The truth is, there is a lot to be learned regarding pruning the trees at your Salem rental property this fall. A lot of property owners understand that pruning is an indispensable part of keeping your rental property’s landscaping and plants healthy. Pruning is likewise a crucial aspect of preventing damage to the property. By getting to acquaint with as much information as you can about the who, what, why, and how of fall pruning, you can be sure that this critical seasonal task is being done correctly by the right people every year.
All while the most intensive pruning, including tree and shrub shaping, should be done during the growing season, there are crucial responsibilities that need to be done through the fall season. Removing dead or low-hanging branches, as well as any new growth that is obstructing doorways, driveways, or walkways, is an integral part of rental property maintenance. This kind of pruning is about aesthetics and maintaining property value via curb appeal. By pruning away problematic parts of the tree or shrub, you encourage healthy new growth while keeping your plants strong for the upcoming winter.
Keeping trees and bushes trimmed is equally a central part of keeping your tenants safe. Dead branches pose a serious safety risk to tenants and other visitors. Should a dead tree fall on a tenant, a visitor, or even a neighbor, you could be held liable for any legal or medical costs. Overgrown trees and bushes can also be more of a risk during severe weather events if they cause damage to vehicles and/or the rental home. If an overgrown tree or bush falls and damages the house or the tenant’s personal property, you may wind up footing the bill.
Although indeed, the tree or bushes do not fall, overgrown foliage can cause other kinds of property damage. Bushes and trees growing near foundations, walls, or other structures can weaken the cement or brick. Roots can push up structures from underneath, cracking foundations amongst other things. Thick foliage also tends to entice insects and other pests, which can cause damage to the property or transmit diseases to your tenants and their pets. All of these are significant reasons to make pruning back overgrown trees and bushes a necessary part of your fall property maintenance.
Whereas tenants can frequently be trusted to perform basic yard maintenance, pruning is one task that you should not ask them to do. A tenant could kill your trees or bushes by not knowing how and when to prune properly. Their lack of knowledge or poor outcome could result in even more expensive landscaping repair in the future. Tenants will also need a ladder and other equipment, but keep in mind that ladders are responsible for more than 164,000 injuries and 36,000 deaths in the United States each year. As the Salem property owner, you could be held liable should any of your tenants injure themselves.
Thus, what’s a real estate investor to do? To avoid being put in a sticky situation, hire a Salem property manager. Real Property Management Hometown manages property maintenance, tenant relations, leases, and more. Our team of property management experts can handle any necessary fall pruning your property needs, making sure that it is done correctly and as economically as possible. To learn more about us and what we can offer property owners such as yourself, contact us online or call us at 501-701-4702 or 501-303-6870 today.
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