Investera Holdings is a Michigan family-operated company that buys and keeps running landscaping and grounds-maintenance businesses. We are operators and buyers, not brokers and not a passive fund. When we acquire a Des Moines landscaping company, we bring in a professional management layer, a dedicated general manager and put-in-charge team, plus the routing, crew, and account systems that keep the mowers moving without the owner in the truck. If you have built a base of recurring commercial and HOA contracts and are weighing how to sell my landscaping business in Des Moines, we would like a quiet, no-obligation conversation.
Why Des Moines owners are thinking about selling now
Central Iowa’s four hard seasons make grounds care a year-round, contract-driven business. Spring green-up and cleanups, summer mowing through humid stretches and occasional drought that pushes irrigation work, fall leaf and bed cleanups, and, crucially, winter snow and ice removal give a well-run Des Moines company recurring revenue on both sides of the calendar. The wave of new subdivisions and corporate campuses in Waukee, Ankeny, Grimes, and Johnston, plus commercial grounds along the Jordan Creek corridor and the office parks off Westown Parkway, keeps demand for reliable commercial maintenance and snow contracts strong. Even storm cleanup, as Iowa saw after the 2020 derecho, adds surge work on top of the base.
Many owners who grew their routes over the past few decades are now ready to step back from the physical grind and the seasonal payroll swings. Staffing crews for peak mowing and then for 2am snow pushes is exhausting, equipment costs keep climbing, and margins on renewals stay tight. Owners want to convert years of goodwill and a loyal client base into cash and time without handing their crews and accounts to a national consolidator that does not know Polk County. Selling to an operator who installs professional management, rather than listing publicly, lets you exit cleanly while your properties and people stay well cared for.
Who we buy in the Des Moines area
We fit established Des Moines landscaping and grounds companies with recurring commercial or HOA contracts and crew leads who can run routes without the owner directing every job. We are not after a one-mower startup; we want a business ready for a professional management layer.
- Recurring commercial, HOA, or snow-contract revenue
- Roughly $500K or more in revenue or SDE (close is fine)
- Crew leads and staff who can run the routes
- A solid local reputation across the metro
- An owner open to a clean handoff or a short stay-on
If that matches your company, you are exactly who Investera was built for. If a point is a little off, it is still worth a conversation; we consider the whole business, not just a checklist.
What makes selling to Investera different
No broker fees. We are the direct buyer, so no listing commission comes out of your proceeds and no broker pushes you toward whatever closes fastest for them.
A genuinely confidential process. Your crews, competitors, and clients stay unaware you are exploring a sale until you decide the moment is right.
Creative deal structures. From a clean purchase to a phased transition or seller involvement, we tailor the terms around your goals and timing, not a rigid template.
Operators, not a fund. We run service businesses ourselves, so your company lands with people who understand routing, seasonal crews, and snow-contract margins, not a spreadsheet team hunting a flip.
How the process works
We keep it simple and private. It starts with a phone call to learn about your business, your goals, and your timing. If there is mutual interest, we sign a mutual NDA and review the essentials: your contract mix, revenue, crew structure, and equipment fleet. We can then share an indication of value fairly quickly, and if it works we move toward a clean purchase agreement and a handoff plan built around your seasons. No auction, no strangers walking your yard, and no obligation until you sign.
We will take care of what you built
After we buy a Des Moines landscaping company, our first job is to keep properties serviced through every season and crews paid on time. We install a dedicated general manager and proven systems for routing, renewals, and snow operations so the business no longer rests entirely on the owner. The reputation you built across Central Iowa is an asset we protect, not strip. We buy to hold and operate for the long term, so clients keep their service and your people keep growing.
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 Des Moines?
Most healthy landscaping and grounds companies trade in a range of roughly 2.5 to 4 times SDE (seller’s discretionary earnings), with the multiple shaped by recurring contract revenue, snow-work stability, customer concentration, and margins. That is a typical range, not a guarantee; we give a specific, no-obligation indication once we see your numbers.
Will this stay confidential?
Yes. Confidentiality is the backbone of the process. We sign a mutual NDA early, and your crews, competitors, and clients hear nothing until you choose to tell them.
Are there any broker fees or commissions?
No. We are the buyer, not a broker, so there is no listing fee or commission taken from your sale. You deal directly with the operators.
Can I stay involved after the sale?
Only if you want to. Some owners want a clean break; others stay on for a transition or a defined role. Because we bring our own management layer, either path works and we shape the handoff around you.
How long does a sale usually take?
With a clear fit, a private conversation can reach a closed deal in weeks rather than the many months a public listing tends to drag on. We move at your pace.
What areas around Des Moines do you buy in?
We buy across Central Iowa, including West Des Moines, Ankeny, Urbandale, Johnston, and up to Ames, plus the rest of the Polk County metro.
Start a confidential conversation
If you own a landscaping or grounds company in the Des Moines area and a quiet exit is even on the horizon, let’s talk. The first conversation is confidential, free, and carries no obligation, and you will be speaking with the operators who would actually run your business rather than a broker after a commission. Reach out to Investera Holdings; we will listen first, tell you honestly how we think, and let you decide the next step.