What is a home watch business?

A home watch business performs regular visual inspections, of unoccupied or seasonal homes, looking for water leaks, storm damage, pests, mold, and security issues, and reports these findings directly to the homeowner, so you’re immediately aware. Clients are typically snowbirds, vacation-home owners, and anyone who leaves a property empty for weeks or months.

What does a home watch company do during a visit?

A typical visit covers a 360° exterior walk; checks of doors, windows, and security; HVAC and humidity verification; running water and checks for leaks; inspecting for mold and pests, that can cause problems sooner than later. Everything is documented and time stamped, with photos, in a written report that is sent immediately after each visit and is available in our client software app.

Why do I need a home and property watch service when Anderson Island Patrol already checks on my home?

Anderson Island Patrol is a wonderful services, but only does drive-by exterior checks. Many things can happen to an unoccupied home, especially one left for long periods. Winter storms sure to bring high winds, rain, snow, and power outages, which can lead to water leaks, mold, electrical problems, and breakdowns in heating and air conditioning units. Our service is designed to be proactive in dealing with these issues, inside & out, which is most effective.

The report you receive after each visit includes the date and time of the visit, which is something most homeowner’s insurance carriers require, when a property is vacant for an extended period. With our services, you will also have a reliable person who can go to your property on demand if necessary.

An alarm company provides security for my home. What value do you add?

An alarm company usually only monitors entry to your home. Alarm systems are activated once bad actors are already at your doors and windows, and the company only notifies the police and the homeowner, however they can not do an eyes-on, immediate, inspection of your property to sort through what may have occurred. As you know, there are rarely any police on the island. We can be available after hours to do a security check. The real value of HomeWatch is that our visits eliminate the appearance of a home being vacant, hopefully deterring these issues altogether.

How much do home watch services cost?

Most US home watch services charge roughly $25–$75 per visit for an average home, which works out to about $100–$300 per month on a weekly schedule. Larger, luxury, and waterfront homes run higher.

Are your services expensive?

We believe our services are reasonably priced, for the value, we provide. When you compare the cost with the costs of possible damage from a leak, pests, or vagrants, our services are an excellent value. Also, being located on an island, having a local service is absolutely essential. We will be happy to discuss our pricing, with you to come up with a unique & specialized set of home watch services, that is fair and that we are both happy with.

If you find a problem, what type of notification will I receive?

We will send you a report upon completion of our visit to your home. Any problems identified will be accompanied by pictures and details. If we take any immediate action to prevent further damage, we will contact you right away to discuss what occurred and what course of action is needed for the repair.

Can you help me with home maintenance services?

While we do not provide home maintenance services ourselves, we can refer you to top quality companies & contractors and coordinate access to your property. We will only recommend trusted companies & contractors that are licensed and insured.

Can you provide oversight while contractors are working on my home?

Yes. Anderson Island HomeWatch will provide access and remain on-site for an hourly charge. We ask for at least a weeks prior notice to schedule your request, and will accommodate sooner, if possible.

I Rent my Property out short term. Can you assist with that?

Yes, we can help. In fact, we offer some specialized add-on services, for short term rental owners. However, we are not a property management company, and cannot help with bookings or payments. We are happy to go over the options we do offer, such as guest lockouts and pre- and post-arrival inspections, with you and anything else unique that you may need help with.