Weeds are a Neighborhood Problem, Not a Homeowner Problem

One day I was riding through Los Angeles, California and in the course of one block I could see and feel something was different. Streetlights were dark black and shiny, lawns were healthy and dark green, sidewalks cleaner and brighter, and the landscaping was immaculate. In that one block I went from Los Angeles, California to Beverly Hills 90210.

I went back to my apartment and did a Zillow search on home values in that one block radius. I did not see a large difference in price, but the Los Angeles homes were newer with far more square footage, while the Beverly Hills homes were older and much smaller. The biggest difference was that Beverly Hills’ common areas were manicured, landscapes of beauty, while the Los Angeles homes were surrounded by dingy sidewalks and concrete walls. Also, the Beverly Hills lawns were healthy and landscaped. The takeaway was landscaping, and healthy lawns increase property values. I will not discount the comps of a Beverly Hills home, but one block should include the comps of nearby homes.

In Texas this would be equivalent to a master-planned community (MPC) and homes without the neighborhood vibe and feel of an MPC. If we were to be granular, we could examine pockets of neighborhoods within each community. Which homes and common areas are better kept vs those that are not. This supports a commonly accepted fact that home values are not solely determined by the value of the home, but the neighborhoods in which they reside– the cumulative effect of how each home is maintained along with common areas.

Lawns, whether in a commercial environment or residential, are essential to the value of a property. This is why weeds kill neighborhoods. The impact of one homeowner allowing their yard to be overcome by weeds not only impacts the cumulative effect, but weeds spread yard to yard like a virus and can quickly become an epidemic. One yard can turn into hundreds and now each home in the neighborhood is impacted whether they have weeds or not. The overall value of the neighborhood caps their home value. Therefore, weeds are a neighborhood problem, not a homeowner problem.

View weeds as the pink house in the neighborhood. They are an eyesore that has and will continue to affect property values. Although one weed can seem harmless, it affects the aesthetics of a property and then most likely the entire neighborhood. Most importantly, they are preventable and can be easily controlled with a post and preventive plan. With no plan in place, it is not if, it is when weeds will take over your lawn and then your neighborhood.

Whether you live in Beverly Hills, a single family home or a townhome your property has value. No one should have their property value diminished by weeds. Homeowners should plan to address their existing weeds or make a preventive plan to avoid them taking root. It is being a good neighbor and protecting a home’s property value to address weeds prior to or after they take root.