Lawn services is a largely unregulated industry with a lot of fly-by-night (with your money) operators around. You are doing the right thing by getting references from neighbors, friends, etc. Just avoid paying a lot up front (month is probably OK) as some scam artists offer "discounts" for (a) cash or (b) 6 month or 1 year contracts. "Cash" is usually under-the-table payments to an individual and never reported as business income for taxes. Longer term contracts (6 months, 1 year) have been know to take your money and never return. Another red flag - if they want the check made out to an individual rather than a business name - probably either no "real" business or under-the-table payments.
All that being said, most grass-cutting services for a "typical" TV sized yard runs $50-65 month. That would be weekly cuts most of the time, maybe bi-weekly in winter, plus trim, edge, and blow off debris. Shrub or tree trimming is extra. You may want a service to treat for weeds and to fertilize. That is extra AND MUST BE LICENSED BY THE STATE. You may want a service to treat for household pests (ants, roaches, etc.) and that will be extra and will not include termite protection AND MUST BE LICENSED BY THE STATE. You may want termite protection and that will be extra AND MUST BE LICENSED BY THE STATE. You may want a service to tweak and adjust your sprinkler system and check it periodically. That will be extra. Lots of choices to make and some do not need to be made immediately. Some you may chose to do yourself. Make sure you get all agreements in a written contract - too often they just offer a receipt for your payment.
One other little word of warning - if you get multiple of these services from multiple companies and something goes wrong in your yard, there have been instances of "finger pointing" - blaming each other for the problem while no one fixes it for you. The more you get from the same company, the less "spreading the blame" there will be.
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