When a potential homebuyer comes by to look at your home, they will most likely park their car and walk to the front door via the driveway. And that means one of the earliest impressions they will have of your home in-person is of the driveway itself.

While we tend not to think much about this, a driveway can say a lot about a home and its owner. For instance, if it has lots of cracks and mud and old wood piled on the sides, it could leave an impression that you didn’t care much for the house and tended to let things fall into disrepair.

That’s why a clean, good looking driveway and walkway are important. Even if they don’t even notice, it’s better than someone noticing a flaw with your home.

A well-built, well-maintained asphalt driveway adds curb appeal to your house. Plus, they aren’t that difficult to take care of. They should be kept free of snow and ice in the winter and relatively dirt-free in the summer. And that doesn’t take much more than hosing, sweeping and shoveling.

If your driveway is looking worse for wear, getting it repaved isn’t that expensive. Walkways can be repaired with concrete paint. This can usually be done in a few hours, and is relatively inexpensive.

Even if your driveway and walkways are in great shape, you can still make them look better by decluttering. This means removing any bikes, gardening equipment or garbage cans that might be in the front of the house. An empty, clean driveway will give the impression of space.

Also, move any cars and leave the driveway empty for when someone comes to see your home. By doing so, you will let house hunters feel as if they are pulling into the driveway of their future home.

Published with permission from RISMedia.