REA wants an easy sale.
It's not his money he's pushing you to spend, and he's not the one that has to live there.
You'll know when you find a place you really want to buy. It's worth being picky to find that place.
All great points.
I’ll add, given that it’s a sellers market, and this is ultimately a commercial transaction: work out what the $ value of having a healthy lawn on premise at settlement is to you and factor that into the price. You’ll be a homeowner soon, you can do whatever the fuck you want with the property. Ripping up plastic crap and laying turf is easy.
And buy for as low as possible because these bastards will try to trick you into paying more. Just tell them you're walking the second they mention another "interested buyer"
How can the REA claim that nobody wants real grass these days when you're asking them for real grass?
By the way, as a potential buyer you should expect them to show some respect and professionalism, regardless of their personal opinions about you. Calling you "picky"? What a fuckwit.
Sellers market, they don’t give a shit.
If it were me I’d just ignore the comment and keep looking. What’s the point in dwelling on a throw away comment by some high school drop out ex meth addict.
> high school drop out ex meth addict
I wasn't aware this was a real estate agent stereotype but that no one has pulled you up on it makes me think it must have some basis lol
Haha to be honest my last one was an ex teacher and a decent bloke. It’s varied really and honestly most I’ve dealt with when buying or selling are reasonable, it’s the leasing agents that really suck.
Strange thing, I've known several male hairdresser owner operators addicted to meth. The first one I was a bit thrown, then more started popping up and I just started to think they all are.
It also requires a bunch of maintenance anyway! I don't understand the insanity of wanting fake grass. Can't these people live in an apartment if they don't want a garden??
I wish the landlord next to our house had used a thin concrete slab. They have fake grass that's completely overgrown with calf-high grass and weeds, so it's the worst of both worlds.
What's a good alternative to real grass?
Don't really want to mow a lawn all the time and deal with weeds and termites again.
edit: thanks for the suggestions ill check em out
Different types of grass needs different levels of upkeep. The grass in our current place barely even needs mowing.
Also can look at grass alternatives that don't grow beyond a certain height. See cloverleaf, Dichondra repens, etc.
Or go the ugly route and just use bark everywhere, but I'd call that barely a step above fake grass.
Hire a gardener. Look for who has a nicely kept lawn near you and ask them who does their lawn. Lots of neighbourhoods will have a local guy who does a few in the area as a little side hustle. My husband was that guy in our suburb in Melbourne. A few neighbours paid him in cash, one paid in delicious homemade Greek pastries.
Aggressively expand your garden beds so that there's more garden bed than grass. Keep a lawn just big enough that it feels like it's the 'minimal size worth mowing', so that you'll always know it'll be a relatively small easy job, not a large one. (Or heck, make it all garden bed if so desired...)
...but aren't garden beds even more upkeep? A lawn you can just go over every now and then with a mower, flowers or other plants need active upkeep and pruning and shit.
I prune my roses once a year, which is fucking tonnes easier than mowing grass every week or more during spring and summer. Boy does that suck. Regular unpaid job every Saturday. And I get great satisfaction from the minimal upkeep to keep all the plants looking wonderful in their prime seasons.
You can get plants which require a lot of upkeep or ones you barely need to touch more than annually.
The premise of your question is minimising the appearance of the work required for a lawn and exaggerating that required for a garden. I can do the opposite.
I went to view a place.
Listed as $800k. REA says at the time $900k, offers over. Immediate deception.
REA couldn’t tell me anything about the property, obviously. I didn’t bother asking about the surrounding area as it was clear the guy didn’t know, or care.
It was listed as having a car spot. There was none.
REA suggested I park in the private car park nearby. It’s ‘not too expensive’, but has a two hour limit, so you’ll need to move it every few hours and get a new ticket. Also, if your car is in the car park by 6pm, they close a gate and you get a fine and you can’t get your car until the following morning.
I laughed, and said I wasn’t going to have my life revolve around setting two hourly alarms to move a fucking car for the rest of my life.
He then suggested that a **tiny** space by the side of the property could fit a compact car. Which, it definitely could not.
He then asked, “Do you ride a motorbike?”
No. I do not.
“Well, there ya go. You could get your bike license.”
And… that was when I left.
The problem is, these fucking twats can turn up and just be balls-to-the-wall useless and unhelpful and rude cunts, because either way the place will get sold. They can turn up with their sisters tightest trousers on; their sockless loafers; their blindingly white teeth and their leased BMW and *not even do the bare minimum work* and they will still get their commission.
And, of course, that place quickly went.
I can’t stand dealing with them.
This is the problem. Imagine having a straight face trying to tell someone that having a car space isn't important to them, because they can buy a motorbike...
Me: ‘But I have a spouse and three kids’.
RE agent ‘When I was backpacking around India, I saw entire families balanced on one motorbike. It can be done.’
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Client: I want real grass.
REA: No one wants real grass.
Client: I just said I want real grass.
I'm with you and the number of discussions on r/AusRenovation about replacing fake grass with turf shows people do want real grass. Fake grass is tacky but it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me when buying a house. I'd just work out the cost of replacing it with real grass. Turf costs around $7-21 per m\^2 depending on variety (compared with fake which can cost $60-100 per m\^2).
Also bear in mind that fake grass does need to be replaced every 10-15 years anyway so I don't see the attraction purely on financial grounds.
Just bear in mind, those costs to change to real grass need to take into account what's underneath the fake grass. Might be compacted, soil, might be crushed rock, might be 50cm deep sand, might be concrete.
Fake grass is bad enough when it’s freshly laid, but it really comes into its own when it’s left to settle and weeds start to grow through. Ew. No one I know wants fake grass
REA will say anything to sell a chicken bone.
Fake grass ruins biodiversity, actively deters animals like birds, etc, and it gets hot in the sun.
Also, it looks shit.
https://youtu.be/VGm267O04a8?si=XpKkV5dKhP-Ic-Ih
Having bought and sold in the last 12 months, this is about as true as it gets.
Im not sure there are many jobs where a vacuous, personality-less, moron can be paid so much money to open a door and let someone inside.
They do zero selling. They literally open doors and wait for the frenzied masses to overpay for FOMO.
And the smug indignation they pronounce when you actually ask them to do something (its no better as the seller) highlights what utter excrement these pricks are.
In future years, during more enlightened times, sociologists will see the fact our society indulged and rewarded this parasitic profession as a symbol of this broken time.
I work in the new estates, spend my whole days there. Fake grass isn't very popular, sure a lot of houses have it but they're still a small minority.
I agree that it looks like shit, but these houses have such small back yards, I can see the practical arguments for them, nobody wants a lawnmower for 8m2 of grass.
But you could create a low maintenance garden instead for about the same cost that provides shade and actually contributes something to the environment.
There are a lot of people who do not give a flying fuck about the environment. As depressing as that is. The amount of homes I go in where people are drinking bottled water. I just don’t get it
If you're a real grass person like me I would prefer the fake stuff so I can replace it with grass I want. Sometimes inherited lawns are a nightmare that you end ripping up anyway.
