New to Forum - Introduction

[trulawnscape]

Hello,

I couldn't find the intro page (not sure if there is one) so I thought this was the next best. I am from Minnesota and started in the lawn biz working for a company when i was 15, I took a few years off and got a degree in video production but enjoy spending time outdoors so I am now doing both and am 22.

The name of my business is Tru Lawnscape, I specialize in REO properties and do a few residential also. REO (real estate owned), I am hired by realtors and banks to maintain the yard at forclosed homes as well as perform trashouts. I started my business 2 years ago with a push mower and a trimmer and now have 1 employee, a Simplicity Champion 50" Z, a few echo trimmers and backpack blowers and 60+ yards.

Although I enjoy REO because the work finds me I am not fond of the turn around on payment (sometimes up to 8 months). I would like to get my hands on a few commercial accounts so I could cut back on REO accounts but don't really know much about commercial contracts. If anyone has a sample commercial contract or words of wisdom I am all ears.

Thanks,
Joel
:usflag:

[DLAWNS]

Welcome to the forum.

[MJS]

Welcome to Lawnsite. :waving:

Here you will find mostly good advice, often okay advice, and occasionally, bad advice.
But really, this should quickly become one of your best business resources.

As far a commercial accounts; I have not had a ton of experience bidding on those, so I can't help you as much as some of the other guys could. In my experience, it's a whole different ballgame from residential, let me tell you.

Good luck, though. :usflag:

[MowHouston]

8 months? You need to tell your REO guys where to stick it or pay you within a month.

I had a guy that owned an REO company try to do that to me, said he would find someone else after I told him no way. Then came back to me after a month.

8 months is insane. I hope you're charging them extra for that. If they say they have to wait for the houses to sell and all that BS tell them they need to figure that into their expenses from the get go.

Drop those REOs and do some advertising lol. A lot of the REO work I had done was a PAIN to start off. Dropped houses, new houses every week. I hated it but it got me by :)

Welcome to the forum and good luck here. Don't let your customers control your cashflow my man! Even commercial ones.

[trulawnscape]

thanks for the welcomes,

yes REO also requires you to take before and after photos of every lawn...yes payment turn around time is rediculous but I also get payed more than I should on many yards. small downtown yards = 50 bucks a cut...30 min max.

[STIHL GUY]

welcome to the site