[Waterfront]

Good morning!

Maybe is the service provider were I am staying, but this website keeps crashing on me. Other websites are very slow, but this one is very frustrating, it crashes every couple of minutes. Any settings I need to fix? I also can't see the tutorial videos.

I am new and have a very limited time to get things set for the new home I bought before I leave. Trying to get recommendations from snowbirds on how to set services while away.

I would prefer to deal with one trustworthy person to do everything than several companies, but I am not sure if that is the best thing to do. Need advice. Don't know the neighbors and don't want to just knock on their doors uninvited, but I might just have to do that, however if they live here all year, they might not know.

I am getting extremely frustrated and I think I have a big case of buyers remorse!

I made a good pen pal through these site already who has been very helpful, and I hope I am not taxing with my questions!

Thanks in advance for any help

[MSchad]

Have you looked at Hometown Property Management? They look after homes when you are away. Their website for Empty Nesters information is Empty Nest Service | Home Property Management and their number is 352-750-1595. I don't have first hand experience, but will be contacting them also to look after home I am closing on shortly.

[redwitch]

Get a good home watcher. Things to look for in a home watcher: they know TV, they have a good list of service providers, they won’t nickel and dime you. In TV, security isn’t the big issue, property damage is. Don’t worry about hiring ex law enforcement types but instead make sure they know where to look for water leaks, they know signs of mole crickets and other ways lawns can be damaged, they know how and when to adjust irrigation systems, what to disconnect, how to close up your home.

For your yard maintenance, start knocking on your neighbors’ door — ones whose yards you like. Hire their people, especially if the neighbor is a frog. They’ll help make sure your lawn is maintained. If you have time, have a driveway party before you leave. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors and a chance to talk to several at once. Plus, it’s fun.

Congrats. It’s scary to make a major purchase and then have to leave it for months at a time. But if you know TV is your retirement spot, you’ve made a good move.

[graciegirl]

Here are some of the things we used to do before leaving our home when we were snowbirds.

Leave the air on 83.
Turn off water to the house.
Detach and remove hoses.
Leave dishwasher open.
Freeze a paper cup full of water in freezer and leave a coin on top, so that you can see if there had been a power interruption.
Remove all food. We forgot potatoes once. Yipes.
Tell a trusted neighbor you are going and when you will be returning. We left keys.
Leave a ceiling light on in interior hallway.
Contact Village Watch and tell them you will be gone.
Stop Paper and mail.
Ask neighbor to remove news items left in driveway from POA.
Leave a pair of old sandals by front door. Pull blinds and curtains closed.

The Cunninghams Home watch service is excellent...
...but there are others that are great too.

We have been here and owned two homes here for ten years. It is a wise decision you have just made. No I don't sell houses, never did.

Jump in here friends, what have I forgotten?

[Kahuna32162]

Stay away from Service Smart at all costs. FFF rating from the Better Business Bureau and hundreds of filed complaints with Seniors Against Crime. Many very good home watch services who will keep you informed if there are any problems. As Grace said, Cunningham's, Dee Parson's and I will add Mark Woodland 609-929-9455. (all individuals and not big companies)

Another piece of advice, NEVER pay for anything in advance. Always demand monthly billing after the work is completed.

Welcome home!

[Waterfront]

Originally Posted by redwitch

Get a good home watcher. Things to look for in a home watcher: they know TV, they have a good list of service providers, they won’t nickel and dime you. In TV, security isn’t the big issue, property damage is. Don’t worry about hiring ex law enforcement types but instead make sure they know where to look for water leaks, they know signs of mole crickets and other ways lawns can be damaged, they know how and when to adjust irrigation systems, what to disconnect, how to close up your home.

For your yard maintenance, start knocking on your neighbors’ door — ones whose yards you like. Hire their people, especially if the neighbor is a frog. They’ll help make sure your lawn is maintained. If you have time, have a driveway party before you leave. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors and a chance to talk to several at once. Plus, it’s fun.

Congrats. It’s scary to make a major purchase and then have to leave it for months at a time. But if you know TV is your retirement spot, you’ve made a good move.

I am renting the home back to the seller for a month so I can't have a party. I would love to do that! They don't hire for any services, they do their own thing.

