recommendations for yard maintenance

[Greg Mayer]

Hi BP community!

Another newbie landlord question :)

My wife and I are purchasing a duplex in Atlanta, GA. One side of the duplex has tenants that might stay after we close, the other side is vacant. We're moving into the vacant side and are putting together a 12-month lease for the occupied side in case the current tenants want to stay (and we want them to stay). Either way we will manage the property ourselves.

There are a few adults (and a child) living in the occupied side. I have a copy of their lease. The current tenants are responsible for keeping their side of the yard up. The yard looks pretty good at the moment. Grass is cut and shrubs are trimmed. 

Both units have a front yard with grass and a few shrubs. Both units have a fenced back yard, and the two yards are separated by a chain link fence.

What do you recommend we do for yard maintenance? I think that having us living in the unit next door to the tenants will have some influence on them keeping the yard up, but there's no guarantee that they will.