Driving along, it seems some people's houses are nicely landscaped, lawns mowed, exterior maintenance superb. Others look like Jed Clampetts' - lawn going to seed, paint peeling, junk cars here & there. Why don't some people take better care?

They may be physically unable, They don't have to, Don't see the point in fighting nature, or simply are trying to annoy those of us who hold higher standards. Here in Colorado they are putting restrictions on the amt of water FARMERS can use to grow our food, yet allow suburbia to dump water on "kentucky blue grass" which is WAY not suited to the high plains semi-arid desert climate. Sick. As we get the money, my husband and I are gradually replacing the existing lawn with "xeriscape" beds which require little to no water once established.

Laziness is a major factor here. But it could be that they simply don't have the money to take care of their house and lawn.

Some might be too old, some others have different priorities and then with have the old financial situations

I do not think that all yards that are unkempt are due to them having lower standards. Some people are struggling to put food on the table, some are handicapped and loved ones (or whoever) stopped offering them a hand to keep things up, some I am sure, get home late, rise early and barely have a life outside of work to provide for their family. Some may have had to let the yard get the shaft in order to delegate the money to more important issues in their lives. My neighbor to the right would flip a switch if a weed grew in his yard.. on the left of me ..looks terrible. Both are good neighbors to have so I think I will withhold judgement of things so petty in lieu of having good people next to me.

People have different priorities, what other people think of their house and front garden isn't important to some people. Maybe they would rather spend time and money on the inside of their house where they can enjoy it? Maybe they want to spend it on other things? Maybe they don't even have the time or money to keep the outside nice?

There are those of us who's health and financial situation forces us to live this way.Many of us are ashamed of the outward appearance of ourselves, our homes and personal appearance!I am one of them!

It's not their top priority. Work, cleaning the inside of the house, taking care of children or pets. Any or all of these could be taking up the time that they might put into the outside of their home for the sake of appearance.

Well, you'll just have to stop at one of those houses and ask the owners. I have no idea why people do what they do.

Maybe some people just don't have the time. Maybe some people are depressed and take it out in other ways. I don't think that taking care of your house automatically makes you a good person. There is so much tension in the house around the corner where I live and the man who lived there for years and his wife recently got a divorce. Their children seem downright depressed and the mom has a new boyfriend. So much for their perfect housework and maintenance work. It seems like the mom there cared about status way too much. She chose nice guys who seem to work hard, though.