Updated October 2026
Home watch is a service where a professional visits your home on a regular schedule while you're away, inspects it visually, and reports back to you. The goal is simple: catch small problems, like a slow leak, a failed AC or storm damage, before they turn into expensive ones.
It's especially common in South Florida, where many owners spend only part of the year here and leave their condo or house empty through the hot, humid hurricane season.
What a home watch visit includes
A typical visit covers the outside and the inside of the home. Ours follows a full checklist:
- Outside: doors, windows and locks, signs of forced entry, screens, standing water, mail and packages
- Inside: every room, under every sink, toilets, showers, faucets, water heater, AC and thermostat, humidity, mold, pests, ceiling stains, fridge and freezer, breakers
- After: a report with timestamped photos, so you can see your home rather than take someone's word for it (see a sample report)
What home watch is not
- Not repairs. A home watch company finds problems; licensed professionals fix them. A good provider coordinates those pros with your approval.
- Not cleaning.
- Not property management or rentals. Home watch companies don't lease your home or collect rent. In Florida, managing rentals for someone else generally requires a real estate license.
- Not a security patrol. Visits are scheduled inspections, not 24/7 monitoring.
Who uses home watch?
- Snowbirds who spend the winter in Florida and the summer up north
- Second-home and seasonal owners who visit a few times a year
- Owners who travel for long stretches, or are away for health reasons
- Condo owners worried about leaks affecting their neighbors
How often should visits happen?
For most South Florida homes in summer, weekly. We explain why in How often should a vacant Florida home be checked?.
What does it cost?
Pricing varies by company, visit frequency and what's included. Ours is one simple plan: $175/month for weekly visits, photo reports and mail collection. See how much home watch costs in Miami.
Is home watch regulated in Florida?
Florida doesn't have a state license specifically for home watch, so it's worth asking any provider about their business registration, liability insurance and bonding, and whether they're accredited by the National Home Watch Association (NHWA). Also ask how they handle your keys.
Ready to talk? Book a free walkthrough.
Want someone watching your home? Weekly visits and a photo report after every one, $175/month.
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