Based on my personal experience...
If you decide to do it yourself, I'd wait until at least late April to buy the materials. A freeze is not good for uncured latex products. You should start your prep a couple weeks before you plan to spread the sealer. Spend a few more dollars and buy the giant squeegee. You can use a paint brush but for any large area your back won't be happy.
Clean the cracks and identify the places you are going to want to add patching material. Once you start you may find more areas that need atention than you thought. If you hire somebody they will just do what they can in the day or two allotted to the job. If you are going to do some and hire the rest, ask the contractor what they suggest you use so it is compatible with the materials and techniques they use.
Latex patch ("Pudding") needs to cure at least 24 hours before you put sealer on it and cold patch 4-6 weeks. Too thick a layer of pudding may seal on the surface and stay soft a long time so apply it thinly and dont be afraid to do multiple coats. Even though the can says pudding does not need to be sealed I have observed it turning back from black to brown after rain so I seal it.
If you need to use cold patch to fill a pot hole try to borrow or rent a compactor. It takes a lot of effort to tamp it properly by hand and you may not get the agregate tight enough to last very long. I seal cold patch too because water will accumulate under it and cause spalling from below and the patch will fail faster.
The sealant may say one coat is enough but unless your driveway is in excellent condition I'd recomend two. At the very least seal your patches then do the entire drive way after those sections have cured (or dried accordng to your material's instructions). It is better to apply the sealer when the weather is going to be warm but not excrutiatingly hot. Too much heat causes 'spider cracks' which will allow water under the top coat adn it can flake up.
Good luck!
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