Home watch for the months you are not here
Scheduled visits, same-day photo reports, and one owner who already knows how gated communities work in Estero, Bonita Springs, North Naples, and South Fort Myers.
Veteran owned. Bonded and insured. Based in Verdana Village.
Who this is for?
This service is for owners who leave a Florida home empty for weeks or months. Snowbirds. Second-home owners. Anyone whose house sits through humidity season and storm season while they are north.
If you want a neighbor to do a quick glance at your home, you do not need Verus. If you want a consistent checklist, photos after every visit, and a call when something is off, you do.
What home watch is
The National Home Watch Association defines Home Watch as “a visual inspection of a home or property, looking for obvious issues.” and it is the scope of the work.
It is not house sitting. It is not property management. It is not a rental service. I do not live in the home and I do not rent it out. I walk it on a cadence we set, document what I see, and tell you if the house needs attention.
What a visit includes
Every home gets its own list on the first walkthrough. These are the items that show up on most plans.
Inside
Doors and windows secured
HVAC running and humidity in a sensible range
Visible leaks, stains, moisture, and unusual odors
Toilets and faucets run so traps stay wet
Appliances and water heater as applicable
Signs of pests or unauthorized entry
Alarm left as you specified
Outside
Walk-around of the house, lanai, and visible roof lines from the ground
Pool, spa, and equipment if you have them
Irrigation and obvious landscape or drainage issues
Storm debris or damage after weather
Mail, packages, and anything stacked at the door
After every visit
GPS-verified record that I was there
Photos and notes sent the same day
A call first if something’s wrong
Your insurance file is stronger with that paper trail than with “a friend stopped by.”
How it works
Four steps, set once for the season
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We walk the home together. I learn the gate process, the alarm, the pool, and anything you care about. We build the checklist and pick weekly or biweekly visits.
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I inspect inside and out against that list. Same person. Same standard.
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Photos and notes go out the day of the visit. You do not have to follow up to find out whether it happened.
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I call you. If you want a vendor, I help get them on the list and on site. You approve the work.
Weekly or biweekly. Set it up once. It repeats until you are back.
Access
You add Verus Home Watch to the community vendor list. I use that listing for scheduled visits. Keys or a lockbox stay under your rules. I do not pass access to a crew you have never met.
If a plumber or HVAC tech needs to enter, I check with you first and we add them the way your gate requires.
Storms
If a named storm is coming and there is time, I do a pre-storm pass: openings secured, obvious hazards noted, photos taken. I do not stay on site through a hurricane. When the community is open and the roads are safe, I go back, photograph the property, and call you. That visit is for condition and next steps, not a licensed inspection or an insurance claim.
You get Jody Baines, not a rotation. I live in Verdana Village year-round. The name Verus is Latin for true or genuine. The standard is the one I would want for our own house: on time, documented, and called in when it matters.
Bonded and insured. NHWA member. Veteran owned.
Why Verus
Communities
I stay close on purpose. Homes I already work around include:
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, ask. If it is a long drive from Estero, I will tell you that too.
Pricing
The first walkthrough is free. After I see the house I quote a monthly rate for the visit plan we agree on. That covers the inspections and the reports.
Concierge extras are quoted before I do them. Recurring extras can go into the monthly plan.
No invoice for work you did not approve.
The rate follows the walkthrough.
Start with a walkthrough
Tell me the community, when you head north, and whether there is a pool. We will walk the house and I will send a written plan.
Call or text: 239-227-7859
Email: jody@verushomewatch.com