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Anyone losing clients do to home foreclosures?? I picked up two clients this week but I lost a client that I've had for 3 years, lost his house due to foreclosure. Looks like the Bank will pick up another that will have to be mowed.

Ric said:

Anyone losing clients do to home foreclosures?? I picked up two clients this week but I lost a client that I've had for 3 years, lost his house due to foreclosure.

Looks like the Bank will pick up another that will have to be mowed.

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Ric,
I don't have a lawn care business, but as an "observer" of the current economy I can see how the recent slump in home building, and as you point out the increase in forclosures, has a direct relationship to your revenue. Have you considered/do you currently contact Real Estate companies(like your local Century 21, Cry Leike, etc.) or even banks/mortgage companies(to cover foreclosed properties) to inquire about the sellers of properties that they are the listing agent for(or mortgage owners to cover forelosed properties) about contracting with a company like yours for maintaining the appearance of the lawn to help sell these homes??? I know I often see a home for sale that has very neglected landscaping and can't help wondering why anyone would consider that an advantage to selling the property. Most likely you(and other lawn care businesses) have thought about this and there is a reason why you don't pursue that line of business. Just curious as that would be my reaction to losing a customer to foreclosure(although I'm certain a "client realationship" is easier to develop with a "homeowner").

The thing with bank owned homes is they are to far apart. I have a contract doing HUD homes they pay $45 for up to a acre Witch is about half of what I would charge a homeowner. But you can cut them as fast as your mower will cut trim around the house blow off the drive. Takes about 30 mins per house.

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djdicetn said:

Ric,
I don't have a lawn care business, but as an "observer" of the current economy I can see how the recent slump in home building, and as you point out the increase in forclosures, has a direct relationship to your revenue. Have you considered/do you currently contact Real Estate companies(like your local Century 21, Cry Leike, etc.) or even banks/mortgage companies(to cover foreclosed properties) to inquire about the sellers of properties that they are the listing agent for(or mortgage owners to cover forelosed properties) about contracting with a company like yours for maintaining the appearance of the lawn to help sell these homes??? I know I often see a home for sale that has very neglected landscaping and can't help wondering why anyone would consider that an advantage to selling the property. Most likely you(and other lawn care businesses) have thought about this and there is a reason why you don't pursue that line of business. Just curious as that would be my reaction to losing a customer to foreclosure(although I'm certain a "client realationship" is easier to develop with a "homeowner").

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No I have never contacted any Real Estate Company's, Banks or Mortgage Company's. I've never had to they are always calling me about wanting me or finding someone in the area to do there homes but the problem with those types of company's is that never pay you for the work you do or if they do it's a month or more in getting to you. I really don't want anything to do with them. In reality if I'm cutting a lawn that's next door to a foreclosure the person who's lawn I'm cutting will pay extra to cut the foreclosure a couple of times a month, that happens to to me frequently.

I agree with you I see a homes for sale or not for sale and are empty with neglected landscaping and lawns two feet high and wonder why anyone would consider that an advantage to buying the property. These homes have been stripped to the bare bone, I was looking at one foreclosure where the people actually took down the screen room porch, they removed every light switch and plugin, they removed all the Bathtubes, toilets, sinks all the vanity's, fans and light fixtures, all of the Kitchen appliances, counter tops, cupboards and the air conditioners, they even took the peep hole fixture out of the front door now how would you like to buy something like that. :laughing: It's really shameful to see these types of thing happen.

Carscw said:

The thing with bank owned homes is they are to far apart. I have a contract doing HUD homes they pay $45 for up to a acre Witch is about half of what I would charge a homeowner. But you can cut them as fast as your mower will cut trim around the house blow off the drive. Takes about 30 mins per house.

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Carscw, do you know what Homophones are, This isn't the Wizard of OZ!!!!!

Ric said:

Carscw, do you know what Homophones are, This isn't the Wizard of OZ!!!!!

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If this was the wizard of oz you would be the straw man

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Ric said:

Carscw, do you know what Homophones are, This isn't the Wizard of OZ!!!!!

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I will use some homophones for you
DICK is bird dog.
PRICK. Your finger.
WISENHEIMER. A know it all. A smartaleck

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Ric said:

Carscw, do you know what Homophones are, This isn't the Wizard of OZ!!!!!

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Aren't they what the guys talk to each other on?



Just kidding. Not trying to upset anyone. Just making a dumb joke.

Parkmower said:

Aren't they what the guys talk to each other on?

Just kidding. Not trying to upset anyone. Just making a dumb joke.

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Funny.

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Carscw said:

I will use some homophones for you
DICK is bird dog.
PRICK. Your finger.
WISENHEIMER. A know it all. A smartaleck

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Hummm Apparently not.

Parkmower said:

Aren't they what the guys talk to each other on?



Just kidding. Not trying to upset anyone. Just making a dumb joke.

