My favorite feature about properties is that I can set a breakpoint on the setter. It'll now break on anything that sets it with a single breakpoint. Or use "Go to calls" on the setter and I instantly get everything that sets the variable. Of course also works with the getter. Being able to do this, yet only use it as a field is so nice. Other than this, I find properties indispensable in MVVM scenarios so that the view reacts when you set a property. Using getter and setter methods would litter my code so bad that I can't see a "clarity of intent" net positive.