[Waterfront]

That is very helpful-thanks

[perrjojo]

All have been good suggestions but please don’t forget someone for yard maintenance. Things grow quickly here.
.

[Waterfront]

Originally Posted by perrjojo

All have been good suggestions but please don’t forget someone for yard maintenance. Things grow quickly here.
.

Things are very different here, one person for fertilizing, one for mowing, one for weeds one for sprinklers, one for bugs, or a couple companies that do all but want year contracts. Why is it so complicated? Back home we had a gardener did everything for $10.00 a week and we provided any extras, if a sprinkled head broke, we bought it. Anyway….working on it. Does anyone has any advice on how to fix settings or something that will stop this website from crashing all the time and being very slow? Thanks to everyone that has responded I appreciate the advice.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by Waterfront

Things are very different here, one person for fertilizing, one for mowing, one for weeds one for sprinklers, one for bugs, or a couple companies that do all but want year contracts. Why is it so complicated? Back home we had a gardener did everything for $10.00 a week and we provided any extras, if a sprinkled head broke, we bought it. Anyway….working on it. Does anyone has any advice on how to fix settings or something that will stop this website from crashing all the time and being very slow? Thanks to everyone that has responded I appreciate the advice.

You are renting to previous owners for a month? Then what are you coming back? Call Deans they will mow, bugs fertilizer, sprinklers, charge each month as work done. We have used since 2010, for multiple houses. I would call Cunningham’s. That is two top priority. Have electric, or gas, and Sumter ( north or central) bill sent to your current home. Relax, I didn’t get the what am I thinking about buying a house, til the 3rd one.

[eweissenbach]

Get to know your neighbors sooner rather than later. Figure out the one(s) who are full time and trustworthy/helpful. Our neighbors do our homewatch services for us and I send them a Benjamin every few months and take them out to eat when here. They are next door and it takes them little time or effort to check things every week or so, and it behooves them to see that nothing happens to hurt the neighborhood. He cuts my lawn which is about 10' x 40' and takes ten minutes. (no front lawn - all landscaped in a Courtyard Villa.) I am lucky to have such great neighbors, but I am sure there are many others who are similarly helpful, some may be yours!

[Waterfront]

Originally Posted by asianthree

You are renting to previous owners for a month? Then what are you coming back? Call Deans they will mow, bugs fertilizer, sprinklers, charge each month as work done. We have used since 2010, for multiple houses. I would call Cunningham’s. That is two top priority. Have electric, or gas, and Sumter ( north or central) bill sent to your current home. Relax, I didn’t get the what am I thinking about buying a house, til the 3rd one.

As soon as we can sell our home, we will be back. Dean's is one we are looking at and Cunningham's also. It is a huge change in lifestyle, but not the first one, in some ways TV reminds me of a place we lived overseas, a foreigners compound. It was like a mini 55+community for all ages.

[PoolBrews]

With regards to the site - it has never "crashed" that I know of, and I have never had an issue with the site. I will say that they do put up a LOT of ads, so it can make the site slow depending on your device you are using and your connection speed. Using troubleshooting 101 skills, if it works for 1 user, but not another, it's fairly certain that the issue lies somewhere on user's side.

What browser are you using? I know Chrome works on Windows 10. No special settings.

[npwalters]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Here are some of the things we used to do before leaving our home when we were snowbirds.

Leave the air on 83.
Turn off water to the house.
Detach and remove hoses.
Leave dishwasher open.
Freeze a paper cup full of water in freezer and leave a coin on top, so that you can see if there had been a power interruption.
Remove all food. We forgot potatoes once. Yipes.
Tell a trusted neighbor you are going and when you will be returning. We left keys.
Leave a ceiling light on in interior hallway.
Contact Village Watch and tell them you will be gone.
Stop Paper and mail.
Ask neighbor to remove news items left in driveway from POA.
Leave a pair of old sandals by front door. Pull blinds and curtains closed.

The Cunninghams Home watch service is excellent...
...but there are others that are great too.

We have been here and owned two homes here for ten years. It is a wise decision you have just made. No I don't sell houses, never did.

Jump in here friends, what have I forgotten?

Another recommendation for Cunningham Home Watch.

[retiredguy123]

Install the "Adguard" app on your computer to prevent the site from freezing. It's free and works great.