Education
What is Homewatch?
Most homeowners in Southwest Florida have never heard of homewatch — until something goes wrong. Here's what it is, why it matters, and why we started this company.
Your Home Deserves a Trusted Set of Eyes While You're Away
Homewatch is a professional property monitoring service where a trained, licensed professional visits your home on a regular schedule while you're away — whether for a few weeks, a season, or longer. It is not a security alarm system. It is a human being walking through your home, checking every system, and sending you a detailed written report with photos after every single visit.
In Southwest Florida — where seasonal residents make up a significant portion of the population — homewatch is an essential service. Vacant homes are vulnerable to water intrusion, mold, pest infestations, storm damage, and more. Problems caught early cost a fraction of what they cost when discovered months later.
Most importantly, many homeowner insurance policies have vacancy clauses that allow insurers to deny claims on unattended homes — sometimes in as little as 13 to 30 days. Our documented visit reports are your proof of oversight.
What We Check on Every Visit
The Risks Are Real
What Happens to Unprotected Homes
Water & Mold Damage
A clogged A/C condensation line or slow leak can fill a home with mold in as little as 48 hours. Caught early — a $50 fix. Caught months later — a $50,000 disaster.
Pest Infestations
Florida's warm climate is paradise for pests. Termites, rodents, and insects move fast in a vacant home. Regular visits catch activity before it becomes structural damage.
Storm Damage
A missing shingle or cracked seal after a storm can let water in for months before you return. We inspect after every named storm and report back immediately.
Security & Break-Ins
Vacant homes are targets. Regular, visible visits deter opportunistic break-ins — and our security checks verify every door, window, and lock on every visit.
Insurance Abandonment
Most policies invoke vacancy clauses in as little as 13–30 days. Without documented oversight, your insurer can deny your claim entirely. Our reports are your proof.
Undetected Failures
Appliances fail, pipes corrode, and systems break down — silently. A human walkthrough catches what no alarm or camera ever could.
Why We Started
The story behind West Villages Homewatch.
While working for a local developer, Jeremy Thompson witnessed something that changed everything. A brand-new homeowner came back from up north to find her A/C unit condensation line had been clogged for an unknown amount of time. She walked into her condo to find it covered in fuzzy microbial growth — mold on every surface. Her clothes. Her furniture. Her walls. Everything she owned, ruined.
The worst part? Nobody would cover the damages. Because the home had been left unattended, the insurance company invoked a vacancy clause and refused to pay. Most policies allow as little as 13 to 30 days before that clause kicks in — and almost nobody knows it. She had spent her life savings on that investment. And nobody had ever told her she should have hired a homewatch company.
That evening, Jeremy came home and said to his wife Lisa: "Find out what homewatch is. I think we need to open a homewatch company."
That was the day West Villages Homewatch was born. We have not looked back since.
Don't Wait Until Something Goes Wrong
Free consultations — no obligation. We'll walk you through the right plan for your property and schedule.