My lease agreement very clearly states that tenants are not to trim or remove any landscaping (trees/bushes mostly). 

The license is required for home improvements , so a landscaper , a roofer , a paving contractor , a painter , and a window installer all take the SAME test .  

@Virginia ReasorYou just have to do your research, demographics and learn, learn learn.I'm in New England and we have many great parks here with little or no concerns. 

My septic guy added the risers and sealed the entrance of the tank and now i am looking for a landscaping person who can add fill on top of the drainfield. 

Put some nice landscaping around them to up the environment, then as other pads turn over you have set a new standard of quality.What you are experiencing is, in my opinion, a fundamental flaw in the RTA.

That said, the economy is more diverse than in the past and while national attention has been cool on this market, those who are more familiar w/Houston are seeing better entry points and attractive opportunities emerging in value adds where the demographic / affordability play is a better match.http://www.globest.com/sites/lisabrown/2016/10/19/...

CMBS,Life Insurance,Pension funds almost never fund those type of properties because they are too small and quality of tenants and demographics isn't there.  

He acts as my partner and does some of the maintenance on it, plus pays for the landscaping out of his pocket.

The design of the mechanicals, the age, the tenant demographic are all going to impact how often you have to fix something, and how much it'll cost.If you are going to take this sport seriously, you need to become a student of the game.

Yes, REI landscape has changed quite a bit in 6yrs.