Strathmore Home Watch

There is a difference… and it matters. 👀

When you leave your home unoccupied, you are trusting someone to step in and be your eyes and ears. 🏡

Not just to show up… but to notice, think, and respond appropriately. 🔍

A Certified Home Watch Reporter brings:
✔️ Education and structure
✔️ A consistent visit process
✔️ Accountability and professional standards
✔️ Ongoing learning and development 📚
✔️ Proper insurance and bonding 🛡️
✔️ Background-checked business owners ✔️
An untrained or Hobby Home Watcher may have good intentions…
but without a clear framework, things can be missed, overlooked, or guessed at. ⚠️

And when it comes to an unoccupied home, small issues don’t stay small for long. 🌡️💧
Home Watch is a visual observation of a home or property, looking for obvious issues.
What happens next depends on who is doing the observing. 👇

Choose experience.
Choose structure.
Choose someone who has made the decision to operate at a higher level. ⭐

Find a Certified Home Watch Reporter here:
www.FindHomeWatch.com

Your Unoccupied Home is a Vulnerable Home 🏡

A Florida Homeowner Awareness Guide 🌴☀️
Florida homes are designed to be lived in.

When a property sits unoccupied for extended periods, conditions inside the home can change quickly without anyone noticing.

Seasonal homeowners often leave Florida in late spring and return in the fall. During those months, heat, humidity, storms, and normal system failures can quietly affect the home.

Consider a very common scenario.

You leave your Florida home in May and plan to return in October.

In August, during the hottest and most humid time of the year, the air conditioner stops working ❄️➡️🌡️

Day 1
The air conditioner stops operating. Indoor humidity begins to rise.

Day 3
Moisture levels inside the home can begin supporting microbial growth 💧

Week 2
Humidity continues to build. Walls, ceilings, furniture, clothing, and cabinetry begin absorbing moisture.

Weeks Later
Extended humidity can affect drywall, fabrics, furnishings, and personal belongings throughout the home.

October Return 🍂
What once appeared to be a perfectly maintained home may now require extensive remediation and repairs.

Many homeowners are surprised to learn that coverage for microbial growth in homeowners' insurance policies is often limited. If a claim is filed months after the issue began, the insurance carrier may ask an important question:
Was the home regularly visited while it was unoccupied?

Without documentation showing that the property was being monitored, coverage may be reduced or denied.
This is just one reason many seasonal homeowners choose to engage a Certified Home Watch Reporter.
www.FindHomeWatch.com ❤️🏡⌚

There once was a home left alone, 🏡
While its owners went off to roam. ✈️
With Home Watch in sight, 👀
Things looked just right, 👍
So luck stayed right there with the home. 🍀🏡🍀

When I first entered the Home Watch field, there were very few standards and virtually no formal education available for people starting a Home Watch business. 🏡
Many homeowners did not realize that the person checking their unoccupied home might have little training and no professional framework to follow.
That experience is what led me to create the Home Watch Academy. 🎓
The goal was simple: bring structure, education, and professionalism to a service that homeowners rely on when they are away from their property.
Today, the Home Watch Academy continues to support the growth of the profession through education, certification, and guidance for business owners who are committed to serving homeowners responsibly. 📈
In recognition of National Home Watch Month, it is a great time to raise awareness about the value of trained Home Watch service providers and the role they play in caring for unoccupied homes.
Diane Pisani, Proud Founder❤️🏡⌚
Learn more:
https://www.yourhwp.com/about

𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱.
✍️🗣👀
“The Evolution of Home Watch, From Hobby to Industry.”

Home Watch developed as a practical response to a growing challenge faced by seasonal homeowners, second homeowners, and frequent travelers. When a home sits unoccupied for extended periods of time, small issues such as water leaks, air conditioning failures, pest intrusion, or storm damage can go unnoticed and grow into costly problems.

In many communities, homeowners began asking neighbors, friends, or handymen to occasionally stop by and check on their homes. What began informally as a favor or side activity gradually evolved into a valuable service.

Over time, this simple idea grew into what is now known as the Home Watch profession.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵?

Home Watch is a visual observation of a home or property, looking for obvious issues.

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝗯𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆

As demand for the service increased, experienced operators began developing systems, reporting practices, and business standards to bring greater structure and professionalism to the work. Clear communication with homeowners and responsible business practices
became central to the value Home Watch services provide.

The service that once resembled a hobby for some gradually developed into a recognized business model serving homeowners whose properties sit unoccupied for extended periods.

𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

As the profession grew, the need for education and guidance for new business owners became increasingly important.

Diane Pisani entered the Home Watch industry in 2004 after being trained by an established Home Watch company. She launched her own Home Watch business in 2006 and later began training business owners entering the profession in 2008. Her work has contributed
to the development of education and professional practices within the Home Watch industry.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆

The Home Watch Academy was created to provide structured education for individuals interested in starting and operating a Home Watch business. The program focuses on practical field knowledge, responsible business practices, and clear reporting to homeowners.

The Academy also offers the Certified Home Watch Reporter designation, recognizing business owners who complete the Academy training, maintain a registered business, carry appropriate insurance and bond, pass a background check, and demonstrate a commitment
to ongoing education.

𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆

Today, Home Watch services are found in many communities where homeowners spend time away from their properties for extended periods.

What began as an informal favor for neighbors has grown into a profession built on clear communication, responsible business practices, and a commitment to serving homeowners whose properties sit unoccupied.

In Queens, a homeowner returned to her property—listed for sale and unoccupied at the time—to find strangers inside. The locks had been changed. The individuals presented what appeared to be a lease agreement.

Law enforcement classified the situation as a civil matter rather than criminal trespass. The owner was required to begin formal eviction proceedings. Regaining control of the property took months.

This is not an isolated situation.

Properties between closing dates.
Seasonal residences.
Estate homes in probate.
Homes listed for sale.

When no one is present and no consistent oversight is visible, opportunity expands.

The conversation is often framed around “squatters.”
The larger issue is absence without documentation.

Homes that are not regularly lived in require structured observation over time. Patterns matter. Documentation matters. Visible presence matters.

Home Watch is not security.
It is not property management.
It is professional visual observation and documented reporting.

Consistent visits establish awareness. Awareness reduces the window in which problems can grow unnoticed.

For owners who divide their time between residences, stewardship is not optional. It is a responsibility.

Find a Certified Home Watch Reporter:
FindHomeWatch.com

Learn about professional training:
www.homewatchacademy.com

There’s been a lot of confusion and misinformation circulating about the I-94 and G-325R. We're answering some of the most common questions we’re hearing to clarify what’s required, what isn’t, and how to confirm you’re in compliance.

Request emergency assistance - Travel.gc.ca Government of Canada's official one-stop-shop for comprehensive international travel information.