Profits More Important Than Curb Appeal?

I get it. I know that when Residents saunter into the Leasing Office and start complaining about any aspect of the property, they do it because they truly care. It is almost 100% of the time coming from the heart. These are the residents who have CHOSEN to rent and continue to do so because they are invested in the concept of “This is their Home.” 

I began living in an apartment community after being a homeowner for eighteen years and moving back to Indiana. The number one reason was because of the landscaping and beauty of the area where my proposed future home were located. There is a large tree with downward sweeping branches on the edge of a pond. I noticed the pond was treated so it sported a blue hue, which only enhanced my feeling that “If I choose to live here, this is one of the most peaceful settings I’ve experienced” (even among the properties I have managed. I wanted to call this home.

Imagine my dismay as with each renewal period I notice less and less concern with maintaining that beautiful landscaping. When I moved here, the irrigation sprinklers kicked on at 4:00 am for the living room side and at 5:00 pm for the office side of my apartment. They haven’t used the sprinklers in two years. Here it is, the first part of summer and the grass is brown, too short and because of lack of water, the tree is losing its leaves. This past spring, there was a plethora of ugly clover creating large, dark patches in the landscaping. 

Which brings me to my point. I want to know why. I want to understand why, though all of the resident expenses are raised annually, the property management company is not activating the very thing that creates the draw, the curb appeal of the community. Honestly, it is embarrassing to have guests visit and bear witness to the decay, the decline. Being in the business as I am, I talked to the Contractor who has the lawn care contract.

“Oh, we only cut the grass and edge sidewalks. We don’t do anything else,” the Crew Leader told me.

Now, I will become “one of those” residents who is going to ask the onsite team why. And I truly dislike being in the position of doing that, but I am curious, both professionally and personally, as to the reason it seems like no one cares how the property looks any more.

 I don’t get that. Profits more important?