I’ve been selling real estate long enough to watch the language of marketing evolve. Every few years, a new word catches on, and before long, it seems to appear in every other listing. Kitchens become “chef’s kitchens.” Every floor plan is suddenly “open concept.” White cabinets and black hardware transform an ordinary colonial into a “modern farmhouse.” Lately, though, one word has caught my attention more than any other: homestead.
Maybe it’s because I grew up in Southwick, where gardens, woodpiles, and backyard chickens weren’t part of a trend. They were simply part of everyday life. Families grew vegetables because they enjoyed fresh food. People canned tomatoes because that’s what you did when the garden produced more than you could eat. Firewood was stacked because many homes relied on wood heat, not because neatly piled logs looked good on Instagram. Some neighbors kept chickens. Others had fruit trees. None of those things felt remarkable, and certainly no one referred to their property as a homestead.
That may be why I smile whenever I see a listing describing a two-bedroom Cape on a half-acre lot as a “private homestead.” There is absolutely nothing wrong with a home that has a beautiful yard, a few raised garden beds, or even a small chicken coop. In fact, I love those properties. Give me fresh basil on the deck, tomatoes ripening in August, and enough room for kids to play or a dog to chase a tennis ball, and I’m happy.
The problem isn’t the yard. It’s the expectation that a single word creates.
I recently shared a quick video about this on YouTube:
When buyers read the word homestead, they picture something much different than a suburban backyard. They imagine open land, barns, tractors, orchards, livestock, workshops, and a lifestyle centered around producing much of what they consume. Whether that means five acres or fifty depends on the buyer, but almost everyone imagines something more substantial than a fenced backyard with a swing set and a couple of raised beds.
That’s why words matter in real estate. Good marketing isn’t about finding the most fashionable description. It’s about helping buyers form an accurate picture before they ever schedule a showing. When the language overpromises, buyers walk into a home expecting one thing and find another. Nobody benefits from that.
I understand why the word has become popular. “Homestead” evokes a feeling that many people are searching for today. It suggests self-sufficiency, simplicity, connection to the land, and a slower pace of life. Those are wonderful qualities, and it’s easy to understand why marketers reach for a word that captures them so quickly.
But I also think it’s worth remembering that many of us grew up living pieces of that lifestyle without ever giving it a special name. We planted gardens because we wanted fresh vegetables. We canned food because it made sense. We stacked wood because winter was coming. Those weren’t carefully curated lifestyle choices. They were just ordinary Saturdays.
Maybe that’s why I still hesitate to call every backyard a homestead. To me, something is charming about a nice yard simply being a nice yard. There is nothing ordinary about creating a place where families can gather, children can play, herbs can grow on the deck, and memories can be made. It doesn’t need a trendy label to be valuable.
Perhaps language will continue to evolve, and twenty years from now, everyone will think of a homestead differently than I do. That’s certainly possible. After nearly four decades in real estate, I’ve learned that markets change, design trends change, and even the words we use to describe homes change.
I’ll probably still smile, though, every time someone tells me that a few tomato plants and a basil pot have turned their backyard into a homestead.
Sometimes dinner is just dinner. I am Lesley Lambert, REALTOR with Park Square Realty, and I translate “real estate” into English.
Now I’m curious.
When you hear the word homestead, what do you picture?
Is it a few raised garden beds and a chicken coop? Or does your mind go straight to barns, tractors, acreage, and a way of life?
Leave a comment and let me know. I have a feeling I’m not the only one with opinions on this one.
And if you’re looking for a home in Western Massachusetts or Northwestern Connecticut, I’m always happy to help you separate the marketing language from what a property really offers. Because finding the right home starts with understanding what you’re actually looking for.
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