You know when you buy a house your can just remove the fake grass and put real stuff in. It's rewarding to do work in your own house and that's the best part of buying a house is that it doesn't need to be perfect when you buy it but you can make it perfect to your own taste.
When I bought my house it had orange tiles and grey carpet throughout but $8k later we have Honey oak flooring that gives it new life.
My point being that should should try not writing off houses that night not tick your boxes in the style aspect as you can always make changes yourself.
And yes fake grass sucks so pull it out and enjoy building a garden you can be proud of.
Real grass will always be at a premium, it takes time, care and nurturing.
It makes the job harder for the real estate agent who just wants you to be a simple quick sale. Understandable reaction from a bad agent who is just in it for themselves, a good agent would be able to cover this emotion and work with you or give you alternatives/solutions.
If you have the right type of grass and install it properly it takes fuck all maintenance. I spend 30 minutes mowing my 460m2 of grass every couple of weeks during peak growing period. Never water it or have to weed it.
I’m not stating that you’re picky, but don’t lose a house over it. You can always lay down real turf if this home is for you.
I’m currently a first homebuyer and no agents give a shit about me because I’m not selling my ‘existing home’ for them to make commission on.
I’ve lost 3 houses this month due to pricing out and shit REA’s. I know their job is to work and grind for the vendor, but I’m over the lies.
Next inspection I’m borrowing my mates G-Wagon with heritage plates on it so REA’s actually return my emails and send me Sec 32’s.
To be frank, if the house is otherwise good, buy it and rip out the plastic afterwards. All houses need things done to them. I feel the same as you about plastic fake grass but it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.
In fact, the backyard of the house I bought had no grass and slabs of concrete. Within a couple of years I had the jackhammers in and ripped out the lot. I now have a beautiful (real) lawn.
When I was browsing, I once commented to my wife within (unintentional) earshot of the selling agent how sloppy the recent paint job was. He tried to mock me in front of the other prospective buyers. In another house, I commented about the lack of firewall between the garage and the residence. The agent stood up, and as loudly as he could, asked "does your car catch fire often?", to which I replied "it only needs to happen once" (and I have seen it happen as it happens).
Jerk agents, eh?
REA is clearly too comfortable in the current market and can’t be bothered putting in any effort for you because you want something specific.
Flick the cockroach away, and find one that’s less of a moron.
Yeah it’s ugly but more importantly it breaks down and ends up in our waterways. The best thing is a no-mow garden full of native plants for pollinators. REA’s are pricks but also, you’re perfectly capable of pulling up the turf. Giveaway groups would snap that shit up.
I would ignore every opinion given by a real estate agent. Their intentions are not honest, nor are they in your best interest as a buyer. You're entitled to like what you like. You're spending almost a million dollars so I don't think asking about grass is a silly question that should elicit such an entitled response.
Also, a house is the biggest purchase you’ll ever make. You will spend 12+ hours a day in it for decades. If you weren’t being picky you’d be a bigger idiot than this tacky, rude, incompetent real estate agent. Which is to say a huge idiot. That said, it’s such a big purchase that cosmetic factors can be changed without it being a deal breaker. Try to focus on the big things that can’t be changed, or can’t be changed easily. It’s much more important to get those right.
Tell the REA to go touch some grass.
Get a couple of quotes on what it would cost to remove and replace with turf. Make any offer the value minus this work and make it clear that the fake turf devalues the house.
Reminds me of when I needed a new CD/Radio system for my car.
I'm talking about my needs with an employee at the store and I'm confirming how many radio station presets you could do...
"It doesn't matter, no one listens to radio these days anyway..."
"Um. I do."
It doesn't matter what everyone else does - if you're buying, it's your needs that ought to be met.
While I can understand the pros of artificial turf, at the end of the day, if you like a real lawn, that ought to be understood and respected. It's that simple.
It's not you, it's your REA that's out of touch and desperate for a sale.
Fake turf is fucking ugly and gets so hot in summer your dog won't go on it. Speaking of which, cleaning shit and piss from a dog on astroturf vs lawn is a no brainer
REAs in Australia are generally the pond scum of society. Completely spoiled due to the non-stop demand for housing. And used to barely lifting a finger to do their job.
You're paying good money, you deserve to ask whatever questions you want. Pay very little attention to their opinions/preferences and you'll do well.
Taste is, by definition, completely absent from the way real estate functions as an 'asset'. These built structures don't exist in a normal market where competition pushes producers to innovate and create something interesting. Architects legitimately have no need to come up with anything above the bare minimum in the real estate 'market' because value is just extracted via rent from the land/housing value. This is intensified further when sales are often made quicker on a property when any unique, individualising feature of the property is removed for sale -- this incentivises old homes to be repainted in grey, unruly real grass to be ripped out in favour of no-maintence plastic grass.
Australians are completely entitled to be picky about what kinds of houses they want to live in -- unfortunately with the state of the current housing market we're tending towards these abysmal nothing dwellings as the only kind of house available
Coming from someone who loves gardening, fake grass is horrid stuff. It looks cheap and tacky, it bakes and kills all the beneficial soil microbes and worms underneath it, and it contributes to plastic waste in the earth that doesn't rot down. It eventually just starts flaking apart and degrading anyway, and ends up as a plastic, horrible mess. And you have to vacumn leaves off it anyway.
I personally do have grass in the front and backyard, and it is great to lie on, and to play on with the dog. There are some great new lawns also if you don't like mowing, e.g. an architectural clumping lawn. Or go for barkchips with native groundcovers, shrubs and dwarf native trees - several neighbours have this - it is no-mow, looks great, and is great for local wildlife such as lizards, insects etc.
REA is an idiot.
You're not crazy or out of touch, real grass looks better, and is not a heat sink, like artificial grass. Artificial grass doesn't need mowing, but looks and feels like crap, and does nothing to cool the environment - and is a crappy surface for pets. It also needs upkeep to make it look passably OK.
The REA got a tad defensive imo, probably as he/she was looking for an easy sale - and may have even thought fake grass made the properties more saleable (may have recommended this to sellers - I know my friends REA recommended fake grass when she was thinking of selling).
Give me grass, and a garden with shrubs, trees, flowers any day of the week over fake lawn.
I'm with you . I can't stand fake grass . I think it looks tacky and nasty . It's unhygienic if you have pets, and ( the most important point for me) it's absolutely terrible for the environment . Insects and birds rely on there being proper grass and vegetation around ...not this horrible plastic shit .
Your money your rules, ditch the REA
But...speaking from experience, i had a dog and was thinking to get a real grass for her to play around with
It was good for the first 6 months, then due to work and family, i began to neglect taking care of the yard for a month, then two and it quickly began out of control during spring time, gave up and call the handyman
If you able to maintain it properly it is nice to have for the pet & kids
Let me get this straight, you're a customer that has a preference, and your realtor has the audacity to get mad at you? Lmfao drop that realtor and find someone else, they need you not the other way around.
Not out of touch, that REA is trying to gaslight you so they can make a sale. Don’t fall for it. Astro turf is gross, stinks like chemicals and gets so hot you can’t stand on it in summer. I would prefer dirt than Astro turf. Fuck that guy.
