Memorial Day is almost upon us. It is the time of sunshine and heat, while still receiving sufficient rain. It’s perfect weather for late afternoon walks, picnics, and family barbeques, but it is also perfect weather for the grass in the lawn of your rental to absolutely take off and become a mini-rain forest within just a few weeks.
In just a little while, this trend will reverse. The full heat of summer will on upon us and that lawn that was overly lush will dry up and take on the appearance of the Sahara desert.
The perfect tenant would never fall behind. Their lawn and flowerbeds would always be perfectly maintained, devoid of leaves, and any other flaws. Unfortunately, tenants, like property managers and landlords, are human and we all fall short of perfection. Most tenants will struggle to keep up with the landscaping.
For those homes where landscaping is not provided, the bi-monthly drive-by catches the overgrown or dried-up lawn before the condition becomes chronic. A quick and friendly phone call or text, sometimes an email, is the best way to let the tenant know. In the vast majority of cases, a simple phone call solves the issue. The tenants don’t mean to let the yard go, but they are human, like the rest of us, and they fall behind.
Professional Landscaping:
Empire recommends professional landscaping for most of our owners. It is an excellent selling point when leasing the unit. If the landscaping required is more involved (multiple shrubs, complicated flower beds), it saves a lot of hassle. Even the most well-meaning tenant is not necessarily the best gardener. They err in occasional negligence, and sometimes you get the tenant that is overzealous and prunes your beloved shrubs nearly to the ground.
A weekly or bi-weekly visit from a professional crew takes care of the majority of issues with the landscaping. For most properties, that is what Empire recommends.
If you wish to revisit your landscaping arrangements and make changes, reach out and let us know. Turnovers are the perfect time to implement improvements, but add-ons during a tenancy can be a charming surprise for the tenants.
As always, Happy Landlording!