People Really Do Care How Your Yard Looks — Here’s Proof

Lawn care tips probably aren’t top-of-mind for any homeowner-to-be. Even veteran homeowners and house renters—at least those without a passion for landscape design ideas and mowing—probably avoid thinking about their yards as much as possible. While this approach may be good for staying focused on more pressing matters, it does ignore the fact that lawns and yards are more important than many house-dwellers might realize.

According to a survey done on behalf of the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), 79 percent of people in the U.S. say a lawn is an important feature to consider when buying or renting a home. These people—potential home buyers or renters—are looking at homes and noting the size (and, likely, state) of their lawns.

If this majority of people consider lawns to be an important feature—lawn size was even the number one priority for millennials on a ranking of home features, according to the survey—they’re also probably paying close attention to all the lawns they pass. Anyone putting off getting started on some spring lawn care tips and thinking that most people won’t notice an unkempt lawn, then, is wrong—people do notice, and they definitely care, according to these statistics.

A well-kept lawn and yard is important, as are well-planned landscaping ideas. New data from home real estate site Zillow says outdoor fixtures and landscaping ideas such as an outdoor kitchen, a fire pit, or an outdoor fireplace can get home sellers as much as 24.5 percent above asking price when they sell their homes. On the median home value of $226,300 (according to Zillow), that can be tens of thousands of dollars. These outdoor features can directly increase a home’s value, meaning savvy homeowners can recoup their remodeling costs and then some. Outdoor home updates don’t need to be fancy, either: Features as simple as a picket fence, landscaping, or a patio can give home sale prices a small boost.

Beyond the potential financial benefits, a good-looking and well-maintained yard is just pleasant. In NALP’s survey, more than half of respondents said they spend time in their yards at least once a month; almost half (47 percent) say they entertain there at least once a month.

If people are going to spend all this time in their outdoor spaces, they likely also want them to feel current and well-groomed. If that’s not enough to encourage anyone to pull the lawnmower and clippers out, maybe knowing that a poorly maintained yard could actually lose them money when it comes time to sell the house is. And if even that doesn’t inspire some lawn care, maybe it’s time to look into hiring a landscaping service. (You’ll thank yourself later.)