Question for Snowbirds

[Accidental1]

We just bought a new home here and will be snowbirds for a few years. Do you use a home watch service while you're up North? If so, please share with me the reasons why you do? If not, reasons why you don't. Thank you!

[asianthree]

Good home watch is hard to find. Ours retired and finding a replacement is not easy. Some will tell you they are billed for weekly visits, and yet no one has entered their home for months. Cameras With remote viewing is your friend.

Yes I believe in using a good home watch. Making sure your sprinklers are running correctly, flush, and run your faucets, and shut water off. Check for bugs, before they become an infestation. Check outside for window issues, or possible storm damage.

[Fredman]

Sent u a private message

[Garywt]

We are actually snowflakes. We do not use any home watch. We have friends that have a key and check on things plus neighbors on each side will text us if they see any issues. All has been fine for 2 years.

[Malsua]

We go back and forth all year.

I have a wifi thermostat. A flume to monitor the water meter. A wifi irrigation controller, a nest hello doorbell cam, a wifi garage door opener, a digital deadbolt and security cams.

I know what's going on at our villa when we are not there.

Higher initial cost, zero on-going costs. I also have family nearby that can pop in if it comes to it.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Before Covid I used to be gone about 6 months a year , I’ve never used a home watch ,I’ve usually asked someone to look in once a week , that seems to work for me , I’ve had a combined 14. homes and condos never used a home watch if something went wrong you call somebody, the lovely woman next door from me passed away in September , for the family I go over once a week and check the place very simple, I’m also not concerned with having workmen in my home when I’m not there because I keep nothing personal there and the only time my homes are locked is when I’m away , I never lock house when I’m here

[b0bd0herty]

The Villages provides a home watch service where their drivers check your house twice a week. The outside is check for all doors secure and anything that is not normal. Believe the cost is under $8 dollars a month. You'd have to contact their customer service to check. Went to the website Village Community Development Districts (http://www.districtgov.org) and the number is (352) 753-4508.

[kendi]

We are actually snowflakes. We do not use any home watch. We have friends that have a key and check on things plus neighbors on each side will text us if they see any issues. All has been fine for 2 years.

“Snowflakes”?

[Girlcopper]

[QUOTE=charlieo1126@gmail.com;1898163]Before Covid I used to be gone about 6 months a year , I’ve never used a home watch ,I’ve usually asked someone to look in once a week , that seems to work for me , I’ve had a combined 14. homes and condos never used a home watch if something went wrong you call somebody, the lovely woman next door from me passed away in September , for the family I go over once a week and check the place very simple, I’m also not concerned with having workmen in my home when I’m not there because I keep nothing personal there and the only time my homes are locked is when I’m away , I never lock house when I’m here[/QUOTE
Id love to know what development you live in that you feel so safe and leave your house unlocked. Burglary just waiting to happen

[a002710]

Check with your insurance. I’ve heard that they can refuse to fix things if the house is left unattended. Always turn water off before leaving and most of your possible problems disappear. I used to watch houses for people and always took current days paper and took a picture of the date showing someplace inside, that was the proof that i was there and did the inspection. On my watch of houses I’ve discovered heating systems that have failed, insect infestations, roof leaks etc..... Better to be safe than sorry. Cost is
Minimal. I charged $10-15/mo depending on what I did. Some I sprayed for weeds. Some I drove the cars and golf carts per instructions of owner. I even shut houses down and then reopened them for my clients. Ask around, find a neighbor that has someone they trust and hire that person. Good luck and welcome to the villages.

[B-flat]

Cameras and a remote thermostat work well. We also had a couple who were our neighbors check on the house too, when they were away we did the same for them.

[MandoMan]

[QUOTE=charlieo1126@gmail.com;1898163]Before Covid I used to be gone about 6 months a year , I’ve never used a home watch ,I’ve usually asked someone to look in once a week , that seems to work for me , I’ve had a combined 14. homes and condos never used a home watch if something went wrong you call somebody, the lovely woman next door from me passed away in September , for the family I go over once a week and check the place very simple, I’m also not concerned with having workmen in my home when I’m not there because I keep nothing personal there and the only time my homes are locked is when I’m away , I never lock house when I’m here[/QUOTE
Id love to know what development you live in that you feel so safe and leave your house unlocked. Burglary just waiting to happen

Anywhere in The Villages is very safe indeed. I’ve been reading the daily online crime sheet for a year and don’t recall seeing any home burglaries at all. Several cars were broken into about a year ago, but the guy was caught and arrested. I recall reading about one car stolen out of a garage. That’s all I remember. In a year! Our guards and neighborhood watch do a great job. I’d say this is not only America’s Friendliest Home Town but America’s Safest Home Town. Now, if I lived in Wildwood or Leesburg or Ocala I would be much more concerned. Anywhere outside The Villages I would be much more concerned. There is occasional shoplifting at the various WalMarts and convenience stores and the occasional purse or wallet stolen from a car in a grocery store parking lot, but those are public areas on the outskirts. I’m talking about residential areas. I think the biggest crime to watch out for is scams of various sorts taking advantage of us, whether door to door or by phone or computer. There are also some companies that do poor jobs of fixing problems. In general, they are doing great work, though.

