a key factor in selling your home. Every aspect of your home should be in tip-top shape to attract buyers, including your driveway. The importance of maintaining your driveway is essential to remember when planning to put your home on the market.
Curb Appeal
At first glance, your home should have a “wow” factor that draws potential buyers in. Curb appeal is not just about the fresh coat of paint on your house or your pristinely maintained lawn. A disheveled driveway can be a distraction from all the other upkeep you have done to resell your home. Large cracks, old gravel pathways, and excessive stains can make your property look messy and unappealing.
Safety
Keeping your driveway maintained eliminates safety issues that new buyers may be concerned with if your driveway is in bad shape. Gravel, uneven surfaces, and large cracks create safety issues for future homeowners, as the likelihood of slips and falls can increase, especially during unpleasant weather. Car safety is a factor that commonly goes unnoticed when discussing the importance of maintaining your driveway. Just like potholes on the road that cause damage to your vehicle, cracks and driveway potholes can put wear and tear on your car.
Steep inclines also create problems for small cars that have the potential to scrape against the driveway’s surface, creating cosmetic and mechanical issues. Fixing the cracks and potholes on your driveway is a less expensive venture than long-term damage built up on your car or a doctor’s visit from a nasty fall. Don’t let your potential homebuyers worry about these dangers—address them before your house hits the market.
Longevity
Many homebuyers are looking for a turnkey property that requires minimal projects to complete once they move in. Keeping up with routine maintenance on your driveways such as power washing and sealing will increase the longevity of your home’s driveway. These preventative measures mean new homebuyers will not have to add replacing the driveway to their list of to-dos, all while saving money on one less project to complete.
Maintaining your driveway should not be overlooked as you put your house on the market. A maintained driveway will increase your home’s curb appeal and safety and diminish the investments potential homebuyers will need to make for your property.