People who move into nice neighborhoods and don’t care for the house

[Anonymous]

I am one of these people and ran into hard times. Lost job, lost husband.

Try not to judge, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:No time! I commute and work long hours to afford this house. I barely have energy to sleep let along caring for a house.

This is the part that I don’t understand. Wouldn’t it be better to sell the large house that is holding you prisoner and buy something smaller closer to your office? You are in a race to nowhere.

Exactly. And if you can afford a large expensive house, you can better afford a medium sized less expensive house that you can afford lawn care and maintenance for. Money and laziness are no excuse.

No worries, I am not doing law care in a small house either. It’s a waste of brain cells. No one is getting out of a historical low mortgage rate to please their average wit neighbors who have no hobbies other than criticizing some grass 😬

So a fancy way of admitting your laziness.

I can't speak for the PP, but the idea that you're lazy if you don't keep your lawn immaculate is dumb. You don't know what's going on in their life. If they've got some kids, a dying parent, a full time job, and sit on the board of several organizations, that's not lazy. Something's got to give, and lawn maintenance is easily the least important of these. Stay mad.

I’m not one of the PP’s who is mad or thinks it affects neighborhood home values. I just find it fascinating from a behavioral perspective. If that happened to me I would downsize/move to something low maintenance.

But my lawn service is $80/month, plus twice a year yard cleanups at $500 each. It’s just not that expensive at all. Under $2k a year. People who are down to their last $2k are too financially stretched to live in a big expensive house. It doesn’t “make me mad” - it’s just really bad financial decision making.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They could be insane.

+1 The Gilgo Beach serial killer is like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No time! I commute and work long hours to afford this house. I barely have energy to sleep let along caring for a house.

This is the part that I don’t understand. Wouldn’t it be better to sell the large house that is holding you prisoner and buy something smaller closer to your office? You are in a race to nowhere.

Exactly. And if you can afford a large expensive house, you can better afford a medium sized less expensive house that you can afford lawn care and maintenance for. Money and laziness are no excuse.

No worries, I am not doing law care in a small house either. It’s a waste of brain cells. No one is getting out of a historical low mortgage rate to please their average wit neighbors who have no hobbies other than criticizing some grass 😬

So a fancy way of admitting your laziness.

I can't speak for the PP, but the idea that you're lazy if you don't keep your lawn immaculate is dumb. You don't know what's going on in their life. If they've got some kids, a dying parent, a full time job, and sit on the board of several organizations, that's not lazy. Something's got to give, and lawn maintenance is easily the least important of these. Stay mad.

I’m not one of the PP’s who is mad or thinks it affects neighborhood home values. I just find it fascinating from a behavioral perspective. If that happened to me I would downsize/move to something low maintenance.

But my lawn service is $80/month, plus twice a year yard cleanups at $500 each. It’s just not that expensive at all. Under $2k a year. People who are down to their last $2k are too financially stretched to live in a big expensive house. It doesn’t “make me mad” - it’s just really bad financial decision making.

First, I don't really see this with people just moving in...but you see it a ton with the people that bought 50 years ago when the house was cheap, but could never afford to buy their house today.

Second, you just mentioned one small piece of homeownership....lawn maintenance. Repaving a driveway is at least $10k depending on the driveway...I have painted the wood siding of my 1927 house three times in 20 years at a cost of around $7k a pop (on average...lower 20 years ago, higher now), had roof and gutters replaced, etc.

[Anonymous]

I live in a neighborhood with a mix of fancy houses and a mix of "normal people" houses (although the owners who bought long ago are obviously sitting on a goldmine in their 3BR/1BA ranch and I love that for them!)

I can't think of anyone in any type of house that is messy. Sure, some gardens are more elaborate than others, and perhaps some bushes go untrimmed longer than they should, but nobody leaves empty potting soil bags or yard debris around. Although TBH my husband would leave stuff in our backyard if I didn't clean up after him. He is busy but wants the pleasure of growing a few plants but he can't always finish the chore. Maybe that is some people's situations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No time! I commute and work long hours to afford this house. I barely have energy to sleep let along caring for a house.