[msilagy]

I don't use a home watch service instead I 1) have a humidistat and set it at 60% so that it keeps the humidity under that amount with the A/C running only when needed to do so. 2) put Saran Wrap over the toilet bowls so water doesn't evaporate. 3) hook up car and golf cart to a tender plus battery charger 4) shut all blinds/drapes. 5) I also have a Marcell device that monitors humidity for the months I'm gone and will text, email, and call me if it goes ver 60% which could mean the A/C isn't working, unplug unnecessary electric devices. Shut the door and walk in 5-6 months later just like I was there an hour before.

[Footer]

We use Dean Corbett, 352-551-0576. $10/week. He has quite a few clients. He was referred to us by friends 3 years ago.

[jabacon6669]

My wife and I just moved here in December, keeping our home in Maine. We have relatives in the area to check the house if need be. But we monitor it with two Ring cameras, and a Nest thermostat, which is connected to, two satellite thermostat, one in our basement and one in a back hall bath. The main nest is in our living room and we keep it at 50 degrees. We also have a nest camera in the basement. We shut the well pump off, just in case. But the temp in the hose in any part never drops below 48-49 degrees. We do not subscribe to any service.

[Joeint]

Before Covid I used to be gone about 6 months a year , I’ve never used a home watch ,I’ve usually asked someone to look in once a week , that seems to work for me , I’ve had a combined 14. homes and condos never used a home watch if something went wrong you call somebody, the lovely woman next door from me passed away in September , for the family I go over once a week and check the place very simple, I’m also not concerned with having workmen in my home when I’m not there because I keep nothing personal there and the only time my homes are locked is when I’m away , I never lock house when I’m here

I think if you have someone look in once a week that is a home watch, you just don't pay for it...

[merrymini]

Had house watch and they start with a head of steam and finish with a fizzle. My neighbor picks up my mail and looks in periodically. I treat them to dinner when I am here. Turn off the water main and bleach in toilets and a thermostat and camera with internet works well.

[jameslewis]

Down home property management is the best

[main12use]

I use Randall at Affordable Home Watch. 810-479-6363. He is very reliable. Starts car and golf cart. Checks everything inside and outside for me. He is also a good handyman. Very reasonable!

[mikeritz53]

We are actually snowflakes. We do not use any home watch. We have friends that have a key and check on things plus neighbors on each side will text us if they see any issues. All has been fine for 2 years.

Check the Classifieds in The Village Sun, it is not cheap so companies in there are more likely to be established. Keep in mind some HomeOwners Policies ( not all ) have a Vacancy Clause. It means a claim can be denied if you do not have a company making weekly checks. They do not recognize a Neighbor, Friend or even a Relative as a qualified person. Plus if something happens at your house that neighbor, Friend or Relative does not have their own Insurance to cover any losses.

[Barborv]

I have a women who was recommended by my neighbors to come twice a month to check on my home. She lets us know if anything needs attention. We had her shut the water and she checks and told us there was a sulfur smell when she would run the water. we had that taken care of. She sends us pictures of our lawn, etc. Also very reasonable.

[PompeyKing]

I would definitely give your neighbors your contact information. A rental house on our street had water running down the driveway. No one knew how to contact the owner. As it turned out, the owner had stopped by and saw the running water. It would have been nice to call or text them about problems. (I did give the owner one of my cards and said they could text or email their contact information, but never heard from them!)

[HiHoSteveO]

Along with the good advice from others above,
I would also recommend, no matter if you have a home watch service (or not)
and no matter if you already have a ring or other camera or two (or not)

The Wyze Cam Pan (under $40) is great to have. Cheap and it can automatically pan around the room to follow if it detects motion. Short videos are saved to the cloud automatically for free. Access from anywhere. Longer videos can be had if you subscribe to their Cam+ service but not required.
Helps to keep everyone honest.

Wyze Cam Pan (https://wyze.com/wyze-cam-pan.html)

[davephan]

Having a monitored security system, including monitored smoke detectors is a good idea. Also monitor for water leaks with water detectors. Temperature monitoring is also important. The temperature monitoring could be done with a remote thermostat if you check it daily or it can alert you.

Remote control or automated lighting can give the vacant home a look that it being lived in.

Cameras are a good idea too. A snow removal company is needed and maybe a lawn mowing company. Reliable mail forwarding is needed too, and no newspaper service.

An automatic and remote reset switch for your cable modem or DSL modem. These are available from the “5G store” online. Periodically, you’ll need to power cycle your Internet modem or security cameras. The Internet power switch monitors your Internet connection. When the Internet connection quits working, it power cycles your Internet modem automatically. This will reduce the need to have someone visit your home just to power cycle things.

All those things will cost money, but will give you more peace of mind when you are over a thousand miles from one of the homes you own. It could also reduce the cost of the on site visits, or dependence on a neighbor, friend, or in law for on site visits.