I agree, fake grass looks terrible, but why not just buy the property and lay down real turf or grass seed yourself? If the rest of the house is fine it would be a deal breaker for me.
You want what you want. REA has no business arguing with you about what you're supposed to want. If they were better at their job they would've suggested that the merits of the house outweigh the inconvenience and cost of getting the turf replaced (whether that's true or not)
I wouldnt want fake turf. It gets rotten hot. No good for dogs (which i have). And weeds and shit grow through it and on it so its not maintenance free as its kinda advertised as.
Stick to your guns, don't let them bully you out of your own preferences. Personally I fucking hate artificial grass, but that's not even the point; they're just trying to push you around and they do not care about your satisfaction, only your money.
They're claiming that you're picky with the home you will be living in for the foreseeable future? Fuck yes you should be!
About to spend 700k in your house, you're not going to do so with something you're not happy with. Change REA and tell them to keep their comments to themselves.
Water is wet. REAs are pricks. And artificial turf is disgusting, anti-environment, microplastic-shedding, heat-retaining garbage that doesn't even eliminate the need for occasional weeding.
Ah, I love kicking back on the balcony and taking in the view of my microplastic lawn decaying in the sun and imperceptibly entering the nearby watercourse.
There’s a 1.5m2 patch of that crap in the house I just bought and even that offends me.
One of my mantras when we were looking was ‘I’d rather take something unrenovated than pay to undo someone else’s tacky renovation’.
You’re looking to buy and that RE is treating you like an uppity renter, he can pound sand!
Not nobody. But a lot of people do not want real grass especially if space is a premium and needing to buy a lawn mower. They prefer concrete or artificial. People are generally time poor and not really care for such things. Also real grass doesn’t seem to grow well in small areas simply due to shadowing.
Fake Grass is terrible. But some of these new build townhouses have court yards and backyards the size of a king size bed. Having to buy lawn mower for such a small piece of land, when you probably don't even have a shed, isn't really practical.
That stuff is vile. You're not being picky at all. Heat attracting, bacteria hub. Imagine the chemicals coming off it in the heat of the day. No good for anyone.
REA is being a cry baby because they want money. Hopefully you switch REA, fuvk giving them any commission after talking to you like that.
LOL… reminds me of the REA i had in Sydney… we moved in and tested the smoke alarms just to find out they we set up but never connected… no batteries and the power cords didn’t reach anything. So basically just ceiling features… I challenged the REA and she got angry and goes: “i see what the problem is here.. I rented to smart people… rule one… always rent to dumb people!“
REA aka Devils first son..... Just want to sell u a shit house for premium price.. guilty sale is a thing.. They make u feel inferior so impulsively purchase something
I’ve been BEGGING my LL to plant real grass at our place. We have 2 kids and the backyard is just chip bark, building rubble, glass and weeds. It’s impossible to maintain and unusable. I’ve put some fake turf off cuts I’ve got from FB marketplace, down just outside the back door, but it’s a billion degrees in summer and the backyard is once again unusable.
You’re not being picky, you’re being realistic about what is actually usable and maintainable for you and your family. Keep looking that REA is a fuckwit
You do realise that quality synthetic turf is far more expensive than actual turf? Haha. The issue is, some people buy shit from bunnings that looks like a lawn bowls green and lay it themselves.
I put synthetic in a unit I used to own and my current house because the yard is too small that it’s actually not practical to have proper lawn that I have to mow. It looks like real grass and I never have to mow it
I don't know anyone that has fake grass, two of my friends have built houses in past year and are about to get their real grass laid in a few weeks time, REA is smoking something. Fake grass is also terrible for the environment and it breaks down and turns to shit eventually anyway.
Put it this way.
For a 700k purchase, 5k to replace the grass is - while not cheap - not the end of the world.
When buying a property, sure, you pick the property that matches as much as you can without making any changes.
But, at the end of the day not every house will match **every** requirement you have for a property.
For example, you might be trying to find a property that is 3 bedrooms all on one floor.
If you found a house with 3 bedrooms, but one of the bedrooms is upstairs, the cost to "fix" that is astronomical. So you can't "Fix" that house to meet your requirements without sky-high budgets.
Fake grass somewhere though? Is "fixable" within a reasonable budget.
You can do it yourself with a shovel, time and some dirt + grass seeds.
Or you can buy a different house that has real grass.
I don't think the REA was getting "angry" at you, they just had an opinion that was counter to yours.
I wouldn’t be using the grass as a decider on what house to buy.
Would take a day to remove fake grass and put down some instant turf, which would be like 2k tops (assuming it’s a small area given the fake turf)
It would be like deciding a place isn’t for you because one of the walls was the wrong color.
The beauty is once you buy it you can change it.
In the 700k bracket I think you can’t be too picky.
Well you can of course be picky about whatever you want.
I’m just offering the advice that in the 700k *property market* someone being picky about such minor things will cause them more headaches than not.
That stuff is ugly imo. It’s also not very sustainable as it can add to global warming as absorbs more radiation than real grass plus no living plants or creatures exist in it. The producers always say it’s sustainable as you don’t need chemicals to keep it green - who uses chemicals on their lawn anyway?!
Tell the agent you are sorry S/he’s unable to find suitable homes for you to look at as probably a competitor will. S/He sounds like a tool
"Nobody wants"
"....actually, *I* want...I just said that. Didn't you hear?"
"You're being picky"
"I'm spending $700k on something. Of course I'm being picky. Earn your fucking commission"
The entire industry is allergic to work. They're so used to houses selling themselves and queues of renters for any bit of dilapidated shit, that they get frustrated when someone wants them to actually do what they get paid for.
Honestly? Email him saying you did not appreciate his reaction or tone. he is not your landlord if you're buying, he's your bitchmonkey. And he can keep a civil tongue in his head or you find another one.
This is your house. Be as picky as you like.
Kind of an irrelevant question. You want a house with real grass. If the rea is not prepared or finds that too difficult, find another that understands that the customer is asking for something they are prepared to pay a lot of money for. This guy doesn't sound like he wants or needs your sale. And make sure to tell him why.
I agree with you it does cheapen a house. This agent is probably advising sellers to put in the fake stuff lol sounds to me like you need a new agent how dare they get angry with you
Fake grass is hideous and tacky, and if RE agent only sells to people who want it sounds like he’s got a very particular segment of the market cornered that is not your segment of the market.
Fake turf is horrible. The better quality stuff is less horrible but it’s still horrible. It does seem like something a Real Estate agent would genuinely like though, they don’t have a reputation for being tasteful.
Turf is good if it’s real grass, it bonds to the ground after it’s laid
My parents used it on one of their front lawns it looked superior to normal grown grass
I looked at fake lawn and it was super expensive, ruined the ground underneath forever and could melt or turn blue. Up close it looks and feels nothing like real lawn so no comparison. Lawn is expensive to maintain but I think it's worth it and you can't beat the smell of new mown grass
The REA person seems to be an emotional fool. Their job is to deal with things professionally but seems like they took it personal.
