5 Quick Ways to Freshen Up Your Driveway for Curb Appeal

Anyone that has ever purchased a home knows that what the home looks like from the street is a big indicator of what it may look like inside. If a potential buyer drives up to your house and all they see is your cracked asphalt driveway or tons of weeds, they are very likely to continue on to the next house on their list.

However, if you have a nicely groomed yard, clean concrete driveway and beautiful flowers and shrubs, you will significantly increase the likelihood that a buyer will want to see more.

Curb appeal, according to the National Association of Realtors, accounts for over 49% of home sales. But when we discuss curb appeal, what does it actually mean? Realtor.com puts curb appeal into simple terms:

If a buyer drives past a house at 5 or 10 m.p.h., the front of the place should be alluring enough for that buyer to stop the car. If the seller has done the job properly, the buyer should then get out of the car and write down the real estate agent’s name and number.

So, how do you get them to stop their car?

In this Driveway Guides article, we will discuss the many ways you can increase the curb appeal of your home whether you are selling it or just want to freshen it up for yourself.

A few starter tips are:

Clean and Edge 

Dirty driveways that are full of oil spots and old dirt are not at all appealing to the eye. Your driveway is one of the first things a potential buyer will see, so it should be clean. If you practice a few tips to maintain your driveway, you can keep it looking great in as little as 1 hour per month.

The main reason you want to edge your driveway is to create a border between the lawn and the driveway.

Below is a great video by Home Inspection Carolina that shows how you can edge your driveway with your weed-eater:

Plant Flowers

Planting flowers along both sides of your driveway is an easy way to create a nice border. Keep in mind when doing this that you have continuity in size, color and width of the flowers you plant.

This would not be a time to mix several different types of flowers. Instead, choose flowers that are similar and that are no more than 6-8 inches high and 10-12 inches in width. This will make it easier to keep them under control.

Apply a Coat of Asphalt or Concrete Sealer

After you have cleaned your driveway well, it is very important to apply sealer to keep it looking fresh and new. When applying asphalt sealer or concrete sealer, keep in mind that these can be DIY projects, but you should contact a professional driveway contractor if you do not feel comfortable.

These are full day projects that take time, patience and a helping hand. But, once it is done, you are usually good to go for quite a few years and it will add value and more curb appeal to your home.

Add a Brick Paver Border to Both Sides of the Driveway

If you add brick pavers to each side of your driveway it will can add not only a dramatic effect, but it will draw a potential buyers eye down the driveway, instead of just seeing a ton of concrete. A brick paver border can last over 25 years with proper cleaning and sealing, and it fairly inexpensive at around $4-$5 dollars a square foot.

Brick pavers are very easy to install and this is definitely a DIY project. There are also many different colors you can choose from, so you will be able to pick one that perfectly suits your area.

Add a Solar Lighting kit, or set in Brick Paver Lights

If you want to add some safety and security to your home, solar lighting or brick paver lights may be the way to go. If you have a lighted driveway, it not only makes your home look more inviting to guests, but it can also deter those that are unwelcome.

There are many different types of lighting to choose for your driveway, from simple solar lighting posts, dome lighting or brick pavers that are lit along your driveway. Some are simpler to install than others depending upon electrical needs. If you are unsure of your skill level, it would be best to hire a professional electrician since electrical work can be very dangerous.

As you can, there are many ways you increase the curb appeal of your home and make it somewhere that is inviting to your friends and relatives, but with a few simple steps, you can also make that potential home buyer stop their car for a second look!

Do you have any tips you would like to share to spruce up your driveway? Please share – we love to hear what others are doing!