Newbie wrote:

Not really sure what makes sense in the long run for a 1000 sqft lawn.
I looked at the soil and it seemed quite compactified. Lots of brown
areas, although thatch is not too thick.

1,000 sf isn't really a lawn, that's a small grassy patch.... my ranch
house with two car attached garage is nearly 3,000 sf, my veggie
garden is 2,500 sf, I mow 10 acres of lawn every week To be perfectly
honest were it me I would most definitely hire a weekly lawn
service.... why bother with all the investment in tools and equipment,
storage, maintenence, and worry your brain over this when for less
money and zero stress you don't need to do much of anything but
water... and for that dwarfish patch (that I can water by urinating)
I'd install an automatic sprinkler. I think you are doing way too
much mental masturbation over your widdle gwassy. My last house was
on a bit more than 1/4 acre, I had sprinklers and Fabian arrived every
week with his crew and within 20 minutes my entre proeprty was mowed,
edged, string trimmed, blown, and grass clippings taken away; $25/wk,
and for about another $100.yr treated with weed n' feed and
pre-emergent.... would cost a bit more now but still well worth it at
twice the price.