Here at North by Northwest, we call HOA common areas “Hollywood Areas.”
They need to be clean, tidy and attractive all the time. If Brad Pitt or Scarlett Johansson stops by, you want them to be impressed, right?
Honestly, they’re top priority because everybody uses, sees and appreciates common areas like entrances, parks, walking trails, and pools.
How does your HOA common area landscaping look? Are the residents proud? Will it attract new buyers?
Or is it less than Hollywood ready?
Maybe it’s time for a maintenance makeover. Cory Essman, account manager at North by Northwest, offers the tips he shares with his HOA clients.
When you consider your HOA common area landscape maintenance, keep these tips in mind:
1. Tell Your Commercial Landscaping Company What Matters To Your HOA
What are you picky about? Yes, it’s ok to use the word picky. This is your community.
What’s important to you when it comes to common area landscape maintenance?
Is there an area where weeds pop up faster than others? Is there an area you’re especially proud of that needs extra attention?
Be sure your landscaping company knows the things that drive you crazy. It’s their job to ease those little irritations to make your life easier.
2. Shear the Shrubs Before They Get Out of Control
Be sure shrubs are trimmed before those wayward new sprigs get out of control and messy, Essman says.
Shrubs are a high-impact feature. If they’re overgrown, the landscaping looks neglected. And that makes you look bad, too.
3. Lift Those Tree Canopies
Trees in common areas should have their canopies lifted at least 8 feet so pedestrians aren’t walking into branches, landscaping crews can mow beneath them, and they’re not encroaching on the road or driveways.
4. Tidy Edges
Be sure your common area landscape maintenance includes keeping the edges of all planting beds neat, crisp, and defined. This always makes a great impression.
Not only does this present an attractive, well-tended look, Essman says, but it keeps turf from creeping into your landscaping beds.
5. Fluff Up the Mulch
Mulch needs to be refreshed twice a year to keep it looking great, but in the meantime, it needs to be raked and loosened up so it doesn’t compact.
Compacted mulch can suffocate plants and it doesn’t allow water to soak in — it just runs off the top.
6. Stay on Top of Weeds
Be sure to banish weeds. Enough said, right? Well, we’ll say it anyway.
Weeds are seriously bad news for common area landscaping.
They scream “nobody cares!” That’s not the impression you want to put out there.
Be sure your commercial landscaping company has a sure-thing plan to prevent weeds before they sprout, and tackle any pesky stragglers that make it through.
7. Keep Everybody In the Know
Tell residents when landscape maintenance will be done. Everybody likes being in the know.
List the common area landscape maintenance schedule in the HOA newsletter or send an email with a heads up. It’s a small task that makes a big impression on residents.
8. Invite Your Commercial Landscaping Company to Your Meetings
Ask if your commercial landscaping company sends a rep to your HOA meetings.
Chances are, they don’t. After all, these meetings are typically in the evenings or on weekends, when most landscaping company employees are off the clock.
But here at North by Northwest, Essman attends every quarterly HOA board meeting for his HOA customers, to report on any issues and answer their questions.
Plus, it’s a great opportunity to foster a friendly relationship, he says. The meetings are on Saturdays — a day Essman doesn’t typically work. “It’s worth the extra effort,'' he says, to be accessible.
“This way, not only do we maintain a healthy relationship with the property manager,” Essman says, “but also with the HOA board and sometimes even some of the residents.”
Beyond that, Essman checks in with the property manager at least once a week and is available by phone, email or text when any issues arise.
9. Put a True “Pro’ on the Job
Be sure you have HOA landscaping experts working for you.
If you choose a commercial landscaping company in Austin, TX that you trust, who communicates well and is willing to work with you and your budget, you can rely on them for the landscaping details — including keeping your HOA common area landscaping Hollywood ready.
That’s their job.
Partner with North by Northwest for Your HOA Common Area Landscape Maintenance
We’re proud of the meticulous landscaping we do for our HOA customers and the great relationships we’ve forged with their boards.
We understand that common area landscape maintenance is crucial to how your property looks, feels and attracts new buyers.
You shouldn’t have to explain that to your commercial landscaping company — or nag them about it.
We’d love to partner with you to make your landscaping impressive and your job hassle-free.
Are you ready for stress-free landscaping? Schedule a time to meet with one of our experts today. We’ll gather the details, create a customized plan just for you, and you can stop stressing as we improve and beautify your Austin, TX HOA community.