[GPGuar]

We just bought a new home here and will be snowbirds for a few years. Do you use a home watch service while you're up North? If so, please share with me the reasons why you do? If not, reasons why you don't. Thank you!
Save your money and ask a neighbor to look in a couple of times a month. Shut off whole house water and raise the Thermostat. We were snow flakes for seven years until we moved down permanently. Never had any problems.

[Villages Kahuna]

We just bought a new home here and will be snowbirds for a few years. Do you use a home watch service while you're up North? If so, please share with me the reasons why you do? If not, reasons why you don't. Thank you! You’ll have lots of choices. Get recommendations or referrals.

All it takes is one unattended leak for your money to be well spent.

[Jon Little]

See Littles Watchful Eye website. Bonded and insured. References provided.

[MacScuba]

Heartily recommend Don Cunningham. He has been watching our house for the last year. Texts inside and outside photos each week, runs dishwasher so seals don't dry, covers toilets. He is your "instant friend" in Florida. Offers many other services too, like coordinating contractors or receiving deliveries. Just leave the thermostat to hold between 60 and 82, and call Don. Home (http://www.cunninghamscompletehomeservices.com/)

[kenoc7]

We just bought a new home here and will be snowbirds for a few years. Do you use a home watch service while you're up North? If so, please share with me the reasons why you do? If not, reasons why you don't. Thank you!
We have been snowbirds for 11 years in The Villages and I believe a home watch service is essential. Check your insurance policy. We currently have an excellent service which sends us half a dozen pictures on average every ten days.

[dshoberg]

Yes....definitely! We had neighbors who were gone over the summer....who knows when their A/C went out but, $50,000 later, they now have a mold free home....fyi - insurance did not cover damages

[Jerseyborn]

We used Empty Nest to watch our home purchased in March until we could move in this November. Very happy with the care of our home and the communication. We plan to use them until we can move here full time

[Papa_lecki]

Yes....definitely! We had neighbors who were gone over the summer....who knows when their A/C went out but, $50,000 later, they now have a mold free home....fyi - insurance did not cover damages

Had a similar problem in another home in the north, heat went out - BUT we have a NEST thermostat I monitor, and I saw the problem.

[Papa_lecki]

I think the message is, if you DON’T have home watch, invest in technology to monitor (thermostat, timers, cameras, etc).

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

[QUOTE=charlieo1126@gmail.com;1898163]Before Covid I used to be gone about 6 months a year , I’ve never used a home watch ,I’ve usually asked someone to look in once a week , that seems to work for me , I’ve had a combined 14. homes and condos never used a home watch if something went wrong you call somebody, the lovely woman next door from me passed away in September , for the family I go over once a week and check the place very simple, I’m also not concerned with having workmen in my home when I’m not there because I keep nothing personal there and the only time my homes are locked is when I’m away , I never lock house when I’m here[/QUOTE
Id love to know what development you live in that you feel so safe and leave your house unlocked. Burglary just waiting to happen one I spent almost 40 years in dangerous places around the world , I like the idea of coming home to open house ( I do lock condos I’ve owned ) and 2 if there planning to break in there going to break your door or slider that you’ll have to fix or worse it rains and your floor gets ruined , I wear my Rolex and diamond they can have the TV, also to answer the other question the guy asked if anyone used a home watch service I answered no and just told him of another way

[sallyg]

We used a service for two years and will not do so again. All the listed services? Sure didn't look like they did anything. Sweeping driveway and streps, turning on water, flushing toilets and running disposal, etc. etc. about two pages full of expected services. They said they would check in with us every week, never happened. We called them several times after various storms blew thru. Our neighbor was a better source of information.
Our next door neighbor now keeps an eye on our house and we do a thorough job of prepping before we go. The Villages also offers a service for a very low price. They do not enter your house but will walk around the exterior to make sure windows and doors are in tact.
Good luck.

[Smalley]

I don't use a home watch service instead I 1) have a humidistat and set it at 60% so that it keeps the humidity under that amount with the A/C running only when needed to do so. 2) put Saran Wrap over the toilet bowls so water doesn't evaporate. 3) hook up car and golf cart to a tender plus battery charger 4) shut all blinds/drapes. 5) I also have a Marcell device that monitors humidity for the months I'm gone and will text, email, and call me if it goes ver 60% which could mean the A/C isn't working, unplug unnecessary electric devices. Shut the door and walk in 5-6 months later just like I was there an hour before.
Would you explain Hooking up golf cart and car to tender and battery charger? Would that be for electric cart and car? Thanks.

[rfc171]

We have been snowbirds for 17 years! I tried many local home watchers but have not been happy with any of them. Now we use The Villages Empty Nest Program!! They are very professional, trustworthy, and customized to your needs! We couldn’t be happier and not worry about our home!

[BetsyLucsay]

I always have someone watch the house when I go to NY in the summer. He is a retired detective from up north, and is well respected. Bobby Riebel. 717-507-6865. Very reasonable, lives in the Villages. Also e mail is "fiveohhomewatch@gmail.com"