Vistancia Home Watching › Vacant home watch

Vacant home watch

Not every empty house belongs to a snowbird. Homes for sale, estates and rentals between tenants sit empty too, often with nobody nearby to keep an eye on them.

Who vacant home watch is for

Vacant home watch is for a house with nobody living in it and no set date for someone to move back in:

• A home that's listed for sale, or one you've already moved out of
• An estate going through probate, when the family lives out of state
• A rental between tenants
• A new home before you move in

Why an empty house needs regular checks

A vacant home has all the same ways to go wrong as any other, with nobody inside to notice: a slow leak, a failed AC in July, pests moving in, or signs someone has been trying the doors. The longer it sits, the more a small problem costs.

Insurance is the other reason. Many homeowner policies limit coverage once a home has been vacant for a set period, and some expect regular checks while it's empty. Ask your insurance agent what yours requires; our guide on insurance and empty homes has the questions to ask.

What every visit covers

Our 60-point inspection, on every visit (points that don't apply to your home, like a pool or solar, are skipped):

• Security: every door, window, gate and the garage, the roofline from the ground, trees, roof drains, lights and cameras, and mail and packages brought in
• The yard: landscaping, plants, the irrigation controller and drip lines, outdoor faucets and pests
• The pool and spa: water level, clarity, equipment and the filter
• The garage, car, golf cart, trickle chargers and solar system
• Inside: signs of entry, the alarm, ceilings, walls, mold, pests, odors and smoke detectors
• Systems: breakers, lights, HVAC, the AC condensate overflow, air filters and the water heater
• Kitchen and laundry: fridge and freezer temperatures, disposal, dishwasher and ice maker lines, washer and water softener
• Plumbing: water run through every sink, shower, tub and toilet to keep the P-traps full, and under every sink checked

A record of the home's condition

Every visit starts with a QR scan at the home that records the date, time and our GPS position, and is recorded in QRIDit with notes and photos, so there's a verified, dated record of the home's condition the whole time it sits empty. That's useful whether you're selling, settling an estate or answering a question from an insurance company.

What it costs

$60 per visit for homes up to 2,500 square feet and $70 for larger homes, on the schedule you choose: twice a week, weekly or every other week. We confirm your price before the first visit.

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