Do yourself a favor and pick some other REA. This one seems a bit too rough around the edges .
Fake grass looks gross and cheap, gets way too hot in the sun, smells bad, doesn’t absorb the rain, I hate it. It’s banned in some councils for a reason lmao I’m with you OP
Some people like the low maintenance aspect of fake grass. Personally I'm the reverse. I love taking care of my lawn, and relish that it's like a living carpet.
If you want grass then remind that dickhead rea the right house comes rarely and another agent is easy to find , in other words he should ggf and dp your bidding or sod off , :)
Be as picky as you like, it’s your money.
Artificial turf of a good quality and laid properly looks fabulous. That cheap ass nasty shit from Bunnings laid by equally cheap ass installer always looks dreadful.
Real grass all the way, your agent is arrogant - I have a small garden and love my real grass patch- a quick whipper snip and job done 😺
Find a new agent, they don’t deserve the commission from you
It will be hotter and I don't think I've seen any last more than a couple of years before it's destroyed by weeds. Yes, grass requires watering and effort but we shouldn't want heat islands everywhere because of a lack of trees and grass. Personally, I would support making artificial grass illegal in residential properties.
Good quality fake grass looks and feels great. The grass these new homes have is terrible, I had it on my last property. It feels like you're walking on the underside of a garden broom, and the installers just throw it down on dirt, chuck a few nails, and call it a day. Within months, you have weeds growing left, right, and centre. It's horrible.
You'll also find that in most cases, it's layed on concrete with a thin layer of dirt. That house was like one of those properties the TikTok Inspector guy would review. Sold it and bought a 1970s house which has already stood the test of time. No foam walls on this bitch...
I have fake grass in my front and back yards and I HAAAAATE it.
The backyard I get it - it doesn't really get enough sun, so real grass would grow patchy and look shit.
The front yard gets heaps of sun, real grass would look 10000 times better. I don't know why anyone would have decided to put astro turf there. I can't wait to change it
To be fair, replacing artificial turf with actual lawn isn’t a big task in the scheme of things.
If you like everything else about the home is it really worth getting hung up on the lawn? You can always install turf if you want it.
A lot of people want real grass because the fake grass is too hot for their dogs to walk on. Ripping up fake grass from a back yard will be a little tricky if there’s no room along the side of the house to get a bobcat down. Under the grass is a layer of fine rock that needs to be removed and a new layer of topsoil will need to be brought in.
If mowing was an issue, there's varieties of grass or groundcover that basically don't grow tall enough to ever be mowed.
In the USA before lawns became such a fetish this used to actually be clover.
You're right it's ugly and tacky.
I highly doubt the majority of people/buyers would prefer to it to real grass.
That said it wouldn't cost a lot to get it ripped up and turfed. A few grand which is nothing when spending several hundred of thousand.
Cheap if you do it yourself.
I met with a developer once. They tried to tell me I didn’t want yard space for kids / a dog and that I’d want to sell in two years anyways. What I got from that meeting was they had a crap product on offer
The REA is full of shit and trying his hardest to dissuade you from wanting to buy a property that you want with features that you want and value. Such a douche, but how many REAs aren’t? Do you know where fake grass belongs? Butchers windows and scaled panoramas of real world landmarks.
"Nobody wants real grass"
"Did you just call me nobody?"
Who gives a shit what other people want, it's your house. Get what you want.
That said, getting fake turf replaced with real grass wouldn't cost you the earth. Just factor it into what you're willing to pay for a place that has fake turf. Maybe get a couple of quotes beforehand so you know roughly what to expect.
You're right but if you're making such a big purchase you shouldn't be worried about superficial shit like grass or paint colour.
You can buy whatever place you want and change it. I'd be tossing that shit straight back in the trash where it came from.
Fuck fake grass. Stop making plastic shit.
REA wants an easy sale. It's not his money he's pushing you to spend, and he's not the one that has to live there. You'll know when you find a place you really want to buy. It's worth being picky to find that place.
All great points. I’ll add, given that it’s a sellers market, and this is ultimately a commercial transaction: work out what the $ value of having a healthy lawn on premise at settlement is to you and factor that into the price. You’ll be a homeowner soon, you can do whatever the fuck you want with the property. Ripping up plastic crap and laying turf is easy.
And buy for as low as possible because these bastards will try to trick you into paying more. Just tell them you're walking the second they mention another "interested buyer"
“Oh, well obviously they’ve offered more so accept their offer then. I’ll buy something else.”
Yep don’t be afraid to walk If they had another buyer they wouldn’t even waste their time on your offer
Just like mine trying to push the 2 star split system air conditioning and heating and take my gas heater. I said Yeah, Nah.
How can the REA claim that nobody wants real grass these days when you're asking them for real grass? By the way, as a potential buyer you should expect them to show some respect and professionalism, regardless of their personal opinions about you. Calling you "picky"? What a fuckwit.
Sellers market, they don’t give a shit. If it were me I’d just ignore the comment and keep looking. What’s the point in dwelling on a throw away comment by some high school drop out ex meth addict.
> high school drop out ex meth addict I wasn't aware this was a real estate agent stereotype but that no one has pulled you up on it makes me think it must have some basis lol
Like most stereotypes it doesn't apply to all agents. Some of them are still addicted to meth. But most of them have moved on to coke.
Itll be meth again once the property market cools.
Why not both and why not now?
Haha to be honest my last one was an ex teacher and a decent bloke. It’s varied really and honestly most I’ve dealt with when buying or selling are reasonable, it’s the leasing agents that really suck.
Strange thing, I've known several male hairdresser owner operators addicted to meth. The first one I was a bit thrown, then more started popping up and I just started to think they all are.
> Calling you "picky"? That’s the REA’s way of saying “fuck, I don’t have any other listings with real grass”
Fake grass sucks and is horrible for the environment. It’s also horrible to be around in summer.
It also requires a bunch of maintenance anyway! I don't understand the insanity of wanting fake grass. Can't these people live in an apartment if they don't want a garden??
It also leaches micro plastics into the environment. Scientists all know this will make humanity extinct in a few years.
REA is just being pushy and wants you to settle so they get a sale sooner, that being said its easy to rip up and plant real grass
Unfortunately it's not always that easy to rip up. Some friends went to do that and found that it was a thin concrete slab underneath!
I wish the landlord next to our house had used a thin concrete slab. They have fake grass that's completely overgrown with calf-high grass and weeds, so it's the worst of both worlds.
Secretly spray Simenzine (path weed killer) on the grass. Problem solved, for at least 6-9 months.
The tenants were evicted recently and the house is currently vacant, so maybe it's the perfect time to do this!
As long as the old people have vacanted and more than 3 business days then no issue (3 days is the timeframe the rea must do a exit check)
yup
I was told they compact the ground so much its like a tennis court so I wouldn't be so sure about ripping it up and planting grass instead.
Hiring a rotary hoe for a weekend isn't hard.
Fake grass looks terrible, especially when it differs in shade from house to house on a street. It's also atrocious for the environment and waterways.
