Investera Holdings is a Michigan family-operated company that buys and keeps running landscaping and grounds businesses in Cleveland and throughout Cuyahoga County. We are operators and buyers, not brokers and not a passive fund. When we acquire a company like yours, we put strong systems and a professional management layer in place so routes, crews, and seasonal contracts keep running without the owner behind every mower and plow. Our portfolio, including CT Cleaners and Optimal Facility Services, reflects how we protect crews and customer relationships instead of breaking them up.
Why Cleveland owners are thinking about selling now
Cleveland’s calendar gives a well-run grounds company two seasons of revenue, not one. Spring through fall means mowing, bed maintenance, and leaf cleanup across the leafy suburbs, from Rocky River and Westlake to Solon and Shaker Heights, and the corporate campuses off I-271 and I-480. The region’s affection for green space, anchored by the Cleveland Metroparks and its Emerald Necklace, keeps landscaping standards high for both homeowners and commercial property managers.
Then winter flips the switch. Lake-effect snow off Lake Erie, heaviest in the eastern snow belt toward Mentor and Chardon, turns commercial snow-and-ice management into a second business, with seasonal contracts for retail centers, medical offices, HOAs, and corporate lots that have to stay open and safe. That combination of summer maintenance and winter snow work gives a Cleveland landscaping company year-round, recurring cash flow, exactly the durable base a long-term buyer looks for.
Who we buy in the Cleveland area
We are selective. We look for landscaping and grounds companies with recurring maintenance or snow contracts and foremen who already run the routes, so a handoff protects your customers and your crew.
- Recurring maintenance or seasonal snow contracts, not one-off jobs
- Roughly $500K+ in revenue or SDE (close is fine)
- Capable foremen and crew leaders in place
- A strong reputation across Greater Cleveland
- An owner ready for a clean handoff or a short stay-on
If that sounds like your business, it is worth a conversation. Even if one item is off, the strength of your contracts and your crew usually decides the fit.
What makes selling to Investera different
No broker fees. We buy directly, so no listing commission or success fee ever comes out of your proceeds.
A confidential process. Your crew, your customers, and your competitors hear nothing until you choose to tell them, so the business runs as usual while we talk.
Creative deal structures. Cash at close, a seller note, an earnout, or keeping a stake. We shape terms around your timing and your taxes.
Operators, not a fund. We run service businesses ourselves and plan to hold and grow yours, not flip it to the next buyer.
How the process works
We begin with a private phone call, not a valuation questionnaire. We learn how your maintenance routes, snow contracts, and crew fit together, offer an honest range, and, if the fit is there, sign an NDA and move to a straightforward letter of intent. Because we run diligence ourselves, there is no auction and no season lost to a drawn-out sale process.
We will take care of what you built
After the deal closes, we install the systems and the dedicated general manager or put-in-charge team that let the business run without you, with route scheduling, seasonal hiring, equipment, and account management handled by people whose job is to keep quality high in every season. Your foremen keep their roles, your customers keep their service, and the name you built keeps its standing across Greater Cleveland.
Learn more about what we buy, see how we acquire landscaping & grounds businesses, or read about Investera Holdings.
Frequently asked questions
How much is my landscaping business worth in Cleveland?
Most healthy Cleveland landscaping and grounds companies trade in a range of roughly 2.5 to 4 times seller’s discretionary earnings (SDE). Recurring maintenance and snow contracts, diversified accounts, and crews that run without you push toward the top of that range. It is a typical range, not a guarantee, and your books set the real number.
Will this stay confidential?
Yes. Confidentiality is the default for us. Your crew, your customers, and your competitors learn nothing from us. We sign an NDA early and only widen the circle when you are ready.
Do I pay any broker or advisory fees?
No. We are the buyer, not a broker, so there is no listing commission or success fee taken from your proceeds. You keep what we agree on, less any advisors you choose to use.
Can I stay involved after the sale?
If you want to. Some owners hand off in a few weeks, while others stay through a season to introduce accounts and mentor the manager. We are flexible and never require a long earnout.
How long does a sale usually take?
A typical timeline runs 30 to 60 days from a signed letter of intent to close, depending on your records. Getting from the first call to an LOI often takes just a couple of weeks.
What areas around Cleveland do you buy in?
All of Greater Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, including Parma, Lakewood, Euclid, Strongsville, and Mentor, plus the surrounding suburbs and nearby counties.
Start a confidential conversation
If you have thought about stepping back, start with a private, no-pressure conversation. Tell us about your Cleveland landscaping business and what you want for your crew and your customers, and we will share an honest read on fit and value. Nothing is shared, nothing is signed, and nothing changes until you decide it should.