Question 1

What is Home Watch?

Accepted Answer

The National Home Watch Association defines Home Watch as “a visual inspection of a
home or property, looking for obvious issues.”

Question 2

Who are we at Homewatch Steamboat?

Accepted Answer

We are a locally owned, insured, bonded, and accredited home watch company serving the Steamboat Springs community. We check your property and identify potential problems while it’s vacant. Unlike remote alarm monitoring services, we provide a physical presence. Contact us for any specific requests.

Question 3

How do we add value beyond alarm companies?

Accepted Answer

Alarm companies monitor entry and smoke/fire alarms remotely, but they don’t provide a physical presence or check for issues like leaks, mechanical failures, mold, or pests. We identify these problems and notify you for guidance.

Question 4

What are your credentials?

Accepted Answer

Homewatch Steamboat proudly displays the Accredited banner of the National Home
Watch Association. We have been vetted and approved to ensure we are trained, insured and bonded. We also subscribe to the NHWA’s Code of Ethics and follow industry best practices. Our owner is a Certified Home Watch Professional (NHWA).

Question 5

Can you help me with home maintenance services?

Accepted Answer

While we do not provide home maintenance services, we can refer you to quality
contractors and coordinate access to your property.

Question 6

What payment methods do we accept?

Accepted Answer

After we perform our services, we’ll email you an invoice with links for various payment options. We accept checks, credit cards, and Venmo.

Question 7

We have a neighborhood watch program. Doesn’t that do the same thing?

Accepted Answer

Most neighborhood watch programs are passive by nature and do not provide the level
of engagement with your property that we provide. We will check your property’s interior
and exterior in far more detail than you can expect from a neighborhood watch program.

Question 8

Are you a house sitter service?

Accepted Answer

We are not house sitters. We are trained, insured and bonded and our core service includes weekly or biweekly home visits where we follow a specific and mutually agreed upon checklist. We are  typically in an average home for 30-45 minutes per visit and take great pride in making you home is safe and secure.

Question 9

Are we a traditional property management company?

Accepted Answer

No, we are not. Traditional property management involves activities like leasing, negotiating lease terms, and handling security deposits, which fall under the Colorado Real Estate Commission’s definition of real estate activity. We do not provide these services or manage rental/investment properties. Home Watch is a visual inspection of a home or property, looking for obvious issues.

Question 10

What type of reporting can I expect from you?

Accepted Answer

We will send you a detailed report by email with pictures of any problems identified
upon completion of inspecting the interior and exterior of your home.

Question 11

How do we price our services?

Accepted Answer

We believe our services are reasonably priced for the value we provide. Comparing the cost of potential problems in unoccupied homes with our service fees shows excellent value. Our per-visit price depends on factors like home size, layout, distance, and unique requests. We offer free home visits/consultations or per-visit estimates before any service.

Question 12

Are you a property inspector?

Accepted Answer

No. We check your property, but we are not property inspectors. Property inspectors are
usually involved in the sale of a property to inspect the structure, plumbing, electrical
and heating and air condition systems. Home Watch does visual inspections, looking for
obvious problems or potential problems.

Question 13

If I need coordination with contractors doing work on my home can you help?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we can provide access services and remain on-site for an hourly charge. We ask
for at least a 48 hours notification to schedule our personnel when possible. We do
understand emergencies arise and will do our best to accommodate.

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

We will send you a report upon completion of our visit to your home. Any problems
identified will be accompanied by pictures and details of the problem. If there is
something urgent identified, we will contact you immediately to discuss what course of
action you desire.

Question 15

Do you provide keyholder service?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. We can coordinate access to your property for any situation at an hourly
rate. All we need is your notification of date and time and any instructions you have.

Frequently asked questions