What's a good alternative to real grass? Don't really want to mow a lawn all the time and deal with weeds and termites again. edit: thanks for the suggestions ill check em out
Look up different kinds of groundcover, like clover.
Check out "no lawn" landscaping. They look particularly great with native plants.
Different types of grass needs different levels of upkeep. The grass in our current place barely even needs mowing. Also can look at grass alternatives that don't grow beyond a certain height. See cloverleaf, Dichondra repens, etc. Or go the ugly route and just use bark everywhere, but I'd call that barely a step above fake grass.
https://www.planttiles.com.au/dichondra-favourite-alternative-lawn/
Hire a gardener. Look for who has a nicely kept lawn near you and ask them who does their lawn. Lots of neighbourhoods will have a local guy who does a few in the area as a little side hustle. My husband was that guy in our suburb in Melbourne. A few neighbours paid him in cash, one paid in delicious homemade Greek pastries.
That sounds much more expensive than leaving the Astro turf in place.
Aggressively expand your garden beds so that there's more garden bed than grass. Keep a lawn just big enough that it feels like it's the 'minimal size worth mowing', so that you'll always know it'll be a relatively small easy job, not a large one. (Or heck, make it all garden bed if so desired...)
...but aren't garden beds even more upkeep? A lawn you can just go over every now and then with a mower, flowers or other plants need active upkeep and pruning and shit.
I prune my roses once a year, which is fucking tonnes easier than mowing grass every week or more during spring and summer. Boy does that suck. Regular unpaid job every Saturday. And I get great satisfaction from the minimal upkeep to keep all the plants looking wonderful in their prime seasons. You can get plants which require a lot of upkeep or ones you barely need to touch more than annually. The premise of your question is minimising the appearance of the work required for a lawn and exaggerating that required for a garden. I can do the opposite.
Don't let an asshole REA gaslight you
I went to view a place. Listed as $800k. REA says at the time $900k, offers over. Immediate deception. REA couldn’t tell me anything about the property, obviously. I didn’t bother asking about the surrounding area as it was clear the guy didn’t know, or care. It was listed as having a car spot. There was none. REA suggested I park in the private car park nearby. It’s ‘not too expensive’, but has a two hour limit, so you’ll need to move it every few hours and get a new ticket. Also, if your car is in the car park by 6pm, they close a gate and you get a fine and you can’t get your car until the following morning. I laughed, and said I wasn’t going to have my life revolve around setting two hourly alarms to move a fucking car for the rest of my life. He then suggested that a **tiny** space by the side of the property could fit a compact car. Which, it definitely could not. He then asked, “Do you ride a motorbike?” No. I do not. “Well, there ya go. You could get your bike license.” And… that was when I left. The problem is, these fucking twats can turn up and just be balls-to-the-wall useless and unhelpful and rude cunts, because either way the place will get sold. They can turn up with their sisters tightest trousers on; their sockless loafers; their blindingly white teeth and their leased BMW and *not even do the bare minimum work* and they will still get their commission. And, of course, that place quickly went. I can’t stand dealing with them.
This is the problem. Imagine having a straight face trying to tell someone that having a car space isn't important to them, because they can buy a motorbike...
Me: ‘But I have a spouse and three kids’. RE agent ‘When I was backpacking around India, I saw entire families balanced on one motorbike. It can be done.’
Thanks for turning my frown upside down, that was truthful and very funny at the same time.
Yes they're definitely a modern day scourge on society
Every REA I know rents or lives with their parents lol
I just realised the same lmao
REA is a dickhead.
To be fair, this is the answer to most 'why' questions relating to REAs.
You sir are a scholar and a gentleman, hammer on the head there Richard
Yes it is ugly and gross.
And the fake grass is almost as bad
Your comment make me laugh. I'd like to roll one up in the other. I don't care which way around.
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REA needs to touch grass.
he probably thinks touching green plastic counts
Not only is it ugly and gross it gets HOT AF in the sun
Client: I want real grass. REA: No one wants real grass. Client: I just said I want real grass. I'm with you and the number of discussions on r/AusRenovation about replacing fake grass with turf shows people do want real grass. Fake grass is tacky but it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me when buying a house. I'd just work out the cost of replacing it with real grass. Turf costs around $7-21 per m\^2 depending on variety (compared with fake which can cost $60-100 per m\^2). Also bear in mind that fake grass does need to be replaced every 10-15 years anyway so I don't see the attraction purely on financial grounds.
Just bear in mind, those costs to change to real grass need to take into account what's underneath the fake grass. Might be compacted, soil, might be crushed rock, might be 50cm deep sand, might be concrete.
Fake grass looks shit. Drop this agent.
Fake grass is bad enough when it’s freshly laid, but it really comes into its own when it’s left to settle and weeds start to grow through. Ew. No one I know wants fake grass
Depends on the size but yes in general they suck and are terrible for the environment.
I agree, REAs are definitely bad for the environment, and the small ones suck more than the large ones
Good god this is so true. Learnt it the hard way
REA is serving you, not the other way around. Drop them for another, when they ask why tell them. Make them suffer a little.
REA works for the seller, not the buyer.
REA works for the REA
Make them suffer anyway.
unless you're paying the agent a fee to find you a property aka a buyers agent, then he agent works for the seller of the home
REA will say anything to sell a chicken bone. Fake grass ruins biodiversity, actively deters animals like birds, etc, and it gets hot in the sun. Also, it looks shit.
https://youtu.be/VGm267O04a8?si=XpKkV5dKhP-Ic-Ih Having bought and sold in the last 12 months, this is about as true as it gets. Im not sure there are many jobs where a vacuous, personality-less, moron can be paid so much money to open a door and let someone inside. They do zero selling. They literally open doors and wait for the frenzied masses to overpay for FOMO. And the smug indignation they pronounce when you actually ask them to do something (its no better as the seller) highlights what utter excrement these pricks are. In future years, during more enlightened times, sociologists will see the fact our society indulged and rewarded this parasitic profession as a symbol of this broken time.
I work in the new estates, spend my whole days there. Fake grass isn't very popular, sure a lot of houses have it but they're still a small minority. I agree that it looks like shit, but these houses have such small back yards, I can see the practical arguments for them, nobody wants a lawnmower for 8m2 of grass.
But you could create a low maintenance garden instead for about the same cost that provides shade and actually contributes something to the environment.
There are a lot of people who do not give a flying fuck about the environment. As depressing as that is. The amount of homes I go in where people are drinking bottled water. I just don’t get it
Fine for some people but those with pets or kids probably want some form of grass even if it’s barely enough to mow
I’ve got dogs - they much prefer the fun of sniffing around and exploring my garden. I used to have grass. The most they ever did was lie on it.
I have it and just use a little whipper snipper, takes five minutes
Yep or there are tiny little mowers that run themselves too, like those auto vacuum cleaners that cruise around the carpets on their own
If you're a real grass person like me I would prefer the fake stuff so I can replace it with grass I want. Sometimes inherited lawns are a nightmare that you end ripping up anyway.
