Who buys from commercial landscaping companies?
Commercial landscaping companies sell mainly to the people responsible for how a property looks from the street: property managers of office parks, retail centers and apartment communities, boards and managers of homeowners and condo associations, and facility teams at campuses, hotels and public sites. Most of this work is recurring maintenance under a contract, so the buyer is choosing a long-term partner, not a one-time job. They care most about quality, reliability and clear communication, and they usually switch providers because of missed work or poor service rather than price.
Who buys from commercial landscaping companies
| Buyer group | Why they buy |
|---|---|
| Commercial property managers | Office parks, retail centers and industrial sites need grounds that look cared for every day, and the manager answers to owners and tenants when they do not. |
| Homeowners and condo associations | Associations maintain shared lawns, entrances and common areas for their residents, and landscaping is often one of their largest recurring contracts. |
| Community association management companies | Professional managers often run many associations at once and handle bids and vendor relationships on behalf of each board. |
| Apartment and multifamily operators | Curb appeal affects how a community shows to prospective renters, so grounds are part of leasing, not just upkeep. |
| Hotels, campuses and healthcare facilities | Large grounds create a first impression for guests, students, patients and visitors, and need steady seasonal care. |
| Local governments and public agencies | Parks, public buildings and roadsides are often maintained by outside contractors chosen through formal bids. |
The short answer: whoever is responsible for the property
A commercial landscaper rarely sells to the people who walk past the flower beds. It sells to the person who hears about it when the grass is overgrown or the entrance looks tired: a property manager, a facilities director, an association board, or the community manager who works for that board.
The work itself is mostly ongoing care. In a survey of 1,015 commercial landscape contractors conducted for Aspire Software in May 2025 and described in a press release, 59% said most of their revenue comes from recurring maintenance. That means each buyer is a relationship that can last for years, and losing one hurts.
Government data points the same way. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts about 1.3 million grounds maintenance jobs in 2025, and the largest share, 48%, are in the industry that provides services to buildings and dwellings, which is where landscaping contractors sit. Government employs another 8%. BLS projects 5% growth in these jobs from 2025 to 2035.
Homeowners associations are a large and steady market
Associations are easy to overlook if you think of commercial work as office parks and shopping centers, but they are a major buyer. The Foundation for Community Association Research's 2026 growth outlook counts about 373,000 community associations at the end of 2025, home to 78.1 million Americans and making up 35.2% of the nation's housing stock. Every one of them has some shared property to look after, from a single entrance sign to miles of common lawn.
Inside an association, the decision usually involves two parties. The volunteer board approves the contract and the budget. A community manager, often from an outside management company, gathers bids, compares proposals and deals with the landscaper week to week. Reaching one management company can therefore put you in front of many associations, though each board still makes its own choice.
Budgets are watched closely. A Lawn & Landscape article on association clients reported that association managers see landscaping as one of the biggest line items an association carries, and also one of the first places boards look to trim when money is tight. Landscapers who can explain where each dollar goes, and offer options at different budget levels, tend to have an easier time with boards.
Who decides inside commercial properties
The property manager. For office, retail, industrial and apartment properties, the property manager is usually the person who hires and manages the landscaper. They balance the owner's budget against tenant expectations.
The facilities or operations director. At campuses, hospitals, hotels and corporate headquarters, grounds often fall under a facilities team, sometimes with a procurement office involved in larger contracts.
The asset manager or ownership group. For properties held by investment firms, rules about bidding may come from above the site manager. The same Lawn & Landscape article noted that institutionally owned properties are often required to put contracts out to bid, yet one property manager told the magazine that managers are "almost never required to choose the lowest bidder." A strong proposal can still win on quality.
A procurement officer. Public agencies and many schools buy through formal requests for bids, with set deadlines, insurance requirements and evaluation rules.
Why they buy, and what they value
The most detailed buyer-side research we found is older, so treat it as a guide rather than a current measurement. In 2014, Lawn & Landscape surveyed 248 commercial property managers and building owners across 43 states, all of them responsible for hiring the landscaper at their buildings.
- Appearance comes first. Almost two-thirds said the most important thing about their landscaping is how it looks.
- Quality and staying on budget matter more than price. These ranked as the top factors in choosing a landscaper, while price tied for fifth.
- Communication builds trust. More than half said excellent communication is what gives them confidence in a contractor.
- Budgets are meaningful. Sixty percent of the managers surveyed said they spend more than $20,000 a year on their entire landscape.
When buyers switch landscapers
Because most work is under contract, the openings come at predictable times: when a contract is up for renewal, when a property changes owners or management companies, when a new association board takes over, and before the spring season when budgets are set.
The reasons buyers leave are mostly about service. In the same 2014 Lawn & Landscape survey, almost three-quarters of property managers named service problems or improperly finished work as the most common reason they had fired a landscaper, with poor customer service ranking second. Only 4% said high prices were why they changed landscapers. For a newcomer, that means the best prospects are often properties where the current provider has stopped showing up reliably or stopped returning calls.
How to reach these buyers respectfully
Start with the role and the kind of property rather than a mass mailing. Property managers of retail centers, office parks and apartment communities, community managers at association management companies, and facilities directors at campuses and hotels are the usual decision makers. Local chapters of property management and community association groups are good places to meet them in person.
Keep your message short and concrete: the kinds of properties you already maintain, how you communicate during the season, how you report completed work, and one easy next step, such as a free walk-through of the property before their next bid. Time your outreach for the months before contracts renew. Glorp's targeting plan can help you see which kinds of businesses and job titles are the best fit for your landscaping company. If you email prospects, follow the US CAN-SPAM rules: use your real name and business address, keep subject lines and messages honest, and stop contacting anyone who asks you to.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, Grounds Maintenance Workers
- Foundation for Community Association Research: 2026 Community Association Growth Outlook
- Lawn & Landscape: Property by the numbers (survey of commercial property managers, 2014)
- Lawn & Landscape: Help from HOAs (2012)
- Aspire Software press release: Commercial Landscape Contractors Focus on Client Retention, Operational Efficiency, and Smarter Tech Investments
This article is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. It describes kinds of businesses, not any specific company or person. If something here is wrong, reply to @tineessanelson on X and it will be corrected.