Building Owners and Managers International (BOMA) is pleased to introduce the new Certified Manager of Commercial Properties (CMCP), a certification designed for early-career property professionals who are looking to validate their industry knowledge and take their careers in commercial real estate to the next level.  

As the only certification of its kind in the industry, the CMCP instantly communicates your ability to be an effective commercial property manager and your strong understanding of the responsibilities of the role. Earning the CMCP certification is the first step in building a successful career in commercial real estate. 

CMCP Advantages 

• Offers recognition in one’s career (typically 1-5 years of experience)
• Validates foundational knowledge in key areas of property management
• Evaluates readiness for additional training, responsibilities, and career advancement 
• Quickly assists employers with on-boarding new property managers and assessing industry knowledge and career potential 
• Backed by BOMA and BOMI Ceritification, Inc., the leaders in commercial real estate education training

Eligibility Requirements 

• Four-year degree and 1 year of property management experience, or
• Two-year degree and 2 years of property management experience, or
• No degree and 4 years of property management experience, and
• 30 hours of verifiable education in commercial property management 

CMCP Exam 

• Exams offered at multiple testing centers throughout the U.S. and internationally 
• Exam questions reflect body of knowledge for property management developed through market research and a Job Task Analysis conducted by BOMA and BOMI
• Membership in BOMA is not required
• Registration is $675, which includes application and exam fees and a candidate handbook.

Learn more about the CMCP certification and get on the early access list for more information at www.CRECI.org. 

The value landscaping has for commercial properties can often be underestimated by management. First impressions are the most lasting, and landscaping is often the first interaction a client or customer has with your business. So how do you provide extraordinary curb appeal that leaves a lasting impression without breaking the budget? If you are a property manager trying to convince upper management of the value of investing more in landscaping, here are some tips to help plead your case…

Commercial Real Estate and Retail Spaces Needs Landscaping That Will Set Them Apart

Turn your ordinary commercial landscape into a beautiful outdoor paradise. If you have high-end commercial real estate, it needs to look that way. Your landscaping needs more than just shrubs and mulch. You need a sophisticated, layered, and textured look that screams, “we are different and better!” You want to do more than get by in business; you want to thrive. Being more attractive than the competition will attract the clients that you need to succeed. 

Attractive Landscape Shouts that Your Company is Detail Oriented 

Everyone appreciates an attractive space. Implementing a commercial landscape design into your existing space is more likely to attract new clients and keep existing ones. Companies that take time to enhance their outdoor appearances are seen as detail-oriented and proactive. Potential clients will see that you care enough to maintain your own space and automatically assume that the same level of care and attention will be given to them. Every good property manager knows the markets are fickle and have their ups and downs. To smooth out the peaks and valleys of property availability, it is important to have potential tenants or buyers in a pipeline, ready to take advantage of any opening that comes along. Having an attractive landscape that maintains its beauty year-round keeps your commercial property looking fresh and current. When a property feels active, people are more willing to wait for something- they want to be ready to take advantage of any opening.

Attractive Commercial Landscaping Shows That You Value and Respect The Community You Work Within

 Having a beautiful property that stands out not only affects your business but the community as a whole. Taking the time to craft a verdant commercial landscape carefully shows that you care about and are proud of being a part of your community. Installing benches for customers to sit or fountains for children to throw pennies in is a meaningful way for a company to contribute to the community members who fuel it. Making your community a better place through professional landscaping can increase your company’s goodwill and interest. At the end of the day, a good company that invests in its community also invests in its bottom line. Whether you are trying to attract tenants, buyers, or customers getting people to notice your property is the first step in getting them to become consumers of what you have to sell.

When deciding who to choose as your commercial landscaping company, you should have a lot of questions. Do not be afraid to be thorough. Hiring a company to keep your property looking its best is important, and so is being satisfied with all of the answers you are looking for before signing a contract. 

Not sure what to ask?

Here are some questions that every property manager should ask their potential commercial landscape contractor:

How Long Have you Been in Business?

Experience matters. You want a company whose portfolio includes accounts of your size and scope and has handled all the issues that come with maintaining a commercial property of your standing.

What Kind of Insurance Do You Have?

If a company doesn’t have the proper coverage and one of its employees is injured on the property, you will be held liable. The company you are researching should have worker’s compensation and liability insurance. You should also request a certificate of insurance (COI) from the company, as that will clearly stipulate the amounts of coverage it has. 

How-And How Often-Do you Communicate?

Communication is key. You already have a full plate, and the last thing you need is anything else added to it. You need to know if the landscaping company you are considering working with will keep you up to speed on what services will be performed

and when. Will they notify you when repairs and/or enhancements were completed and/or needed? Will they send you visuals (i.e., pictures, videos, etc.) before and after? You want to know that you’ll get a prompt, reliable response if you have a question or concern. 

When you call a company’s office, you don’t want to get an answering machine and wonder when somebody will return your call. You want to speak with a real person right away.

Choose a company that has a dedicated customer service team ready to help you with any questions or concerns. 

Can You Provide References?

A reputable, well-established company that does quality work should be eager for you to talk to their clients. This is an opportunity for you to talk to the company’s current clients and find out what they really think of your potential commercial landscaper. 

Once you have a list of references to contact, ask plenty of questions: 

• Is their commercial landscaping company reliable?
• Do they do what they say they will when they say they will?
• Are they available to talk when you need them?

