Investor · Georgetown, TX · Member since 2016 · 54 posts · 13 votes
Hi folks.
I've got a strange question - I was looking at purchasing a rental sfh and wanted to see if anyone has done what I was thinking. So this house is on a cul-de-sac in a suburban area and been on the market awhile. It needs some work inside, but that's not the real hold-up. Turns out that it has a super-deep yard in the back with no real redeeming qualities - unless you wanted to put an Olympic size swimming pool plus changing rooms and maybe a hotel back there..
Since I'm thinking of buy and hold, it's a pretty big turn off cause I know they'd never take care of it. It got me thinking, though - what if I just put a fence across the middle, or even closer to the house? Thus effectively shortening the yard into a much more manageable size and just let the rest of the property behind it go au natural?
Is that something that can be done, even? Anyone have experience with such a thing?
What would the neighbours think. If this is in a subdivision where the neighbours all maintain the full yard you need to do the same. Do not be that neighbour/landlord that disrespects the fact that this is a community. Do not leave the maintenance to the tenants have a contractor maintain the yard and pass the cost along to the tenants through the rent.
What would the neighbours think. If this is in a subdivision where the neighbours all maintain the full yard you need to do the same. Do not be that neighbour/landlord that disrespects the fact that this is a community. Do not leave the maintenance to the tenants have a contractor maintain the yard and pass the cost along to the tenants through the rent.
Bad idea, but I get your point. Once a fence goes up, this area will still not be maintained which it needs to be by city ordinances I bet. You also run the risk of people on the other side doing something and thinking its there property. The common person things a fence is always at a property line and this case its not. If you are that worried about renters maintaining this add lawn service to the property. Large backyards are great for making mini points of interest like a garden area, gazebo area, sheds etc.
Flipper/Rehabber · High Point, NC · Member since 2016 · 276 posts · 183 votes
10y
We did this with my personal property. Our house sits on nearly an acre. The back yard is probably 3/4 of an acre itself, and the back half of it is full of trees and brush. We just left it and cleared enough space for our dogs to enjoy and fenced it in. We live in a residential neighborhood also at the end of a cul-de-sac. Nobody seems to care that we don't keep it clear. You wouldn't even know it was our land it just looks like forest back there now.
Not saying you should or shouldn't... Just saying I've done it and it worked out. I agree with Greg that it depends on your situation. If your back yard is just grass with no trees, and it butts up to someone else's yard, they might take issue with you letting the back half of your property go to seed. Perhaps some creative landscaping would be the best option.