I pay for pool and landscape monthly service for my tenant on my SFH. Do other landlords do that, and if so do you include the actual fee in the monthly rental or do you charge more for the convenience of the tenant n...

Our home is currently up for Home of the Year in the city of Garden Grove, California.

That yard is now a private paradise, a place where we can relax, grow garlic, and cultivate our spice garden, or at least it still would be if it wasn’t for the sound of my new neighbors’ barking dogs in the night, their cars left running even in warm weather until the exhaust fills my carport 10 feet away, the metallic clink of trucks be fixed in their carport at 10 pm and later, and the pungent smell of cigarette smoke that floats over the 3-foot tall wall separating our yards and into my front door.Unfortunately the 2005 real estate bubble trouble and the 2007-2008 subprime mortgage debacle changed our neighborhood by filling it with rental homes, many sold at auction for ridiculously low prices, and now owned by absentee landlords instead of owner occupants or local landlords.

A lot of the ones in the heights/garden oaks/memorial ect areas are purchased as lots, listed on the MLS with approved plans and they sit until they have a buyer, then alleviating what you talked about.

@Mindy Jensen I actually just made that arrangement with the new garden unit tenant for $100/month off rent.

Well since we don't know your numbers we have to start somewhere, 50% rule is as good as any. 10% property management5%-10% maintenance/gardening/repairs10% cap-ex holdback7% vacancy Property TaxInsurance Utilities (electric might be separately metered but it's rare for water)Trash (sometimes it's pass-through, sometimes you're paying a dumpster fee for commercial)You can always put your head in the sand and think maintenance costs, vacancy, and cap-ex won't catch up with you.

For example, your gardening bill is likely less per door with 40 units as opposed to 4.

What are the costs for gardening (you'll be paying for that yourself now)?

I do have raised garden beds which I do assign tenants should they feel the need to grow veggies (no Marijuana growing, Colorado folks, lol). 

Try snaking the vent pipe and pouring hot water down it or sticking a garden hose in it.