Driveways and Indianapolis Real Estate

Driveways and Indianapolis Real Estate

There are all sorts of factors to consider when looking to purchase Indianapolis real estate, and one of them is the quality and conditio0n of your drive way. What is it made out of? How does your driveway look? Does it need maintenance before or shortly after you buy your home? These are valid points to consider before you agree to purchase a home.

First off, what kind of materials can a driveway be made out of. When looking at Indianapolis real estate, there are several possibilities. The first is a cement driveway. Cement driveways are common on newer homes and housing divisions, and are extremely durable, provided they are built right. The biggest problem they suffer from is oil staining and the occasional cracking due to improper tree placement.

Another similar type of driveway you may find when looking at Indianapolis real estate is blacktop. While cheaper than concrete and able to hide stains better blacktop provides the curse of constant maintenance. Most blacktop drives tend to fade within the course of a year, and the Indiana winters often leave them cracked and fragmented. Blacktop drives need to be regularly retreated, ad sometimes torn up and replaced altogether. A good short term fix, but long term they prove to be a financial burden.

A third type of driveway is the popular gravel driveway. If you are looking at older or cheaper Indianapolis real estate options, this type of drive may pop up from time to time. While gravel is cheap, it can prove difficult to keep even. Also, you may need to replace your gravel from year to year, and a gravel surface can provide extra wear and tear on your cars alignment and tires.

The cheapest and must undesired kind of driveway is the traditional dirt driveway. Indianapolis real estate doesn’t often reflect this choice, but in some of the lower-income neighborhoods or on the east and west outskirts of town, these can be found. Dirt is free to upkeep, but can flood easily, be a burden to shovel and keep clear, and can form dips and bumps that can harm your car.

The nice thing about driveways is they can always be changed. Driveways are a quick way to build value in a home, and on the Indianapolis real estate market, buyers are looking for any perk that can be offered. Sometimes the cost of simply upgrading from dirt to gravel or blacktop can raise the value of your home beyond the cost of the upgrade. Also, consider the value of decorating you drive. Many cement driveway owners raise their property values by professionally staining their drives or adding patterns. This process only takes a day and is relatively inexpensive, but the effect on the property value can be tremendous.

When shopping the Indianapolis real estate market, you have lots of choices concerning the quality of your driveway. No matter what kind of material suit your needs and budget, rest assured that they are available, and if you are looking to upgrade, be sure to do your homework and shop around. It’s your home, so make it look the way you want.