This is the part that I don’t understand. Wouldn’t it be better to sell the large house that is holding you prisoner and buy something smaller closer to your office? You are in a race to nowhere.

Exactly. And if you can afford a large expensive house, you can better afford a medium sized less expensive house that you can afford lawn care and maintenance for. Money and laziness are no excuse.

No worries, I am not doing law care in a small house either. It’s a waste of brain cells. No one is getting out of a historical low mortgage rate to please their average wit neighbors who have no hobbies other than criticizing some grass 😬

So a fancy way of admitting your laziness.

I can't speak for the PP, but the idea that you're lazy if you don't keep your lawn immaculate is dumb. You don't know what's going on in their life. If they've got some kids, a dying parent, a full time job, and sit on the board of several organizations, that's not lazy. Something's got to give, and lawn maintenance is easily the least important of these. Stay mad.

I’m not one of the PP’s who is mad or thinks it affects neighborhood home values. I just find it fascinating from a behavioral perspective. If that happened to me I would downsize/move to something low maintenance.

But my lawn service is $80/month, plus twice a year yard cleanups at $500 each. It’s just not that expensive at all. Under $2k a year. People who are down to their last $2k are too financially stretched to live in a big expensive house. It doesn’t “make me mad” - it’s just really bad financial decision making.

First, I don't really see this with people just moving in...but you see it a ton with the people that bought 50 years ago when the house was cheap, but could never afford to buy their house today.

Second, you just mentioned one small piece of homeownership....lawn maintenance. Repaving a driveway is at least $10k depending on the driveway...I have painted the wood siding of my 1927 house three times in 20 years at a cost of around $7k a pop (on average...lower 20 years ago, higher now), had roof and gutters replaced, etc.

I don't really judge the people who bought 50 years ago (and you can tell who they are by the lawn gnomes and just assorted old-people decor.) I give them grace.
But where I live, when those old people die and they flip the house and sell it for four times as much, there are a lot of young families who just DGAF. Weeds everywhere and not a hint of landscaping unless the builder threw something in. Generally it's either a cultural thing or they are eco-warriors who think they are being green.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No time! I commute and work long hours to afford this house. I barely have energy to sleep let along caring for a house.

This is the part that I don’t understand. Wouldn’t it be better to sell the large house that is holding you prisoner and buy something smaller closer to your office? You are in a race to nowhere.

Exactly. And if you can afford a large expensive house, you can better afford a medium sized less expensive house that you can afford lawn care and maintenance for. Money and laziness are no excuse.

No worries, I am not doing law care in a small house either. It’s a waste of brain cells. No one is getting out of a historical low mortgage rate to please their average wit neighbors who have no hobbies other than criticizing some grass 😬

So a fancy way of admitting your laziness.

I can't speak for the PP, but the idea that you're lazy if you don't keep your lawn immaculate is dumb. You don't know what's going on in their life. If they've got some kids, a dying parent, a full time job, and sit on the board of several organizations, that's not lazy. Something's got to give, and lawn maintenance is easily the least important of these. Stay mad.

I’m not one of the PP’s who is mad or thinks it affects neighborhood home values. I just find it fascinating from a behavioral perspective. If that happened to me I would downsize/move to something low maintenance.

But my lawn service is $80/month, plus twice a year yard cleanups at $500 each. It’s just not that expensive at all. Under $2k a year. People who are down to their last $2k are too financially stretched to live in a big expensive house. It doesn’t “make me mad” - it’s just really bad financial decision making.

The point is it’s not even on their mind. It’s not necessarily a financial thing at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could be insane.

+1 The Gilgo Beach serial killer is like this.

Only on DCUM is lack of attention to lawn care a sure sign of psychopathy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No time! I commute and work long hours to afford this house. I barely have energy to sleep let along caring for a house.

This is the part that I don’t understand. Wouldn’t it be better to sell the large house that is holding you prisoner and buy something smaller closer to your office? You are in a race to nowhere.

