We love our backyard and know we’re very lucky to own a large one. There are many benefits to having a big backyard and we’re going to discuss them in this article.

Backyards are important as they provide space for children and families to play, entertain friends, grill, and dine outside. They create room for decking and patio areas, outdoor furniture, storage sheds and outbuildings such as gazebos and pergolas. A backyard can also raise the value of your home.

Let’s discover why backyards are so important in more detail, and also look into the alarming fact that they’re actually shrinking in size all across America…

Why Do You Need a Backyard?

A big backyard is an excellent option for homeowners because it provides a higher value to their home, gives their family a place to play, and makes it easier to host friends and family members at a party. As a result, a big backyard is something that many homeowners seek out whenever they look for homes. 

But is a big backyard essential for a great home? Not necessarily. While it is true that a perfect backyard provides many benefits, homeowners often do okay without one. However, even a small backyard will give many benefits if they are clever and carefully adapt their space with various items, like swings, small pools, and more. 

That said, a big backyard is still a significant draw and one that is hard to ignore. Unfortunately, many people are finding that big backyards are becoming harder and harder to find. Therefore, those homeowners who still have a big backyard may want to take advantage of this back if they ever want to sell their home by advertising the yard.

Is it Important To Have a Big Backyard?

Here’s an important fact that can put this question into perspective: around 77% of all homeowners claim that they find a backyard is essential for their home. Furthermore, these individuals not only find backyards very important but believe it is more essential than elements like a pool or other luxury upgrades that you might add to a home instead. 

Why do over three-quarters of homeowners desire a big backyard for their home? Many factors could be at play here. First, people may want an outdoor area to relax and have fun in the summer and winter. Families with children often find big backyards particularly important because they let kids get outside and out of their parents’ hair for a few minutes. 

However, adults often love big backyards because they can be used in many ways. Whether homeowners adapt big backyards for fun or practical purposes, the many advantages extra space offer is essential to understand truly. However, it is critical to note that big backyards do take away from home space by taking more room on a lot. This creates a tradeoff that must be considered.

What Can I Do With a Big Backyard?

While homeowners with a big backyard may lose some space for their home due to limitations on lot size, they can do so many things with a big backyard. First, they can install a pool where their kids and themselves can cool off from the hot summer sun. This step is an excellent option for those who live in a high-temperature area. 

However, a big backyard also provides homeowners with a place to grill, practice various types of sports, set up storage sheds, produce simple gardens, sit outside on great patio furniture, create exterior decorations for their home, and much more. These options may be possible in smaller yards but are much more limited in scope as a result. 

Another vital factor to consider with lawn size is how much mowing you’ll need to do every week or so. If you don’t enjoy mowing grass, you’ll probably find yourself regretting a big backyard. However, the extra space it provides for fun and practical help is far too tempting to ignore for most.

How Important is a Backyard For Children?

Children often don’t get enough outdoor playtime in an electronics-obsessed world. As fewer and fewer get outside to enjoy sports, explore their neighborhood, or climb trees, it is more important than ever to provide a big backyard for children to encourage outdoor play. 

For example, a big backyard with a swing set, a sandbox, a treehouse, and other play options should make it easier for quiet or fearful children to get outside. And a fence around the yard will give them extra protection and ensure that they are as safe as possible in your neighborhood when they play. 

Even if children simply sit outside and play a video game system, it is better than sitting indoors and not getting any fresh air or sun. As a result, it is easy to say that a big backyard is vastly crucial for children to fight the dangers of obesity and other health issues.

Would You Buy a House With No Backyard?

The importance of backyards as a play area makes it hard to justify a home purchase that lacks one. Even a tiny backyard is better than none at all, as homeowners can still get some use out of it. However, there are situations in which individuals may have no choice but to buy a home without a yard and deal with the consequences. 

For instance, people in very densely populated areas (like the downtown of a metropolitan area) may buy a house that has no yard at all. That’s because space is at such a premium that it’s hard enough to get individual homes, let alone yards. Sometimes, these yards are so small (hundreds of square feet or less) that they are practically no yard at all. 

In other cases, people who buy condominiums for their main living area may discover that they have no backyard. However, people in this situation may have access to shared communal outdoor spaces to take children, grill, or spend time with neighbors. This compromise may be hard for those expecting a big yard to accept.

What is Considered a Good Sized Yard?

In the past, a good backyard was around 10,000 square feet for most lots. However, that number has been shrinking rapidly in the last few decades. For example, the average yard size is around 8,560 square feet or about 0.2 acres. Nevertheless, this yard size is still considered relatively small by most people. 

Therefore, it is fair to say that a good-sized backyard hovers closer to 12,000 square feet or so, as this is above the older average and far above the current limit. That said, yard size considerations also vary depending on the area you live in because expectations may differ significantly for specific regions. 

For example, very rural areas may have yards that are as big as a total acre, not including limitations created by the garage, storage shed, or pool. However, in more urban areas, a yard no more than 9,500 square feet may be considered suitable for the area. As a result, it is vital to research your area before assuming you’ve gotten a good deal on a yard or a bad one. 

How Much Value Does a Backyard Add To Your Home?

A big backyard can add a lot of value to a home, depending on its size, its location, and the market in which you are buying. For example, backyards in rural areas are not as unexpected as they are in urban cities. As a result, a big backyard may almost be considered more of a hassle than anything due to the need to mow and maintain its surface. 

However, big backyards in urban areas are so rare that they immediately add heavily to a home’s value. Of course, the exact amount will vary, based on the prices in the area. However, it is not unexpected to get thousands of dollars more for a home or to pay that much more due to the size of a big backyard in the big city. Even a small backyard will add thousands of dollars to a home in an urban area in these circumstances. 

Final Words: Why Are Backyards Getting Smaller Now?

As mentioned previously, backyards are getting smaller than ever with each passing year. The reasons for this include an increasing population density, millennial push-back against lawn maintenance, and a more significant focus on more comfortable homes and indoor-centered living environments. 

In more farm-based years, people rarely went indoors except to eat and sleep and spent more of their days outdoors. As a result, a big backyard was critical for a family. However, more and more people spend a majority of their time indoors instead of going outside to work. 

And as people become more comfortable living inside, they value a backyard much less. As a result, they focus on making their home bigger on their lot instead of having a large backyard. And yet, nearly 77% of homeowners say a big backyard is essential to their purchase — an interesting paradox to consider.