Request: south Florida LCO's....need your help

[Tider6972]

I am moving back to Florida, and am interested (must) buy some accounts. I normally would not buy accounts, but I will need to generate enough income to meet overhead and living expenses immediately, as I don't have much cash on hand.

If you know of anyone wanting out on either coast, east Stuart to Boca Raton or west Sarasota to Naples, please help me to contact them so that I may look into buying accounts..I'll consider equipment or none.

Thanks so much for ANY help or ADVISE you may offer.

Steve
bamaman@mnw.net

[KDJ]

Originally posted by Tider6972
I am moving back to Florida, and am interested (must) buy some accounts. I normally would not buy accounts, but I will need to generate enough income to meet overhead and living expenses immediately, as I don't have much cash on hand.

If you know of anyone wanting out on either coast, east Stuart to Boca Raton or west Sarasota to Naples, please help me to contact them so that I may look into buying accounts..I'll consider equipment or none.

Thanks so much for ANY help or ADVISE you may offer.

Steve
bamaman@mnw.net


In the Boca area door hangers will get you working fast.
2-3% return down there and cut 46 wks

[Tider6972]

Really appreciate the information, KDJ.

Can you offer any advise on dealers or size ztr
that will be most usable/productive (48" or 52"?)

I will be solo at first.

Thanks again.

Steve

[Lawn-Scapes]

Which coast is it gonna be?

I was down there 3 years ago.. Boca Raton, Manalapan, West Palm Beach etc...

Are you prepared to work your ass off? It's freakin' HOT down there and extremely competitive..

Oh yeah... and lots of hedge trimming.

Anyway.. I think a 48" Z and a 36" WB are a must. Also get the best handheld stuff you can.. 'cause you'll be using them quite often.

I will get back to you on contacts.. if I can.

[Tider6972]

Tom, you're right!, I am having a tough time deciding...both 'sides' have strong points (g).

I will be going down the latter part of this week to do fact finding and talk to dealers and LCO's. Plan to look in these areas:Jupiter/Hobe Sound, West Palm, Boca, and back up the west coast in Naples, Fort Myers ('burbs), Punta Gorda, Venice and Sarasota.

I'm not too afraid of competition unless it has driven prices too low; I fear some areas will have an over-abundance of cheep-cheep (g) labor.

Any help will be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Steve
bamaman@mnw.net

[Tider6972]

input and advice from others is very welcome !

This site and you guys have been fun and educational
and couldn't be more vital than at this time for me in making this crucial decision !

Thanks All,
Steve
bamaman@mnw.net

[Lawn-Scapes]

Steve..

I see your interests are scuba & fishing.. Are you a certified diver?

I also see you're no spring chicken.. :D

Forget lawncare.. Buy a nice boat and take people fishing & diving for a living ;)

[Tider6972]

Tom, no not a spring chicken, an old rooster ! LOL

Yes, I'm certified and my son, now 13, was certified on his 12th birthday...would absolutely love to do as you suggest; buy a boat and charter. If I could find a way to get a six-pack license......but talk about a competitive business WOW... and overhead. Still....

Steve
bamaman@mnw.net

[johnhenry]

Hi Steve I first have to agree with Tom about the boat. I spend most of my winters in florida. There is a huge difference in the west and east coast of florida. From everything to size of yards,people, and the types of landscapers. There right in telling you that you have to work your ass off and the competetion is fierce. Most of all the people who live down there are on fixed incomes. So they are mostly tight. The ones who do have it are either snowbirds or the higher income which proably have lco already in place.Boca raton,naples,ft. myers,and west palm beach are all beautiful places to live.If I were you Steve I stay away from lawn care there. the prices are to low even if you do have 48 weeks of mowing.

[Ric]

I agree with everything that has been said about Fla Yard service. The only reason I am here is because I grew up here and my family is here and has been since 1956. Every body and there brother has a crapman mower and competition is ruff. Fla. ranks 44 in the nation and is trying hard to beat Mississippi and Ark for number 50 in public school scores. There for we product our own crop of unskilled idiots who take daddy crapman and cut grass because they can't do anything including grass cutting.

The biggest trouble with Fla. Yard care is the jerks who can't make up north in any thing else and come to Fla. to live with daddy and start a lawn scrub bus because any idiot can cut grass. Each year I have seen the new crop of experts advertise $10.00 a cut and start cutting grass until our 55 inchs of rain each year start. Fla. Recieves 90% of its 55 inches of rain from the 2nd week of June to the 3rd week of Sept.

WELCOME TO FLORIDA THE SUNSHINE STATE

[Tider6972]

Thanks for the input, guys.

As I said, I'm going BACK to Florida (g), having lived in Clearwater
4 years, Merritt Island for 10, and Pompano for eight, I am somewhat familiar with the climate (heat) and demographics.

The lawn care part in different areas of So. Florida is what I'm hoping to get a feel for. I've run two crews and serviced ~130 accounts for the last two seasons in Montgomery, Al., but have not been in the industry in Florida. I will keep tbe business
small, just a helper and myself.

Understandable, I'm sure, is a reluctance of locals to offer too much enticement to a new competitor!. But one thing they WON'T have to worry about with me is selling price...I'll be raising the market, not lowballing (g).

Anyway, gotta make it work, my boy eats a lot !

Steve