Anyone install fake grass on their STR?

Question

Looking at the upkeep, cost to have someone mow, and maintenance on real grass. Long term is it worth just installing fake grass? Seems like I see a lot of houses with fake grass in the backyard down in Florida on AIRBNB. Thoughts?

Account Closed · Answer

One thing about fake grass though. Animals. Near Melrose in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles, seems like a law everyone has to have a dog. The turf ends up smelling like a permanent dog toilet.

Nathan M kiefer · Answer

Like anything there is good product and bad product. We own two side by side stilt beach homes that had lava rock and you couldnt pay me to put that crap back in. Fake grass is awesome and our properties stand out more than others around us, would never go back.

Obvioulsy size of lawn matters but ours was about 13k for both properties and worth every dime.

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

I used to hate fake grass.. but in the past decade the technology has progressed so much that it can actually look kind of real. My new house in the Arizona desert area came with it for a small area in the backyard. I decided to leave it in and try it out.

I'm surprised that it actually is a super good choice, especially for this area. Easy to clean, I just use the blower a couple times a week, and I hose it down really good once in a while because our dogs love to pee on it. We train them to poop elsewhere :-)

JD Martin · Answer

Be forewarned that the artificial grass gets extremely hot in Florida. We have it at our community playground and you would not want to walk barefoot on it in the summer. St. Augustine grass or Bermuda grass grows so well you're not really gaining anything - what you save in cutting it you'll spend on putting in and replacing the turf. The turf definitely has its uses, especially in high drought places like in the west, but it's really not that common down here in FL other than in places where the grass would get worn out quickly or cutting it is impractical.

Jamie Folk · Answer

I have a single family STR in Wildwood NJ with front and back yard grass.  I got tired of my landscaper charging me to mow the grass in the offseason and installed turf.  It looks great and is more pet friendly.  Highly recommended depending on your area.

Alex F. · Answer

One of the houses we purchased came with artificial/fake grass.  We have had the house for almost an year and so far i'm impressed with it.  The side and backyard have artificial lawn.  NO watering, NO weeds, less mosquitos and so far its hanging in there.  And seems easy to clean with just a leaf blower.

Sarah Kensinger · Answer

For small areas it would cut back on your daily/weekly care. But for an entire backyard I wonder if that would be a little much for the reasons already mentioned.

Dan H. · Answer

Maybe 15 years ago, some guests turned the yard into a giant mud pit for wrestling in.   They paid quite a bit for their fun as the unit had to have guests moved, etc.  so they were charged both cost to restore the yard and the income lost from impacted guests.

The small yard is divided in half by a walkway.  When we replaced the yard, One half of the yard had a deck installed.  The other half had artificial turf installed and it still looks pretty good.  We do not regret having the artificial turf installed.

Good luck

Andrew Steffens · Answer

Hey Jake - most people here in FL do not have it in large areas.  Assuming your STR is pet friendly dogs prefer real grass.  Some of our beachside properties have some small areas set up for golf but by and large you are better off keeping grass IMO as turf is hard to maintain

Robin Searle · Answer

I installed two areas of artificial turf at my STR triplex in Old Colorado City in Colorado Springs four years ago and it’s been great! I do still have to do a fall and spring clean up due to leaves and vines around the property but the day to day upkeep is so much less than grass especially with the amount we have to water here!

Anyone install fake grass on their STR?

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