Question 1

What is a home watch business?

Accepted Answer

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 the findings to the homeowner. Clients are typically snowbirds, vacation-home owners, and anyone who leaves a property empty for weeks or months.

Question 2

What does a home watch company do during a visit?

Accepted Answer

A typical visit covers a 360° exterior walk, checks of doors, windows, and security, HVAC and humidity verification, running water and checking for leaks, inspecting for mold and pests, and final departure tasks — all documented with photos in a written report. See our free printable visit checklist on the Templates page for the full item list.

Question 3

How much do home watch services cost?

Accepted Answer

Most US home watch services charge roughly $25–$75 per visit for an average home, which works out to about $150–$300 per month on a weekly schedule. Larger, luxury, and waterfront homes run higher. Our 2026 pricing and rates guide in the Learning Center breaks down what drives the price.

Question 4

Is home watch the same as house sitting?

Accepted Answer

No. A house sitter lives in the home while the owner travels. A home watch professional visits on a schedule, performs a documented inspection, and leaves — it's a licensed-business service relationship with insurance, reports, and accountability rather than someone staying over.

Question 5

Do I need a license to start a home watch business?

Accepted Answer

Most states don't require a specific license for visual home watch checks, but you should form a legal entity, carry general liability insurance (plus E&O and bonding), and avoid drifting into licensed work like home inspection or contracting. Our state-by-state startup guides in the Learning Center cover the details — this is general information, not legal advice.

Question 6

Is home watch a good business to start?

Accepted Answer

It can be an excellent low-overhead business in seasonal markets (Florida, Arizona, the Carolinas, the desert Southwest): startup costs are low, demand is recurring by nature, and trust — not equipment — is the main barrier to entry. Read our free 10-step startup checklist to see what's involved.

Question 7

Why did you create this?

Accepted Answer

Our app was built out of necessity. The current offerings are so complex, and are not built with YOU in mind. Here we are proud to make this app accessible to the home watch industry, and to make it as easy as possible to use.

Question 8

What is Home Watcher?

Accepted Answer

Home Watcher is a comprehensive online platform designed specifically for home watch service providers. It helps you manage clients, properties, scheduling, reporting, and more, all in one easy-to-use system.

Question 9

How does Home Watcher help with client and property management?

Accepted Answer

Our platform allows you to keep all client information, property details, and service history organized in one secure place, including homeowner profiles, alarm codes, access instructions, and contact info.

Question 10

What are the scheduling capabilities?

Accepted Answer

Home Watcher offers smart scheduling features to efficiently plan your visits. You can create recurring visit schedules with flexible date options, pause and resume schedules, and group properties by service areas or zones.

Question 11

Can I generate reports for my clients?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Home Watcher enables you to generate professional, detailed PDF reports with photos, notes, and electronic signatures. You can customize report templates and include your company branding.

Question 12

Does Home Watcher include checklists for visits?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! You can perform inspections using in-field digital checklists, mark items as Pass/Fail, add notes and photos, and flag issues. You can use standard or create custom checklist templates.

Question 13

Can I manage contracts and get electronic signatures?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Home Watcher provides dynamic contract templates that auto-fill information, allowing you to preview, sign, and generate professional PDF contracts with electronic signatures directly in the app.

Question 14

Does Home Watcher offer GPS tracking?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can verify visits with GPS timestamps and location data for accountability and peace of mind, ensuring your team is where they need to be, when they need to be there.

Question 15

How can I manage concierge services?

Accepted Answer

You can offer and track optional services (e.g., vendor coordination, grocery stocking), logging service fees, instructions, and notes for each task, providing a comprehensive service offering.

Question 16

Does Home Watcher support team management?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can efficiently manage your team with role-based permissions, assigning roles (admin, technician, etc.) with granular access controls. You can invite team members, assign properties/visits, and ensure field teams see only their assigned tasks and data.

Question 17

Is my data secure with Home Watcher?

Accepted Answer

Yes, data security is a top priority. Home Watcher is built on enterprise-grade infrastructure with robust security protocols, cloud backup, and encrypted storage to protect your client and property data.

Question 18

What is the Home Watcher List Directory?

Accepted Answer

The Home Watcher List Directory (HomeWatcherList.com) is our premier online directory where you can list your home watch business for free to connect with more homeowners and expand your reach.

Question 19

What is the pricing for Home Watcher?

Accepted Answer

Home Watcher offers a Standard Plan at $49/month, which includes comprehensive features like client & property management, smart scheduling, automated reporting, and more. For full details, please visit our Pricing page.

Question 20

Do you have an app?

Accepted Answer

We have an app—it's just not in the app stores. Home Watcher is a Progressive Web App (PWA). On Android and iOS you can install it from our website: open the site in your browser and use "Add to Home Screen" or "Install app" to get a full-screen app experience. Visit app.homewatchtools.com to get started.

Question 21

Do you charge for training?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely not. Our goal is to make the app as easy to use as possible for you. We suggest going to our Learning Center to see how easy it is to get started.

Question 22

Do I need to install anything?

Accepted Answer

No, Home Watcher is a web-based application. You can access it from any device with an internet connection – no downloads or complicated installations required. Just log in and start working!

Question 23

Can I use this if I only manage a few homes?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! Home Watcher is designed for businesses of all sizes, from solo operators managing a handful of properties to growing companies. Our intuitive interface makes it easy to manage any number of clients efficiently.

Question 24

How do I send reports to clients?

Accepted Answer

Once you complete a visit and generate a report, Home Watcher allows you to easily send professional PDF reports directly to your clients via email with just a few clicks. It's all automated and branded with your company's look.

Question 25

Is there a mobile version?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Home Watcher is built with a mobile-first design, meaning it works seamlessly on your smartphone or tablet. You can conduct inspections, take photos, and manage your business directly from the field.

Question 26

Can I cancel anytime?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can cancel your subscription at any time. We believe in providing value, not locking you into long-term contracts. Your data can also be exported upon request.

Your Questions, Answered.

About Home Watch (the Industry)

About the Home Watcher App