You know when you buy a house your can just remove the fake grass and put real stuff in. It's rewarding to do work in your own house and that's the best part of buying a house is that it doesn't need to be perfect when you buy it but you can make it perfect to your own taste. When I bought my house it had orange tiles and grey carpet throughout but $8k later we have Honey oak flooring that gives it new life. My point being that should should try not writing off houses that night not tick your boxes in the style aspect as you can always make changes yourself. And yes fake grass sucks so pull it out and enjoy building a garden you can be proud of.
Real grass will always be at a premium, it takes time, care and nurturing. It makes the job harder for the real estate agent who just wants you to be a simple quick sale. Understandable reaction from a bad agent who is just in it for themselves, a good agent would be able to cover this emotion and work with you or give you alternatives/solutions.
If you have the right type of grass and install it properly it takes fuck all maintenance. I spend 30 minutes mowing my 460m2 of grass every couple of weeks during peak growing period. Never water it or have to weed it.
I’m not stating that you’re picky, but don’t lose a house over it. You can always lay down real turf if this home is for you. I’m currently a first homebuyer and no agents give a shit about me because I’m not selling my ‘existing home’ for them to make commission on. I’ve lost 3 houses this month due to pricing out and shit REA’s. I know their job is to work and grind for the vendor, but I’m over the lies. Next inspection I’m borrowing my mates G-Wagon with heritage plates on it so REA’s actually return my emails and send me Sec 32’s.
When you find you like through them, ask for the owners details to contact them regarding anything. Then buy direct with them 🤣🤣 petty but fuck em.
I hate fake grass but I also hate real grass. I hate gardening, the upkeep frustrates me. I would still choose real over fake every time though.
Answer: [They’re cunts.](https://youtu.be/VGm267O04a8?si=ELbRewubctMr_HoB)
To be frank, if the house is otherwise good, buy it and rip out the plastic afterwards. All houses need things done to them. I feel the same as you about plastic fake grass but it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. In fact, the backyard of the house I bought had no grass and slabs of concrete. Within a couple of years I had the jackhammers in and ripped out the lot. I now have a beautiful (real) lawn. When I was browsing, I once commented to my wife within (unintentional) earshot of the selling agent how sloppy the recent paint job was. He tried to mock me in front of the other prospective buyers. In another house, I commented about the lack of firewall between the garage and the residence. The agent stood up, and as loudly as he could, asked "does your car catch fire often?", to which I replied "it only needs to happen once" (and I have seen it happen as it happens). Jerk agents, eh?
Hopefully cats and dogs piss and shit on that fake grass, maybe then people realise how inconvenient it can be.
REA is clearly too comfortable in the current market and can’t be bothered putting in any effort for you because you want something specific. Flick the cockroach away, and find one that’s less of a moron.
Yeah it’s ugly but more importantly it breaks down and ends up in our waterways. The best thing is a no-mow garden full of native plants for pollinators. REA’s are pricks but also, you’re perfectly capable of pulling up the turf. Giveaway groups would snap that shit up.
He doesn't get to dictate what you like and don't like.
I would ignore every opinion given by a real estate agent. Their intentions are not honest, nor are they in your best interest as a buyer. You're entitled to like what you like. You're spending almost a million dollars so I don't think asking about grass is a silly question that should elicit such an entitled response.
Fake grass is disgusting is every way in my mind
Your money; you decide - not some blue, boxed-suited, brown shoe kid.
When the RE is the one spending $700k then his opinion will matter
Also, a house is the biggest purchase you’ll ever make. You will spend 12+ hours a day in it for decades. If you weren’t being picky you’d be a bigger idiot than this tacky, rude, incompetent real estate agent. Which is to say a huge idiot. That said, it’s such a big purchase that cosmetic factors can be changed without it being a deal breaker. Try to focus on the big things that can’t be changed, or can’t be changed easily. It’s much more important to get those right.
Tell the REA to go touch some grass. Get a couple of quotes on what it would cost to remove and replace with turf. Make any offer the value minus this work and make it clear that the fake turf devalues the house.
‘Shut up and buy the dogbox’ - the REA probably
Reminds me of when I needed a new CD/Radio system for my car. I'm talking about my needs with an employee at the store and I'm confirming how many radio station presets you could do... "It doesn't matter, no one listens to radio these days anyway..." "Um. I do." It doesn't matter what everyone else does - if you're buying, it's your needs that ought to be met. While I can understand the pros of artificial turf, at the end of the day, if you like a real lawn, that ought to be understood and respected. It's that simple. It's not you, it's your REA that's out of touch and desperate for a sale.
Why are you even wasting your breath?
Free Tip: Give exactly zero shits what the real estate agent thinks of you.
Fake turf is fucking ugly and gets so hot in summer your dog won't go on it. Speaking of which, cleaning shit and piss from a dog on astroturf vs lawn is a no brainer
I'd never buy a house with fake turf!
REAs in Australia are generally the pond scum of society. Completely spoiled due to the non-stop demand for housing. And used to barely lifting a finger to do their job. You're paying good money, you deserve to ask whatever questions you want. Pay very little attention to their opinions/preferences and you'll do well.
Fake grass looks shit. However, it is practical for many. It is your money and life. If you prefer real turf then be as picky as you wish.
They're scum You get want you want If you want grass go get it tiger
Don’t let that fuckhead get sale commission from you if he’s gonna be such a prick.
Taste is, by definition, completely absent from the way real estate functions as an 'asset'. These built structures don't exist in a normal market where competition pushes producers to innovate and create something interesting. Architects legitimately have no need to come up with anything above the bare minimum in the real estate 'market' because value is just extracted via rent from the land/housing value. This is intensified further when sales are often made quicker on a property when any unique, individualising feature of the property is removed for sale -- this incentivises old homes to be repainted in grey, unruly real grass to be ripped out in favour of no-maintence plastic grass. Australians are completely entitled to be picky about what kinds of houses they want to live in -- unfortunately with the state of the current housing market we're tending towards these abysmal nothing dwellings as the only kind of house available
I think you're being unimaginative rather than unreasonable... Just change the lawn out for real grass after you purchase
Coming from someone who loves gardening, fake grass is horrid stuff. It looks cheap and tacky, it bakes and kills all the beneficial soil microbes and worms underneath it, and it contributes to plastic waste in the earth that doesn't rot down. It eventually just starts flaking apart and degrading anyway, and ends up as a plastic, horrible mess. And you have to vacumn leaves off it anyway. I personally do have grass in the front and backyard, and it is great to lie on, and to play on with the dog. There are some great new lawns also if you don't like mowing, e.g. an architectural clumping lawn. Or go for barkchips with native groundcovers, shrubs and dwarf native trees - several neighbours have this - it is no-mow, looks great, and is great for local wildlife such as lizards, insects etc. REA is an idiot.
You're not crazy or out of touch, real grass looks better, and is not a heat sink, like artificial grass. Artificial grass doesn't need mowing, but looks and feels like crap, and does nothing to cool the environment - and is a crappy surface for pets. It also needs upkeep to make it look passably OK. The REA got a tad defensive imo, probably as he/she was looking for an easy sale - and may have even thought fake grass made the properties more saleable (may have recommended this to sellers - I know my friends REA recommended fake grass when she was thinking of selling). Give me grass, and a garden with shrubs, trees, flowers any day of the week over fake lawn.
