Your Estero home, watched while you are away
Owner-operated home watch for seasonal residences in Estero, Bonita Springs, North Naples, and South Fort Myers. Scheduled visits, same-day photo reports, one person who already knows the gate.
Bonded and Insured
Veteran Owned
Based in Verdana Village
Who is this for?
Seasonal and snowbird owners
Gated Communities
Homes that sit empty through humidity and storm seasons
If you leave for months and need a local, insured, and professional presence on the property, not a neighbor with a spare key, this is the service.
Communities served
Miromar Lakes · West Bay Club · Shadow Wood · Shadow Wood Preserve · Wild Blue · Grandezza · Wildcat Run · Pelican Sound · Corkscrew Shores · The Place · Verdana Village
If your community is nearby and not listed, please ask. I stay close on purpose.
What goes wrong when a Southwest Florida home sits empty
AC drift, humidity, and hidden moisture
Pool, cage, and irrigation left unwatched
Slow leaks at sliders, sinks, and water heater
Storm damage that nobody sees for a week
A weekly or bi-weekly walkthrough is how those stay small
1
Before you leave
We walk the home together and build your custom checklist and visit cadence.
HOW IT WORKS
Four steps, set once for the season
2
Each scheduled visit
A GPS-verified inspection, inside and out, set against your checklist.
3
Same-day report
Photos and notes sent the same day. You do not have to ask.
4
If something's wrong
You get a call first. Then I coordinate the right vendor if you want me to.
Weekly or bi-weekly. Set it up once. It repeats until you are back.
What I look at
Interior
Doors and windows secured
HVAC running and humidity in range
Visible leaks and odors
Plumbing and appliances as applicable
Signs of pests or entry
Exterior
Roof and lanai from the ground
Pool and equipment if you have them
Irrigation and obvious landscape issues
Storm damage
Mail and packages
Your walkthrough sets the exact list. No two homes are identical.
One owner. Local. Accountable
Jody Baines, Founder
You get Jody, not a rotating crew
Based in Verdana Village, minutes from the communities listed above
Bonded, insured, and operating to National Home Watch Association standards
“Navy Submarine Force, then a career where follow-through was the job. My wife, Gale, and I live here year-round. Verus is the standard I would want for our own house.”
When you need more than a visit
Pre-arrival prep
Groceries and pantry
Mail and deliveries
Vendor access and wait-on-site
Vehicle start
Departure lock-down
Other requests are welcome. Ask during your walkthrough.
FAQs
Who goes in the house?
1
Jody Baines, the owner. Not a rotating crew. If I ever need someone else on site, you hear that from me first.
How do you get through the gate?
2
You add Verus Home Watch to your community’s vendor list before the first visit. I use that listing for scheduled checks. If a repair tech needs access later, I coordinate with you first and we add them the same way your community requires. I do not share gate credentials beyond what your HOA already allows.
What happens in a storm?
3
Before a named storm I check the house against your list: openings secured, obvious hazards noted, photos taken. I do not stay on site through a hurricane. As soon as the community is open and it is safe to enter, I go back, photograph the property, and call you with what I see.
How do you charge?
After the free walkthrough I quote a monthly rate based on the home, the visit schedule, and anything extra you want included. Concierge work is priced before I do it. No surprise line items.