Curb appeal is extremely important when selling a home—and messy neighbors not only send red flags to potential buyers; they can cost you cost you big bucks as well.
“Unfortunately, a neighbor’s unkempt property can very much distract or deter potential buyers,” says Robert Dodson, sales manager and broker at Charles Burt Realtors in Joplin, MO. “To what degree is pretty subjective to the price point, conditions, location, and other factors.”
More than half of real estate agents (55%) believe that junk or clutter in neighbors’ yards “significantly decreases” your property value, according to a 2024 study by StorageUnits.com.
At least 28% of real estate agents believe it would diminish your property value by 15% to 20%. An additional 21% believe the decrease would be more in the 30% to 50% range.
But some junk is obviously worse than others.
The top items in neighbors’ yards that real estate agents said would lower your property value the most are: trash (85%), excessive clutter (82%), yard waste (69%), old cars (57%), building materials (52%), and too many cars (42%).
“Trash, clutter, and yard waste are definitely some of the most negatively impactful things for a neighbor’s yard to have,” says Seamus Nally, CEO of TurboTenant. ”When buyers see that, they instantly make assumptions about the people living there and then draw conclusions about what it would be like to live next to it. Nobody wants to look out their window and constantly see trash, not only because it’s visually unappealing, but because it can make the neighborhood itself seem less valuable or desirable.”
Meanwhile, 10% of real estate agents say neighbors’ RVs can harm your property value, while another 10% believe their boats can. At least 7% believe neighbors’ cars parked in the driveway instead of the garage can also have a negative effect.
But Cara Ameer, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker in Los Angeles and Florida, says some people seek out a community where they can have an RV or boat parked in plain sight, so that could be a positive thing for certain people.
How—and when—to speak up if you have a messy neighbor
So, how can you politely ask neighbors to clean up their act?
“I believe that communication is key, but it has to be done in a diplomatic and nonthreatening way,” says Dodson. “Most neighbors know each other enough that they can have casual conversations from time to time, and that can be a great opportunity to bring up the subject of wanting to sell your property and questioning if the neighbor has any interest in making the neighborhood appear more attractive.”
Approaching them before you list your home can let neighbors feel like part of the process.
“If you have a rapport with your neighbor, be upfront and let them know you’re going to list your home,” says etiquette expert Lisa Grotts, from Healdsburg, CA. “A polite way to encourage your neighbor to improve their yard without causing tension is to explain that their home has just as much to add to the selling process as yours does.”
Use a friendly tone, and make the approach light and considerate without coming off as confrontational.
Grotts suggests saying something like this: “Hi, Trish. I hope you don’t mind me bringing this up, but I noticed the yard’s been looking a little overgrown lately. I completely understand how life can get busy—it happens to all of us! I just thought I’d mention it in case you hadn’t had the chance to take care of it. If you ever need a hand or a recommendation for a landscaper, let me know. We have a terrific team.”
If you get any pushback, offer to foot the bill for the yard cleanup or a house cleaner, and see if that encourages them to agree.
What to do if your neighbor won’t cooperate
If, after being upfront and polite, your neighbors still don’t want to clean up, Grotts suggests taking things step by step.
“Wait and see and offer a friendly follow-up,” she advises.
Your real estate agent can always speak up, as well.
“Agents also have a unique opportunity to canvas the neighborhood and have conversations with the neighbors about the endeavor to sell a specific property and how they can help make the neighborhood appear more attractive,” says Dodson.
If all else fails, go to your HOA or report the issue to the city—which you can often do anonymously.
“Perhaps they can be the ones to intervene,” Grotts says.
In severe situations, local authorities might even go so far as to condemn a property if it’s considered hazardous to health or safety, making it legally uninhabitable.
If nothing can be done, you might just have to live with the eyesore next door and hope for the best.
There is one more thing you can do, though.
“As an agent, I purposefully will write the directions to a property that follows a route that is more appealing to the eye if the most direct route has unfavorable scenery,” says Dodson.