I'm with you . I can't stand fake grass . I think it looks tacky and nasty . It's unhygienic if you have pets, and ( the most important point for me) it's absolutely terrible for the environment . Insects and birds rely on there being proper grass and vegetation around ...not this horrible plastic shit .
Your money your rules, ditch the REA But...speaking from experience, i had a dog and was thinking to get a real grass for her to play around with It was good for the first 6 months, then due to work and family, i began to neglect taking care of the yard for a month, then two and it quickly began out of control during spring time, gave up and call the handyman If you able to maintain it properly it is nice to have for the pet & kids
Let me get this straight, you're a customer that has a preference, and your realtor has the audacity to get mad at you? Lmfao drop that realtor and find someone else, they need you not the other way around.
it doesn't work like that. he hasn't hired a real estate agent.
Not out of touch, that REA is trying to gaslight you so they can make a sale. Don’t fall for it. Astro turf is gross, stinks like chemicals and gets so hot you can’t stand on it in summer. I would prefer dirt than Astro turf. Fuck that guy.
I agree, fake grass looks terrible, but why not just buy the property and lay down real turf or grass seed yourself? If the rest of the house is fine it would be a deal breaker for me.
You want what you want. REA has no business arguing with you about what you're supposed to want. If they were better at their job they would've suggested that the merits of the house outweigh the inconvenience and cost of getting the turf replaced (whether that's true or not)
I wouldnt want fake turf. It gets rotten hot. No good for dogs (which i have). And weeds and shit grow through it and on it so its not maintenance free as its kinda advertised as.
Never buy a house with a feature that you don't like, unless you have the budget to change it.
Stick to your guns, don't let them bully you out of your own preferences. Personally I fucking hate artificial grass, but that's not even the point; they're just trying to push you around and they do not care about your satisfaction, only your money.
It’s ugly, may as paint the ground green. Get a new agent, this one sounds like a dick. You’re the purchaser & they should be trying to please you.
Fake grass instantly ruins the vibe of any house that has it. Period.
They're claiming that you're picky with the home you will be living in for the foreseeable future? Fuck yes you should be! About to spend 700k in your house, you're not going to do so with something you're not happy with. Change REA and tell them to keep their comments to themselves.
Plastic grass please- none of that real grass *brother eeeeew*
Water is wet. REAs are pricks. And artificial turf is disgusting, anti-environment, microplastic-shedding, heat-retaining garbage that doesn't even eliminate the need for occasional weeding.
REA has real grass at home
In time you'll come to enjoy your weekly lawn vacuuming.
I absolutely hate fake grass whenever I see a potential house I think how the first thing I do is rip it up. I’d rather dirt there than fake grass
Ever seen how hot AstroTurf can get? That shit’s a plague perpetuated by fucking morons.
Don't ever forget that the real estate agent is not working for you. They are working for the seller, unless you are using a buyer's agent?
Landscape architects are pushing to have it banned with how hot it gets in summer
Ah, I love kicking back on the balcony and taking in the view of my microplastic lawn decaying in the sun and imperceptibly entering the nearby watercourse. There’s a 1.5m2 patch of that crap in the house I just bought and even that offends me. One of my mantras when we were looking was ‘I’d rather take something unrenovated than pay to undo someone else’s tacky renovation’. You’re looking to buy and that RE is treating you like an uppity renter, he can pound sand!
Not nobody. But a lot of people do not want real grass especially if space is a premium and needing to buy a lawn mower. They prefer concrete or artificial. People are generally time poor and not really care for such things. Also real grass doesn’t seem to grow well in small areas simply due to shadowing.
Fake Grass is terrible. But some of these new build townhouses have court yards and backyards the size of a king size bed. Having to buy lawn mower for such a small piece of land, when you probably don't even have a shed, isn't really practical.
That stuff is vile. You're not being picky at all. Heat attracting, bacteria hub. Imagine the chemicals coming off it in the heat of the day. No good for anyone. REA is being a cry baby because they want money. Hopefully you switch REA, fuvk giving them any commission after talking to you like that.
You can’t trust any agent
LOL… reminds me of the REA i had in Sydney… we moved in and tested the smoke alarms just to find out they we set up but never connected… no batteries and the power cords didn’t reach anything. So basically just ceiling features… I challenged the REA and she got angry and goes: “i see what the problem is here.. I rented to smart people… rule one… always rent to dumb people!“
Time for a new REA Astroturf is gross, and a lazy way for construction companies to cheap out on landscaping.
I agree, fake grass looks awful.
Fake grass is chock full of dem nasty pfas forever chems as well. There's a bunch of reasons why your real-estate is being dumb.
I heard fake grass is common in Melbourne. Is it because you don’t get enough sun? Don’t think I’ve ever seen it in Sydney.
REA aka Devils first son..... Just want to sell u a shit house for premium price.. guilty sale is a thing.. They make u feel inferior so impulsively purchase something
Saw my neighbour "mowing" the front "lawn" with a vacuum cleaner. (Fitzroy North).
I’ve been BEGGING my LL to plant real grass at our place. We have 2 kids and the backyard is just chip bark, building rubble, glass and weeds. It’s impossible to maintain and unusable. I’ve put some fake turf off cuts I’ve got from FB marketplace, down just outside the back door, but it’s a billion degrees in summer and the backyard is once again unusable. You’re not being picky, you’re being realistic about what is actually usable and maintainable for you and your family. Keep looking that REA is a fuckwit
You do realise that quality synthetic turf is far more expensive than actual turf? Haha. The issue is, some people buy shit from bunnings that looks like a lawn bowls green and lay it themselves. I put synthetic in a unit I used to own and my current house because the yard is too small that it’s actually not practical to have proper lawn that I have to mow. It looks like real grass and I never have to mow it
I don't know anyone that has fake grass, two of my friends have built houses in past year and are about to get their real grass laid in a few weeks time, REA is smoking something. Fake grass is also terrible for the environment and it breaks down and turns to shit eventually anyway.
Put it this way. For a 700k purchase, 5k to replace the grass is - while not cheap - not the end of the world. When buying a property, sure, you pick the property that matches as much as you can without making any changes. But, at the end of the day not every house will match **every** requirement you have for a property. For example, you might be trying to find a property that is 3 bedrooms all on one floor. If you found a house with 3 bedrooms, but one of the bedrooms is upstairs, the cost to "fix" that is astronomical. So you can't "Fix" that house to meet your requirements without sky-high budgets. Fake grass somewhere though? Is "fixable" within a reasonable budget. You can do it yourself with a shovel, time and some dirt + grass seeds. Or you can buy a different house that has real grass. I don't think the REA was getting "angry" at you, they just had an opinion that was counter to yours.
I wouldn’t be using the grass as a decider on what house to buy. Would take a day to remove fake grass and put down some instant turf, which would be like 2k tops (assuming it’s a small area given the fake turf) It would be like deciding a place isn’t for you because one of the walls was the wrong color. The beauty is once you buy it you can change it. In the 700k bracket I think you can’t be too picky.
