Mowing, Plowing, Leaves Cleanup?

Question

What is the general consensus when it comes to these types of upkeep at a multifamily residential property.  Do you have one of the tenants do it? Do you budget for doing having a crew maintain these items?  What about maintaining flower beds?   We like to focus on nicer looking properties, which we want to keep looking nice.  So how are the Cleveland landlords handling these services.

Billie Miller · Answer

I would have a lawn care company just take care of it. We are house hacking right now and can hardly get our tenant in the other half to help us take the trash out. Trying to assign different tasks to different tenants could end in huge headaches.

JD Martin · Answer

Always take care of general care & maintenance on anything bigger than a one-family, as it is virtually impossible to ascribe spheres of influence to specific units. That means you cut the grass, rake leaves, plow parking lots. Exceptions might be if you had duplexes, with individual driveways, they take care of their own shoveling/plowing; yards that are split so that each unit has their own defined, enclosed property; etc.

Tom Ott · Answer

This is one of the many reasons why investing MFRs can be more costly to the owner. Most of the time these kind of services fall on the owner. You can try to coordinate with the tenants, but it might end up being a prisoner's dilemma situation.

In a SFR you can put all of these on the tenant. You will probably have to hire a service to do it, or use a PM to do it, but the fees might be higher.

Brad Fausett · Answer

Sounds like I need to expect to handle snowplowing, leaves management and yard mowing.   I am rapidly adding MF properties in Cleveland but my previous experience had always been single family's in Columbus.  The tenants managed lawn care.  I just realized I didnt know who i needed to expect to handle these services.  My first duplex I house hack so  I take care of them myself.

David Terbeek · Answer

Brad- We recommend that you limit the amount of "beds" at the home to keep maintenance simple.  Of course, you need to have something to be attractive, especially in higher end units - but, again, think simple and easy.  You, the owner, should be responsible.  Trying to split responsibilities or leaving it to one of the tenants may work sometimes but often is a recipe for neighbor complaints, city fines or worse.  Budget for these services with a contractor or your management company and you will get better results in the end.

Andrew Johnson · Answer

@Brad Fausett I have my property management company take care of it for all of my multifamily properties.  They find someone and just charge me what it costs.  I have them do it every two weeks so it's predictable.  I don't really have flower beds so that might be another story.  My properties do have hearty plants and hardscape so they're 'nice' but a little bit easier to manage.  Not quite as colorful but you don't end up with a dead rosebush.