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Actually I did get a laugh out of that one Parkmower :biggrin:

Ric said:

Hummm View attachment 12110Apparently not.

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ric,

OK guys....I'll bite and ask the stupid questions. What ARE Homophones and WHAT do they have to do with the Wizard Of OZ???

djdicetn said:

ric,

OK guys....I'll bite and ask the stupid questions. What ARE Homophones and WHAT do they have to do with the Wizard Of OZ???

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Words that sound they same but mean different things.
Like

Witch -- which

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Carscw said:

Words that sound they same but mean different things.
Like

Witch -- which

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Carscw,
Duhhhhhh....I wasn't thinking "grammer" but now after reading your previous post(Witch).......I get it:0)

djdicetn said:

ric,

OK guys....I'll bite and ask the stupid questions. What ARE Homophones and WHAT do they have to do with the Wizard Of OZ???

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Homophones are words that sound alike but with different meanings and spellings. Words like To, Too, or Two or Their, There or They're or witch or which.

Ric said:

Homophones are words that sound alike but with different meanings and spellings. Words like To, Too, or Two or Their, There or They're or witch or which.

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ric,

Or "grammer" and "grammar":0)

What would we do without spellcheckers(or Google:0)

Unforunately, artificial intelligence has not been integrated with all spellchecker software yet or it could "fix homophones":0)

I used to work for a mortgage services company which is a company the big banks use ( banks don't like to hire small businesses)to maintain and repair properties owned by the bank to get ready for sale. My employer had many subcontractors who may have maintained the properties but did not follow all directions to the T and usually would not be paid for their work. Another problem was our company did not have enough contractors to cover the thousands of work orders in certain areas. This also hurt our contractors, they would accept the work because of pressure to do so and then fall behind on all of their work. And last, our contractors who would only perform grass cuts on the banks properties would eventually go broke because the pay is low after you look at all of the expenses.

Justwerkit said:

I used to work for a mortgage services company which is a company the big banks use ( banks don't like to hire small businesses)to maintain and repair properties owned by the bank to get ready for sale. My employer had many subcontractors who may have maintained the properties but did not follow all directions to the T and usually would not be paid for their work. Another problem was our company did not have enough contractors to cover the thousands of work orders in certain areas. This also hurt our contractors, they would accept the work because of pressure to do so and then fall behind on all of their work. And last, our contractors who would only perform grass cuts on the banks properties would eventually go broke because the pay is low after you look at all of the expenses.

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Well I talked to a couple of guys that do a couple of foreclosures here in the sub-division and they told me by the time they figured expenses they were only making an average of about ten dollars a lawn and that they covered a 200 mile area. So at nearly 4 dollars a gallon for gas there not making any money.

Ric said:

Well I talked to a couple of guys that do a couple of foreclosures here in the sub-division and they told me by the time they figured expenses they were only making an average of about ten dollars a lawn and that they covered a 200 mile area. So at nearly 4 dollars a gallon for gas there not making any money.

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It is hard to make money doing foreclosures. It is best for a wife and husband team. If you have to pay a helper you won't make anything.
I get $45 per yard and sub them out for $35 to local company's. just got a contract from A 2 Z For HUD homes 30 yards within 25 miles of my house took us two days. X

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Carscw said:

It is hard to make money doing foreclosures. It is best for a wife and husband team. If you have to pay a helper you won't make anything.
I get $45 per yard and sub them out for $35 to local company's. just got a contract from A 2 Z For HUD homes 30 yards within 25 miles of my house took us two days. X

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Sweet! How many people work with you or is it just you?

I lost one house to a foreclosure. Just found out this week. I also put in a bid in an industrial park where a small factory went belly up. I had contacted a realtor that I have known many years about the possibility of getting some work and she got me to bid it. Said she would let me know as soon as she found out something.....

jekjr said:

I lost one house to a foreclosure. Just found out this week. I also put in a bid in an industrial park where a small factory went belly up. I had contacted a realtor that I have known many years about the possibility of getting some work and she got me to bid it. Said she would let me know as soon as she found out something.....

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Good luck! :smile:

jekjr said:

I lost one house to a foreclosure. Just found out this week. I also put in a bid in an industrial park where a small factory went belly up. I had contacted a realtor that I have known many years about the possibility of getting some work and she got me to bid it. Said she would let me know as soon as she found out something.....

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The problem for me on biding jobs is that I would feel like I'm working for someone again and not my own boss. To much BS that goes with that stuff.

Ric said:

The problem for me on biding jobs is that I would feel like I'm working for someone again and not my own boss. To much BS that goes with that stuff.

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Well when you don't have work it buys groceries.

jekjr said:

Well when you don't have work it buys groceries.

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It sure does and that's what I keep saying when people start talking about the lowballers in the business, for a lot of those guys it helps pay the bills and buys groceries.