Definition: A “parcel mullet” refers to the phenomenon of having a well manicured short lawn in the front yard, but a wild long yard in the back. Or in laymen’s terms, business lawn in front, party lawn in the back. If you didn’t know, the mullet is a hairstyle that is short at the front and sides, and long in the back (Wikipedia).
Examples: 1) “Nobody would’ve ever known Tammy had a parcel mullet since her house looked so cute from the front.” 2) “Jim, your house is looking great. All you need to do before we list it on the market is a bit of touch-up paint in the hallway and well, chop the parcel mullet.” 3) “Randy’s parcel mullet didn’t impress his in-laws, but neighbors love him for keeping the street looking nice.”
Origin of Word: This word came about during a conversation on Twitter with Heather Ostrom (@RosevilleRockLn). I had mentioned the way my front yard was neat and tidy, but my back yard was a jungle. Heather then alluded to the mullet concept (genius), which led me to think of the term “parcel mullet”. I don’t know about you, but while I keep the front yard constantly short throughout the year, I tend to let my backyard grow wild from December to March until most of the rainy season is finished. Or in other words, I grow a parcel mullet in the Winter each year (as seen in the image below). I actually enjoy mowing my lawn too, so no matter how busy I’ve been throughout the years, I have never hired a gardener. I guess I’m old school like that. Check out the Twitter feed to the right to see a portion of how this new real estate word emerged.
Neat & Tidy Lawn: In all seriousness, having a well-manicured lawn does make a difference with how buyers, passersby and community members might perceive a household or even a neighborhood if front lawns are perpetually overgrown. As I wrote about in Thou shalt mow thy lawn to decrease blight, “Unkempt front yards are actually a very big deal because people will judge a community based on what it looks like. Is this a place where residents invest in their neighborhood or have they stopped believing in the future of their community?” In short, mowing the lawn in the front is a free way to help boost neighborhood pride and show the community that neighbors care about the image of the community. Regarding the backyard, if you’re not selling, feel free to grow out a parcel mullet. But if you are selling, it’s time for a haircut. 🙂
Disclaimer: This post is in no way meant to offend anyone who has had a mullet, currently has one or will have one. It’s simply a fun way to describe a realistic yard scenario (even on my parcel).
Lastly, thank you Heather for the funny mullet photoshop job. This was a great laugh after a long day!! Click the image to the right if you wish. I hope you enjoyed the post.
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