Exactly. And if you can afford a large expensive house, you can better afford a medium sized less expensive house that you can afford lawn care and maintenance for. Money and laziness are no excuse.

No worries, I am not doing law care in a small house either. It’s a waste of brain cells. No one is getting out of a historical low mortgage rate to please their average wit neighbors who have no hobbies other than criticizing some grass 😬

So a fancy way of admitting your laziness.

I can't speak for the PP, but the idea that you're lazy if you don't keep your lawn immaculate is dumb. You don't know what's going on in their life. If they've got some kids, a dying parent, a full time job, and sit on the board of several organizations, that's not lazy. Something's got to give, and lawn maintenance is easily the least important of these. Stay mad.

I’m not one of the PP’s who is mad or thinks it affects neighborhood home values. I just find it fascinating from a behavioral perspective. If that happened to me I would downsize/move to something low maintenance.

But my lawn service is $80/month, plus twice a year yard cleanups at $500 each. It’s just not that expensive at all. Under $2k a year. People who are down to their last $2k are too financially stretched to live in a big expensive house. It doesn’t “make me mad” - it’s just really bad financial decision making.

The point is it’s not even on their mind. It’s not necessarily a financial thing at all.

Correct. It's like the mom who shows up to pickup in sausage-casing leggings, topknot and ratty sweatshirt. It's not that she thinks she looks good, it's that the opinions of others are the last thing on her mind.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes they are foreigners that come from places without grass and lawns. The plants and trees aren’t something they are used to maintaining. I have neighbors like this in a multi million dollar house. They keep the garbage cans in front of the house. I imagine they came from some poverty stricken country and made money in the us.

[Anonymous]

Our house looked like sh*t for 3 years while we had a baby and then did a gut renovation, followed by another reno. It wasn't worth re-painting the house until we were done and while I would put out some annuals in the front yard, it wasn't worth doing a makeover until everything was done. I'm sure people were like "what's their problem?" But it was all in stages and we didn't have unlimited budget.

However, as soon as all the construction was done, we painted the house and I got to work on that front yard/garden. It took a couple seasons but now it looks beautiful and neighbors are appreciative. I take so much pride in watching my perennials come up, picking annuals and weeding. And I think maintained houses adds a sense of community pride and shows you care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they financially stretched to get the biggest home they could and are house poor (I found all the house/lawn care expenses were more $ than I expected). Maybe they are depressed/have a substance use disorder/a sick family member or some other reason that they are not focused on their curb appeal.

This. You don’t know if they were going to repaint the house, but then needed expensive dental work or their boiler needed to be replaced or their childcare costs increased. Maybe they decided to prioritize saving or fully funding their 401K this year or told them self they weren’t doing anything else until they finished paying off their student loans. Maybe they’re exhausted and stressed and decided to spend the money they set aside for house stuff going to North Carolina for a week with the kids.

[Anonymous]

They might be Asians.
My Asian mother moved into a nice neighborhood and has been ruining it for her neighbors. Asians don't have a history of a big lawn on their property and didn't ache to imitate the English estates via the big lawn. Look at any Asian home with the laundry strung out on the balcony and AC condenser perched wherever is most convenient. All sorts of knick knacks will be set out on the stoop to dry. My mother sometimes hung salted fish in the backyard.
My real estate agent Asian uncle looked at her house and side whispered to me that he could tell by appearances if a Chinese person owned the property.

[Anonymous]

We're probably those people. We don't care to have chemicals all over the grass to keep the weeds away, tore up shrubs to plan a pollinator garden, keep experimenting with other gardening and... then sometimes get busy or distracted and have less time than we'd like to keep it up. Have been through three different landscaping companies and this year said screw it, we're going to teach the kids to mow the lawn. We'll see how that goes! (lawn company was like $3K a year and was just getting out of hand...)

[Anonymous]

And don't forget: lawn crews are probably going to be ICE magnets this summer Please take care of the people who take care of you.