Divine driveways boost curb appeal

Whether selling a home in today’s challenging real estate market or simply trying to beautify and protect your home, curb appeal should be very important to you.

After lawns, driveways often make up the largest area of the front yard, and can really affect opinions of your home. “Driveways and sidewalks are the entryways to the home. If they’re in great shape, you’ve got a strong first impression. If not, you’ve said a lot about the quality of the home,” says Gordon Blickle of Gardner-Gibson, a manufacturer of driveway, brick and patio sealers.

Drive to Impress

•Create a great first impression and prevent expensive repairs by resealing your driveway. Renew the look of an old, worn blacktop driveway and fill in small cracks with a fast-drying, flexible, long-lasting filler and sealer; some have a 10-year guarantee.

Light the Night

•Installing low-voltage or solar landscape lighting can create a softly lit path to border the driveway.

Clean Up That Sidewalk

•Clean the walk with Driveway Kleen, a garden-safe spray solution that attaches to a garden hose.

Stop and Smell the Roses

•Create a “buffer” strip with a decorative rock garden or plant flowers along the path to create an inviting drive up to the home.

Get an Edge

•Edge the driveway with pavers in colors complementary to the home and pavement.