When it comes to landscaping at your Charleston single-family investment property, there are a few directions you can go. Those landscaping and lawn care responsibilities really depend on you, your tenants, and your property. If you have acres of land with exotic topiaries and you’re very fussy about them, you’ll want to hire professionals. If you have a small size lawn and tenants who are eager to mow it, you can leave the responsibilities to them.
There’s no single way to do it. Owners and tenants differ when it comes to their capacity for and interest in landscaping.
Here are your best options when it comes to landscaping duties. Whatever you decide, remember to be clear in your lease agreement about who should be caring for the outdoor space.
Option 1: You Care for the Landscaping at Your Charleston Rental
If you love lawn work and you’re looking for a reason to check up on your rental property every week or two, it’s possible for you to be in charge of landscaping at your rental home. This might be off-putting to your tenant, who doesn’t necessarily want you showing up all the time. Talk about it to be sure they’re okay with you mowing the lawn every spring and summer.
Option 2: Your Tenants Care of the Landscaping at Your Charleston Rental
When tenants rent a single-family home, they often expect that the home will come with a yard. Sometimes, tenants look for this because they enjoy working outdoors and they take pride in how their home looks, even if it’s a rental home.
If you’re renting your property to tenants who are enthusiastic about taking care of the landscaping, let them do it. They’ll have the authority and the agency to mow the lawn, trim the bushes, and maybe even plant a garden or invest in pots of bright flowers. Tenants in single-family homes tend to settle in for longer, which means they may have a more active interest in how the outside of the home looks.
Let your tenants take care of the lawn if they want to. Establish some expectations so they understand that it’s unacceptable for the landscaping to fall into disrepair. You don’t want HOA violations or complaints from the neighbors.
Option 3: A Professional Service Takes Care of the Lawn and Landscaping
Perhaps the best option for a large majority of landlords and tenants is to have a professional landscaping service keep up with the mowing, trimming, weeding, and other lawn responsibilities. You can pay for it yourself as an owner and roll the cost into the rental amount. Or, you can give your tenants the option to take care of the landscaping themselves or hire professionals at their own expense.
Decide what will work best for you and your tenants, and then make sure the lease agreement reflects what you decide. If you have a single-family home in an HOA, make sure you and your tenants are aware of their requirements when it comes to lawns and outside space.
We know this can be a tricky question to navigate, and we’re here to make some recommendations unique to your property. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at Charleston Home Rentals.