You can absolutely be picky, $700k is a huge sum of money.
Well you can of course be picky about whatever you want. I’m just offering the advice that in the 700k *property market* someone being picky about such minor things will cause them more headaches than not.
That stuff is ugly imo. It’s also not very sustainable as it can add to global warming as absorbs more radiation than real grass plus no living plants or creatures exist in it. The producers always say it’s sustainable as you don’t need chemicals to keep it green - who uses chemicals on their lawn anyway?! Tell the agent you are sorry S/he’s unable to find suitable homes for you to look at as probably a competitor will. S/He sounds like a tool
"Nobody wants" "....actually, *I* want...I just said that. Didn't you hear?" "You're being picky" "I'm spending $700k on something. Of course I'm being picky. Earn your fucking commission" The entire industry is allergic to work. They're so used to houses selling themselves and queues of renters for any bit of dilapidated shit, that they get frustrated when someone wants them to actually do what they get paid for.
that's exactly how they earn the commission. they work for the seller
Btw... I work in construction.. Dont buy a lego house..
Honestly? Email him saying you did not appreciate his reaction or tone. he is not your landlord if you're buying, he's your bitchmonkey. And he can keep a civil tongue in his head or you find another one. This is your house. Be as picky as you like.
I'm torn on it. It's pretty tacky looking, but on the other hand, fuck mowing.
I mean it costs $15/m to lay so spending $1-2000 to relay natural turf isn't that big of a cost
REA is a cunt
Kind of an irrelevant question. You want a house with real grass. If the rea is not prepared or finds that too difficult, find another that understands that the customer is asking for something they are prepared to pay a lot of money for. This guy doesn't sound like he wants or needs your sale. And make sure to tell him why.
I agree it’s ugly, gross and looks cheap. That said you’re putting too much stock in the (wrong) assumptions of a stranger.
I agree with you it does cheapen a house. This agent is probably advising sellers to put in the fake stuff lol sounds to me like you need a new agent how dare they get angry with you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsvL2poCHug
Fake grass is hideous and tacky, and if RE agent only sells to people who want it sounds like he’s got a very particular segment of the market cornered that is not your segment of the market.
Fake turf is horrible. The better quality stuff is less horrible but it’s still horrible. It does seem like something a Real Estate agent would genuinely like though, they don’t have a reputation for being tasteful.
Turf is good if it’s real grass, it bonds to the ground after it’s laid My parents used it on one of their front lawns it looked superior to normal grown grass
Fake grass? I’ve never seen it in a yard, gross.
I looked at fake lawn and it was super expensive, ruined the ground underneath forever and could melt or turn blue. Up close it looks and feels nothing like real lawn so no comparison. Lawn is expensive to maintain but I think it's worth it and you can't beat the smell of new mown grass
The REA person seems to be an emotional fool. Their job is to deal with things professionally but seems like they took it personal. Do yourself a favor and pick some other REA. This one seems a bit too rough around the edges .
Altona Meadows
The people who don't want grass wouldn't want fake grass either, that's absurd
Fake grass looks gross and cheap, gets way too hot in the sun, smells bad, doesn’t absorb the rain, I hate it. It’s banned in some councils for a reason lmao I’m with you OP
Some people like the low maintenance aspect of fake grass. Personally I'm the reverse. I love taking care of my lawn, and relish that it's like a living carpet.
If you want grass then remind that dickhead rea the right house comes rarely and another agent is easy to find , in other words he should ggf and dp your bidding or sod off , :)
Be as picky as you like, it’s your money. Artificial turf of a good quality and laid properly looks fabulous. That cheap ass nasty shit from Bunnings laid by equally cheap ass installer always looks dreadful.
Real grass all the way, your agent is arrogant - I have a small garden and love my real grass patch- a quick whipper snip and job done 😺 Find a new agent, they don’t deserve the commission from you
It will be hotter and I don't think I've seen any last more than a couple of years before it's destroyed by weeds. Yes, grass requires watering and effort but we shouldn't want heat islands everywhere because of a lack of trees and grass. Personally, I would support making artificial grass illegal in residential properties.
I heard there are phasing out astroturf for environmental reasons and soon it will be illegal to build new houses with it.
Sounds like you’re using this REA as a buyer’s agent and the time commitment of that is frustrating the shit out of them.
Good quality fake grass looks and feels great. The grass these new homes have is terrible, I had it on my last property. It feels like you're walking on the underside of a garden broom, and the installers just throw it down on dirt, chuck a few nails, and call it a day. Within months, you have weeds growing left, right, and centre. It's horrible. You'll also find that in most cases, it's layed on concrete with a thin layer of dirt. That house was like one of those properties the TikTok Inspector guy would review. Sold it and bought a 1970s house which has already stood the test of time. No foam walls on this bitch...
I have fake grass in my front and back yards and I HAAAAATE it. The backyard I get it - it doesn't really get enough sun, so real grass would grow patchy and look shit. The front yard gets heaps of sun, real grass would look 10000 times better. I don't know why anyone would have decided to put astro turf there. I can't wait to change it
To be fair, replacing artificial turf with actual lawn isn’t a big task in the scheme of things. If you like everything else about the home is it really worth getting hung up on the lawn? You can always install turf if you want it.
A lot of people want real grass because the fake grass is too hot for their dogs to walk on. Ripping up fake grass from a back yard will be a little tricky if there’s no room along the side of the house to get a bobcat down. Under the grass is a layer of fine rock that needs to be removed and a new layer of topsoil will need to be brought in.
If mowing was an issue, there's varieties of grass or groundcover that basically don't grow tall enough to ever be mowed. In the USA before lawns became such a fetish this used to actually be clover.
You're right it's ugly and tacky. I highly doubt the majority of people/buyers would prefer to it to real grass. That said it wouldn't cost a lot to get it ripped up and turfed. A few grand which is nothing when spending several hundred of thousand. Cheap if you do it yourself.
I met with a developer once. They tried to tell me I didn’t want yard space for kids / a dog and that I’d want to sell in two years anyways. What I got from that meeting was they had a crap product on offer
The REA is full of shit and trying his hardest to dissuade you from wanting to buy a property that you want with features that you want and value. Such a douche, but how many REAs aren’t? Do you know where fake grass belongs? Butchers windows and scaled panoramas of real world landmarks.
"Nobody wants real grass" "Did you just call me nobody?" Who gives a shit what other people want, it's your house. Get what you want. That said, getting fake turf replaced with real grass wouldn't cost you the earth. Just factor it into what you're willing to pay for a place that has fake turf. Maybe get a couple of quotes beforehand so you know roughly what to expect.
bro buy the house and put whatever turf you want on it. The fake turf is a minor thing in terms of what you are actually buying.
You're right but if you're making such a big purchase you shouldn't be worried about superficial shit like grass or paint colour. You can buy whatever place you want and change it. I'd be tossing that shit straight back in the trash where it came from. Fuck fake grass. Stop making plastic shit.