TREC # 0461803

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TREC # 605104

Tricia Madrid, Realtor

Texas Elite Team

When the Neighbor’s Yard Isn’t Picture Perfect…

You’ve worked hard to prepare your home for sale — fresh paint, spotless floors, beautiful staging — but there’s one thing you can’t control: the view next door.


An unkempt yard, cluttered patio, or neglected property nearby can make buyers hesitate… even if your home checks all their boxes.

The good news? We have strategies to help buyers see past it — and even fall in love with your home anyway.

1. Talk to the Neighbor (If Possible)

  • Best case: Ask them to clean up or at least tidy their yard temporarily during showings.

  • Incentivize: Offer a small payment or service (like hiring someone to help) in exchange for a temporary cleanup.

  • Be respectful: Approach this diplomatically — many people don’t realize the impact their yard has on others.

2. Use Strategic Landscaping and Fencing

  • Plant a fast-growing hedge or build a tall privacy fence to block the view.

  • Install a trellis with climbing vines for a more attractive barrier.

  • This doesn’t fix the problem, but it can help screen it visually and reduce the perceived impact.

3. Offer Buyer Incentives

  • Plant a fast-growing hedge or build a tall privacy fence to block the view.

  • Install a trellis with climbing vines for a more attractive barrier.

  • This doesn’t fix the problem, but it can help screen it visually and reduce the perceived impact.

3. Offer Buyer Incentives

  • Lower the price slightly to reflect the "external obsolescence" (a real estate term for outside factors that lower a property's value).

  • Offer credits for closing costs, moving expenses, or upgrades.

  • Consider offering to pay part of the buyer’s mortgage points or insurance to make the deal more appealing.

4. Sell to an Investor

  • Investors are often more focused on potential return on investment than on aesthetics.

  • A local house flipper or landlord might not be as deterred, especially if the house is structurally sound and in a desirable location otherwise.

  • This will generally Net you a lot less but you will sell more quickly. 

  • This is my least favorite option because you will be leaving money on the table. You are more likely to net more by addressing the problem. However, I know some timelines aren't flexible so this is an option for those Sellers.

5. Market to the Right Buyers

  • Highlight the positives: A big yard, low taxes, updated features, or school districts.

  • Be upfront but optimistic: Some buyers may be less concerned about the neighbor’s property if they plan to build a privacy wall, rent the house, or renovate.

  • Consider marketing to buyers who want privacy and wouldn’t mind fewer neighbors dropping by.

6. Structure as a Rent to Own or Seller Financing 

  • You might also consider a rent-to-own deal, which can attract buyers who are flexible and long-term focused.  You can use a Servicing company to handle the receipt of payments.  You can charge the Buyers a Nice size down payment on your home to help cover the cost of your new home down payment.  

  • The downside to this option would be that there would be some management involved unless you hire a professional and you would need to obtain financing for the portion you thought you would be receiving as cash to go towards your new home. 

7. File a Complaint (If Applicable)

  • If the neighbor’s yard violates local code enforcement (like abandoned vehicles, trash, safety hazards), file a complaint with the city or county.

  • This is a slower and more contentious route, but it could force a cleanup if ordinances are being broken.

8. Get Creative with Listing Photos & Timing

  • Focus listing photos on the house and crop out or angle away from the junkyard.

  • Schedule open houses or showings when the neighbor is least active (if noise or activity is also an issue).

9. Disclose Honestly but Strategically

  • Be honest in your disclosures — hiding the problem can lead to lawsuits later.

  • But you don’t need to highlight the neighbor's yard in ads or conversations — let buyers judge for themselves during a visit

To expand on privacy barrier options, here are a few of my top recommendations.
One of my personal favorites is adding lattice panels paired with fast-growing vines. I’ve used this approach myself — and those vines grew back to full coverage in just days after trimming. It’s one of the quickest and most budget-friendly solutions to create instant privacy.

Another excellent choice is non-invasive clumping bamboo. Not only is it a beautiful and natural screen, but it also offers a lush, high-end look that blends seamlessly into almost any landscape.

Fast-Growing Plants for Privacy

These are hardy, quick-to-fill-in options that are generally low-maintenance:

1. Bamboo (Clumping, Non-Invasive)

  • Variety: Bambusa textilis or Bambusa multiplex ‘Alphonse Karr’

  • Growth Rate: 1–3 feet per year

  • Benefits: Tall, dense, evergreen; great sound barrier

  • Tip: Always choose clumping bamboo to avoid invasive spread.

2. Green Giant Arborvitae

  • Growth Rate: 3–5 feet per year

  • Height: Up to 30–40 feet tall

  • Benefits: Low maintenance, stays green year-round

3. Willow Hybrid Trees

  • Growth Rate: Up to 6–10 feet per year

  • Height: 35–45 feet

  • Benefits: Extremely fast privacy; tolerates various soils

4. Leyland Cypress

  • Growth Rate: 3–4 feet per year

  • Benefits: Dense foliage; excellent windbreak and screen

5. Fast-Growing Vines (for fences or trellises)

  • Trumpet Vine, Carolina Jessamine, Confederate Jasmine, or Honeysuckle

  • Growth Rate: 10–20 feet per year (climbs quickly if given support)

  • Benefits: Covers chain link, lattice, or wire fencing fast

6. Texas Native Options (Drought Tolerant)

  • Wax Myrtle, Yaupon Holly, Texas Sage

If you need privacy sooner rather than later, and can’t wait for plants to fill in, here are some quick-fix options to consider.

Inexpensive Privacy Structures

Pair these with plants for instant + long-term screening:


1. Lattice Panels

  • Cost: ~$25–$40 per 4x8 sheet

  • Benefits: Light, easy to install, vines can quickly cover them.

2. Reed or Bamboo Fencing Rolls

  • Cost: ~$25–$60 per roll

  • Benefits: Quick visual block, attach to existing fence.

3. Pallet Wall

  • Source pallets free or cheap from warehouses

  • Benefits: Rustic look, can plant in gaps (vertical garden).

4. Wire Fence + Vines

  • Galvanized wire or cattle panel (~$20–$30 per section)

  • Benefits: Minimal cost, plants will cover it within a season.

5. Hanging Outdoor Curtains

  • Use outdoor fabric on tension wire or PVC frame

  • Benefits: Decorative + instant coverage while plants grow.

Quick Privacy Strategy

If you need instant coverage while waiting for plants to grow:

  1. Install reed/bamboo rolls or lattice on your fence for immediate concealment.

  2. Plant fast-growers like willow hybrids, arborvitae, or vines at the base.

  3. Add mulch and drip irrigation to speed growth.

Serving DFW Metroplex

TRICIA MADRID, REALTOR®

TEXAS ELITE TEAM

2611 Internet Blvd, Suite 201

Frisco, TX 75034

Phone: (682) 777-3950

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MLS Information Deemed Reliable But Not Guaranteed. This information is being provided by the NTREIS MLS. All data, including all measurements and calculations of area, is obtained from

various sources and has not been, and will not be, verified by broker or MLS. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.

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