We’ve all been there. You’re at a neighborhood BBQ, chatting with some folks, and you mention you’re in the home watch business. Suddenly, you’re met with a slightly confused, vaguely pitying look, followed by, “Oh, so you, like, watch people’s mail and water their plants?”

Cue the internal scream. A scream so loud, it could trigger a sensitive motion detector at one of your client’s properties.

It’s the “just a house sitter” misconception, and it’s a beast we home watch professionals have been battling since… well, since people started leaving their homes for extended periods. It’s time to set the record straight, folks, with a healthy dose of humor, because if we don’t laugh, we’ll cry (probably from a burst pipe in a client’s unoccupied condo).

House Sitters vs. Home Watch: A Hilarious Comparison

Let’s break down this ridiculous comparison, shall we? Imagine it as a superhero movie, where house sitters are the well-meaning but slightly clueless sidekicks, and home watch professionals are the caped crusaders, swooping in to save the day (and the drywall).

• Responsibilities:
  • House Sitter: Collects mail (maybe), waters plants (if they remember, and don’t overdo it, turning your living room into a swamp), and tries not to throw any wild parties that result in a call from the HOA. May or may not accidentally set off the alarm system, leading to a panicked call to the homeowner at 3 a.m. (“Sorry, Fluffy the cat did it!”).
  • Home Watch Professional: Conducts meticulous inspections, checks for leaks (before they become Niagara Falls, cascading through three floors and into the neighbor’s prize-winning bonsai collection), ensures the HVAC system isn’t trying to recreate the Sahara Desert indoors (or the Arctic tundra, depending on the season), and documents everything with the precision of a CSI investigator. We’re basically Sherlock Holmes, but for your house. We notice the tiny, almost imperceptible signs that something is amiss – the faint smell of gas, the single, out-of-place water droplet, the spider web that’s just a little too big.
• Training:
  • House Sitter: Watched a YouTube video on “How Not to Kill a Ficus.” Possibly has a background in napping, or perhaps competitive binge-watching. Their qualifications often include “good with pets” (which, to be fair, is important, but not exactly relevant to detecting a mold infestation).
  • Home Watch Professional: May have certifications from reputable organizations, specialized training in property inspection, and a Rolodex of trusted contractors for every imaginable home emergency. We’re talking plumbers who don’t charge by the hour just to show up, electricians who understand that “disco lighting” is not an acceptable wiring solution, and HVAC techs who can actually pronounce “BTU.” We’re basically MacGyver, but with a checklist, a thermal imaging camera, and a strict adherence to industry best practices.
• Emergency Response:
  • House Sitter: Calls the homeowner in a panic, possibly while simultaneously trying to contain a small kitchen fire with a dish towel and a garden hose (from inside the house). Their emergency response plan often involves a lot of yelling and frantic Googling.
  • Home Watch Professional: Assesses the situation with a cool head, contacts the appropriate professionals (plumber, electrician, roofer, hazmat team – you name it, we’ve got a guy), and keeps the homeowner informed with calm, detailed reports, complete with photographic evidence and a proposed action plan. We’re basically the Captain of the Ship, navigating the stormy seas of homeownership, calmly steering your property away from the iceberg of disaster.
• Insurance and Liability:
  • House Sitter: Relies on the homeowner’s insurance, which may or may not cover their accidental bowling tournament in the living room, or that time they tried to “freshen up” the pool with a few bags of glitter (it seemed like a good idea at the time).
  • Home Watch Professional: Carries professional liability insurance and is often bonded, because we know that even the most careful person can have an “oops, the ceiling fan fell down” moment, or accidentally mistake the priceless Ming vase for a very large, oddly shaped ashtray. We’re covered, so you’re covered.

The “But My Neighbor…” Argument

Ah, yes, the classic “But my neighbor said they’d keep an eye on things” argument. Bless their hearts. Neighbors are wonderful people. They lend us sugar, they collect our packages, they offer a friendly wave. But let’s be real, their “home watch” capabilities are often limited by factors such as:

• Their own busy lives.
• Their limited knowledge of home systems.
• Their understandable desire not to get involved in other people’s property problems.

Their home watch “inspections” usually consist of a quick glance from across the street while walking the dog. (“Yep, house is still there. Good.”) or maybe a cursory peek through the window while retrieving their errant frisbee from your yard. (“Looks… mostly okay?”).

We, on the other hand, are getting down and dirty (not literally, unless there’s a burst pipe involved, and then, yes, literally). We’re checking every nook and cranny, looking for the subtle signs that something is amiss. We’re the guardians of your absent abode, the protectors of your precious property, the… okay, you get the point. We take this seriously. We’re not just eyeballing it; we’re using tools, checklists, and our finely honed senses to detect problems before they become full-blown crises.

Why This Matters (and Why You Should Charge More)

The “just a house sitter” misconception isn’t just a blow to our professional egos; it also devalues the vital services we provide. It perpetuates the idea that home watch is a casual favor, rather than a specialized service that requires training, expertise, and a significant amount of responsibility. We’re not just doing a favor; we’re providing a valuable service that protects homeowners from potentially catastrophic damage and gives them peace of mind. Think of us as the preventative medicine for your home – we catch the little things before they turn into major illnesses.

So, how do we combat this? How do we elevate our profession and command the respect (and fees) we deserve?

• Educate: Explain the difference between house sitting and home watch to anyone who will listen (and even those who won’t). Create compelling marketing materials, host workshops, and network with anyone who might benefit from our services.
• Professionalize: Get certified, get insured, and get organized. Invest in the tools and technology that will enable you to provide the best possible service. The more professional we are, the harder it is to lump us in with the plant-watering crowd.
• Communicate Value: Clearly articulate the services you provide and the value they bring to the homeowner. Don’t be afraid to charge accordingly. Emphasize the peace of mind, the proactive problem-solving, and the potential for significant cost savings that come with hiring a professional home watch company.

Let’s face it, we’re not just “watching” homes. We’re preventing disasters, protecting investments, and providing a service that’s worth its weight in gold (or at least, in plumber’s bills avoided). We’re the silent guardians of the unoccupied home, the first line of defense against the forces of nature (and the occasional overzealous squirrel). So, the next time someone calls you a “house sitter,” just smile, hand them your meticulously detailed inspection report, and say, “Actually, I’m a Property Protection Specialist. But you can call me Sherlock.”