If you searched for "home watch companies near me," you likely found a short list of names and very little to tell them apart. Most of the websites say the same things. The way to choose is to ask each company the same questions and listen closely to the answers.
Here are the questions we would ask if we were in your seat. We have added our own answers, so you know where we stand.
1. Who will actually visit my home?
Some companies send whoever is free that day. Others send the same person every time. Ask for a name.
This matters more than it sounds. Someone who has seen your home a dozen times knows the faint mark on the guest bath ceiling that has always been there. So they also notice when a new one shows up. A stranger sees two marks and cannot tell which one is new.
At Gulf Coast Home Watch, Sekina Probasco does every visit herself. She runs the business, and she answers the phone.
2. How often will you visit?
Ask what schedules they offer and why. Be careful with a company that offers one visit a month. In a closed-up Florida home, a month is long enough for a slow leak or a humidity problem to grow into a big one. A monthly visit only looks like care.
We visit weekly, or every two or three weeks. We do not offer once-a-month visits.
One more step before you pick a schedule: call your insurance company. Your policy may require Home Watch visits at a set frequency while the home is empty. It is better to know that up front.
3. What does the report look like?
Ask to see a sample report. A good one has a photo of each room and a note on anything that changed since the last visit. It should also show when the visit took place.
Then ask if you get a report after every visit, or only when something is wrong. A report that comes only when there is a problem leaves you guessing the rest of the time.
Our clients get a GPS-stamped photo report after every single visit. You see each room, along with the humidity reading and the thermostat. If something needs attention, we call you the same day.
4. What training do you have?
Ask where they learned the work. A good answer names a real program and what it covered.
Gulf Coast Home Watch is a Graduate of the Home Watch Academy. The Academy trains people who do Home Watch: what to look at on a visit, and how to report what they see.
5. Are you insured and bonded?
A Home Watch company holds your keys and walks through your home when no one else is there. Ask if they carry insurance and a bond, and ask to see proof. A good company will send it without any fuss.
Gulf Coast Home Watch is insured and bonded.
6. What happens when you find a problem?
This question tells you the most. Home Watch is a visual observation, not repair work. So what happens after they spot a drip under the sink?
Ask how fast they will call you. Then ask who picks the person who fixes it. Some owners are happy to let the company choose. Others want the final say. Know which kind of owner you are before you sign up.
Here is how we do it. We introduce you to two or three local vendors, and you choose. We never hire anyone for you. If you like, we meet your vendor at the home and stay while they work. You get before and after photos of the job.
A few smaller things to listen for
- How fast they reply. The way a company answers your first call is a fair preview of how they will answer later. We reply within 24 hours.
- How they set the price. A clear company explains what goes into the price instead of quoting a number. Our pricing guide shows how we build a plan.
- Where they work. A home at the far end of a long route is harder to reach after a storm. We serve Lakewood Ranch and East Bradenton, within about a 30-minute drive. See our service area.
- How they talk about other clients. A good company never tells you whose homes it watches. If they share someone else's details with you, they may share yours.
Ask us the same questions
We would rather you choose with care than choose fast. Read more about our Home Watch visits, then book a 15-minute call with Sekina or call (941) 241-3334.