Taking care of a property's exterior is important. The lawn and landscape make a major impact on the condition and visual appeal of your property. 

Here in my area, we have a lot of college rentals. I see a ton of landlords make their tenants do the lawn and landscaping. And as an owner of a property services company who has to deal with the after effects...I see why this is a bad idea. So...why should YOU as the owner, pay for professional lawn/landscaping services?

1) Consistency. A good lawn or landscaping company will service the property regularly. This keeps the property maintained and in good condition. In some areas, waiting two weeks or a month will mean a jungle and possibly citations and fines. 

2) Reliability. Tenants as a whole don't own the property and have a different mindset when it comes to maintenance. They are far more likely to say "I'm tired, I'll do it next weekend". This leads to losing pets and small children in the back yard. A good landscape maintenance company relies on regular clients for their income. They have a vested interest in making sure the property remains looking good as that is their livelihood. And good landscape maintenance company owners take pride in the appearance of their properties. 

3) An eye on your property. A GOOD property maintenance company can keep an eye on your property and report anything amiss. Gutter fell down, fence board fell off, siding has a hole, or there is a mountain of pet waste in the back yard. All things you want to know about as an owner. Trust me, we are going to report this. 

4) Pictures. A good landscape/lawn guy will be happy to provide pictures of the property to their clients. This allows you to see the property and current condition. 

5) Value. Having a well maintained property helps retain the value. If the property goes unmaintained, it may cost MORE to bring it back into good condition, often more than what the monthly service charges may have been. And a well maintained property is more visually appealing to prospective tenants and demands a higher rental rate. The lawn and landscaping service can be built into the rent. 

One thing of note: Do NOT hire the cheapest guy. There are plenty of $20 mow guys. But here is the facts of the matter, those guys do NOT carry liability insurance. They can't. It's not economically possible. And things do happen. Rocks do go through windows, HVAC units and gutter and siding and cars DO get hit. It is part of the business. An established company with insurance will have the coverage and funds to repair any damages that may occur...the cheap $20 mow guy...won't. Hire a professional.