re: Are Zero turns needed for residential mowing?

No

A riding mower can easily handle it.

The question is how much time you want to spend cutting your grass.

If you have a lot of trees or tight spaces a zero turn would cut down the time you are cutting the grass.

A good lawn tractor Cub Cadet, Husqvarna, Craftsman 200 series lawn tractors can easily handle to job and well under $2,000. All of them cut in reverse and easy to operate.