Are You Full Service or Maintenance Only?

Your commercial property has a host of needs, including lawn care and lawn maintenance. But other needs arise, too. You may want property enhancements, like freshly planted annuals, irrigation systems or entrance beds to be renovated. You may also need pesticide assistance. 

When one full-service company takes care of your property, they get to know your property inside and out. They’ll know exactly what it needs at what time, and they’ll notice potential problems before they get out of control. 

What Sets Your Company Apart From Others?

A commercial landscaping company should have a whole list of reasons why they’re the best. If they can’t tell you what sets them apart, who can?

The answer you want to hear is lots of things. 

Frequent communication. Friendly, efficient service. Their list should go on and on. 

Compare, Then Choose The Growing Company, Inc.

We’re confident that once we answer all your questions, The Growing Company, Inc. will be your first choice for all your commercial landscape design and maintenance needs. 

We’d love to talk with you about your landscape ideas, needs, and goals. We serve commercial properties in Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, El Dorado Hills, Placerville, Rancho Cordova, Elk Grove, Stockton, Woodland, Vacaville, and Fairfield.

Call us at (916) 379-9088 or fill out this short form to request a proposal and hear back from us right away! 

We’d love to hear from you.

Using water outdoors is always challenging. Ensuring that your landscape is healthy and vibrant can seem difficult while trying to water as efficiently as possible. But it does not have to be. Below are a couple of simple tips or habits that will make an enormous impact when it comes to conserving water: 

1. Use Water-wise Plants

Check-in with your local landscaping company on the best plants for your area. It is best to use water-wise, California-native plants when possible. 

2. Install Drip Irrigation & Add a Smart Controller 

Installing a drip irrigation system and a smart controller can save 15 gallons each time you water! 

3. Use Drought-resistant Trees and Plants 

Using drought-resistant plants and trees can save 30-60 gallons per 1000 sq. ft. each time you water. The California Sycamore is a perfect example of a drought-resistant tree!

4. Adjust Sprinkler Heads & Fix Leaks 

Properly-adjusted sprinkler heads can save you 12-15 gallons of water. Leaks as small as the tip of a ballpoint pen can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month!

5. Set Mower Blades to 3″

Setting mower blades to three inches encourages deeper roots and saves 16-50 gallons per day. 

6. Use Mulch

Using mulch can save 20-30 gallons of water per 1000 sq. ft. each time you water. 

Just like you, your lawn and your soil need to breathe. But sometimes, a little assistance is required on your part. How is that done exactly? And when is this done?

The Why, the When, and the How

Dealing with lawn-thatch and compacted soil is something that lawn aeration entails. Lawn thatch is the layer of organic matter that accumulates around the base of the grass plants. It is a combination of living and dead plant matter. The more and more build-up there is, the more detrimental it can be to the health of your lawn.

The Why

The basic idea behind lawn aeration is that, like you, your lawn and the soil under it need to breathe. But how do you accomplish this? 

Aeration involves perforating the soil with small holes to allow air, water, and nutrients to penetrate the grassroots. This helps the roots grow deeply and produce a stronger, more vigorous lawn.

The main reason for aerating is to alleviate soil compaction. Compacted soils have too many solid particles in a certain volume or space, preventing proper circulation of air, water, and nutrients within the soil. Excess lawn thatch or heavy organic debris buried under the grass surface can also starve the roots from these essential elements.

Aeration creates holes down into the soil to alleviate compaction so air, water, and nutrients can reach grassroots. Deprived of their basic needs by compacted soil, lawn grasses struggle in stressful situations, such as heat and low rainfall, and lose their healthy, rich color.

Deprived of their basic needs by compacted soil, lawn grasses struggle in stressful situations, such as heat and low rainfall, and lose their healthy, rich color. Grasses gradually thin and eventually die out completely, for lack of the oxygen, water, and nutrients available just inches away. Even a single aeration session can open the avenue for these essentials to reach their mark and put your lawn back on an upward trend.

The How

Core aeration is a subset of lawn aeration, which uses a machine (lawn aerator) with hollow tines to mechanically remove plugs or cores of soil and thatch from a lawn. As a result, it reduces soil compaction, thus creating a channel through which oxygen, water, and nutrients can flow.

Through the process, lawn aeration breaks up compacted soil, which, in turn, allows water and fertilizer to permeate deeply into the root area. Grassy areas that frequent heavy foot traffic needs lawn aeration more than areas that do not. That is because constant foot-stepping compacts the soil underneath more.

The When

It may not seem your lawn could get compacted, but it happens easier than you may think. Vehicles or small equipment is driven on lawns are more obvious offenders, but even outdoor entertaining or yard play by kids and pets can leave all or part of your lawn compacted. If you live where heavy clay soil is the norm, annual aeration is probably needed to keep your lawn from becoming thin and weak.

Dethatching and aerating are two different tasks, but they often go hand in hand. Thatch is the layer of decomposing organic matter that forms right at the lawn surface, between soil and grass. When thatch gets more than 1/2 inch thick, it works like compaction to prevent the flow of air, water, and nutrients grasses need. Aggressive spreading grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass in northern lawns and Bermudagrass down south, form more thatch than many other grass types. Aeration helps penetrate and reduce thatch buildup or prep it for removal through dethatching.