Home Watch Horror Stories
Motu’s Home Watch service is designed for properties that are left unoccupied for extended periods of time. These could be second homes, vacation homes, homes for sale, or homes where the owner travels frequently for weeks or months at a time. Our trained personnel perform regular, comprehensive inspections looking for any issues or abnormalities that require immediate attention; or that could become major, expensive problems if not remedied quickly.
You’ve Been Cancelled!
Many insurance companies will not provide or honor policies on properties that are left unoccupied and unchecked for longer than 30 days. If you’re a frequently absent homeowner, contact your home insurance carrier to verify coverage before you discover you’re not covered when you file a claim. Better yet, have a home watch professional make documented weekly or bi-weekly inspection visits to your property.
Pest Infestation
Ants, spiders, mice, rats, raccoons, cockroaches…need we say more? Besides being creepy nuisances, pest infestations can destroy property and introduce health hazards. Regular home watch inspections can discover and stop unwanted intrusions before they become costly infestations.
The Break-In
Home watch companies are NOT security or electronic monitoring resources, which are strongly recommended for any home. But even monitored home security systems don’t always deter property crimes. Regular inspection visits by a home watch professional will ensure that if a break-in or other vandalism does occur, it’s discovered and authorities notified in a timely fashion; and remediation actions are quickly initiated.
Water Intrusion and Flooding
Roofs leak and water lines fail. The results can be catastrophic if they happen when you’re away from your property for an extended period of time. Home watch professionals can’t promise to prevent water intrusion problems from happening, but with regular inspection visits, they can identify and take actions to begin the repair and restoration process.
The Backed-Up Septic Line
We’ll save the details and simply confirm from experience that s**t happens even at luxurious estates. This is not something you want to come home to or face on the first day of your return to your second home or vacation property. Your home watch professional knows who to call to get repairs made and ugly messes cleaned up.
Algae Invasion
It’s rare, but sometimes even the best pool maintenance services go AWOL. Ensuring your swimming pool and spa are being maintained and remaining crystal clear for your return are part of the extensive exterior and interior inspections performed by a professional home watch service.
Storms and Catastrophic Events
A professional home watch company provides crucial assistance to absentee homeowners after serious storms, fires and other catastrophic events; working to ensure properties are safe, secure, and effort made to protect from further damage. In addition to emergency response service and timely exterior and interior status assessment, absentee homeowners can turn to their home watch professionals for assistance managing recovery and restoration without the need for the homeowner to be physically present.
Burglary
There has been a dangerous rise in residential burglaries in south Orange County, California. Some are attributed to sophisticated crime rings, but many are simply opportunistic crimes pulled off by people with knowledge of or access to your property. A regular presence from a home watch service can be a deterrent. A trusted resource, Motu Home Watch is insured and bonded, adding to your peace of mind.
Mold and Mildew
Mold and mildew thrive in residential environments with excess moisture and poor ventilation. Other culprits include faulty HVAC systems and food left behind when a homeowner makes a hasty exit for an extended period of time. A professional home watch service pays close attention to any signs or potential causes of mold or mildew problems and will take necessary steps to prevent or remedy this unhealthy situation.
Squatters
Imagine returning to your coastal vacation home and finding it inhabited and ransacked by squatters. Sadly, this is becoming all too common with properties left unoccupied for extended periods of time. And, in California, if someone has lived in your property for more than 30 days, they can only be removed through a formal eviction proceeding. Avoid this nightmare by having a professional home watch company make regular weekly or bi-weekly visits.
Obviously Unoccupied
Ever drive past a house and see newspapers piling up on the driveway, a mailbox overstuffed with accumulated junk mail, or landscaping that’s been sadly neglected? Thieves notice this, too. A home watch service lessens the chance that your house is targeted by thieves by ensuring your property never shows signs of an absentee owner.
