Super Home sitters

[sepefrio]

I've been talking with a few people in my BNI group and we are considering offering a group service and I was looking for a little input.

First off, my area has a lot of vacation homes that sit empty during the winter. Further, after some research, we haven't found anyone offering a similar service in the area and figure it might be worth a try.

In the group I'm talking with is a general contractor, a carpet cleaner, a home cleaning service, a lawn service, a painter, a home security guy and myself. We are thinking of doing a sort of super home sitting service to supplement our winter income.

Basically, a property owner hires us, I start it off with a home inspection to set the base. Then while the property is vacant we care for the lawn, do any remodeling/repair work they want. Then just before they return the carpets and entire house is cleaned.

As we are talking about it now, whoever sells the client the service is the one who would do the weekly checks of the house and collect the fee. They would then basically sub-contract the other services to the rest of us.

There is still a lot more to be thought out and we haven't put anything in writing. I'm just curious of your thoughts. For me the HI, unless I'm the one that sells the initial contract, it is just a regular home inspection. But if I sell it I have to then check the house on the agree upon time frame.

[hausdok]

Hi,

They had an article not too long ago in the Seattle PI about some guy who has a house sitting security service. Basically, he goes by and checks out-of-state clients houses several times a day or something like that.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[randynavarro]

Sounds like a good idea.

Entrepeneurship. God bless America!

[Scottpat]

This is called a "Home Watch" service. I'm in the process of launching one in my area this summer. I have already secured two domain names for the business. Just do a Google search for Home Watch and you will find several around the country. It fits very well with a home inspection business.

[Les]

I lived on an island for many years where the population went from 350 in the winter to 4,000 in the summer. That meant there were abt 1,000 homes that were unoccupied for eight months. Approx 50 permanent residents took care of the houses during the winter. It paid very well. Most non-residents paid several hundred dollars plus costs for the service. I, and most other islanders, simply traded services: when I was off for 3-4days they would look in on my house and vice versa. Of course there was no theft problem because what ever you stole was nearly impossible to get off the island!

It is a good idea that has been common in Northern Michigan for decades.

[Jim Katen]

I remember reading about one of those businesses where the owner was running a prostitution ring in the houses he was supposed to be watching. He was busted when the owner of one of the houses attempted to become a patron.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[hausdok]

Like this?

OT - OF!!!

M.

[fqp25]

Originally posted by Scottpat

This is called a "Home Watch" service. I'm in the process of launching one in my area

I've been thinking about something along these lines as well, however I was thinking about the foreclosure market. Do you think this will work for bank owned properties as well?

Frank

[Scottpat]

Originally posted by fqp25

Originally posted by Scottpat

This is called a "Home Watch" service. I'm in the process of launching one in my area

I've been thinking about something along these lines as well, however I was thinking about the foreclosure market. Do you think this will work for bank owned properties as well?

Frank

Nope! The banks do not want to pay to even keep the utilities on for homes they do not want or can't really afford to have sitting around.