Excerpt

The market for clients for home watch services is virtually unlimited. The number of people owning more than one home is considerable and provides potential customers willing to pay a reasonable fee for the peace of mind that comes from employing your services. Although the home watch service visits are infrequent, they afford an alternative to leaving a property totally unchecked, and can provide subsequent peace of mind for the owner.

Years ago, people would have friends or neighbors check on their seasonal properties. However, in todays climate, people are reluctant to accept this responsibility along with the potential liability. Often, homeowners are reluctant to impose on the free time of friends or neighbors.

The seasonal resident offers the best potential for a client base, given his or her time away from a primary residence. Whether it is the northerner, aka snowbird, heading south for the winter or transplanted southerner heading north to visit relatives and friends, all translates to potential clients. The movement from the mid-west to Arizona, Nevada or California or other destinations to escape the rigors of winter generates the same type of migration, only to different destinations. These often vacated residences all represent an opportunity to provide a much needed service or services to a receptive market.

Another contributing factor producing an available client base is that people are more inclined than ever to not involve newly made acquaintances in their business. They would readily pay for the services of a reliable, insured and, if required, licensed agent to provide this function and provide a report of inspection.

Real estate agencies and real estate management companies are certainly formidable competitors for this market. However, the home watch business is an ever increasing arena and there is certainly room for more providers of these services when offered at a competitive price with reliable and dependable service, the components of any successful service business.