PHOENIX -- Everyone's heard the saying, "The grass is always greener on the other side."

Sometimes, it really is -- when your neighbor has an artificial lawn.

It's a lot tougher to tell the difference between fake grass and the real thing than most people think, which is why the Pratt family recently filled out their Gilbert back yard with fake grass.

"No water, no mowing, clean, looks beautiful," said Randy Pratt.

The Pratts are one of thousands of Valley families rolling out the green carpet as an alternative to real grass.

About 500,000 square feet of artificial grass is laid in Phoenix every month.

Carie Pratt likes the fact that her kids can play all day without making a mess.

"With this grass, they can go out barefoot any time of the day or night," Carie Pratt said. "They're not tracking mud back into the house."

Another benefit to fake grass is the amount of green you'll save on water bills.

No sprinklers means big savings on water.

At $6 to $9 per square foot, though, installing an artificial lawn is not cheap.

The turf can also get a little hot in the heat.

The Pratts insist that the convenience of fake grass more than makes up for the initial cost, but they say the best part is that the neighbors probably won't know the grass isn't real unless they're told.

Several Valley cities are offering rebates to homeowners who replace their real lawns with artificial grass.

Click here to find out how much your city offers.