FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Home Watch?
A visual inspection of the exterior and interior of an unoccupied home and property looking for obvious issues. This includes checking the entire exterior of the home (whatever is visible from the ground), the yard, fencing, outside structures and removing mailers and packages left by front door.
The interior will include looking for leaks including the water heater, running water in sinks, tubs and showers, flushing toilets, checking appliances and thermostats, signs of insects or rodents and making sure every window and door is locked. We will have a customized checklist for your property and you will receive a detailed report with pictures after the inspection.
What is Advanced Home Watch Services?
An insured, bonded and accredited member of the National Home Watch Association providing comprehensive, professional home watch services with customized premium services available to meet your needs. It is owned and operated by Patty Knox-Hermann and Rhonda Waldersen that combined have over 36 years of real estate and construction experience. We personally do the inspection of your home.
Do I need more than a home security system?
While an alarm certainly is beneficial it only detects intruders or attempted break-ins and notifies authorities It is not capable of detecting any interior or exterior issues with plumbing, electrical, insect infestation, landscape watering system malfunction and so much more. By having Advanced Home Watch Services coming and going from your home on a regular basis it can make your home less inviting to an intruder. We remove flyers and packages left on the doorstep and debris in the yard so your home doesn’t look unoccupied.
What happens if you find an issue during an inspection?
Advanced Home Watch Services will email you a report the day of the inspection showing our observations of any issues along with what tasks we performed (with pictures). If we find an issue that needs immediate attention, we will call you right away and help with the coordination of a licensed professional to handle the matter. If the emergency is a water leak, we shut off the main water valve and move valuables to prevent or mitigate damage.
During your initial sign-up for our services, we will ask you for a list of preferred contractors and instructions of how to handle emergencies when they arise. We will always be in communication with you because we DO NOT make decisions for you. We implement the instructions you give us.
How does AHWS being a member of the National Home Watch Association Benefit Me?
You can be at ease knowing that you have hired a company that has been vetted, background checked and carries insurance. The National Home Watch Association makes sure each Home Watch company continues to comply on a yearly basis so it will always be a service you can depend on. Below is the Code of Ethics that we pledge to uphold:
Always look out for the client’s best interest.
Always protect the best interests of the Home Watch Industry.
Always maintain proper insurance and bonding.
Always maintain current business licenses.
Always look to improve on existing industry standards.
Always be diligent when checking the references of anyone or any company that you agree to do business with.
Always think twice before speaking about competitors.
Always use honesty and integrity in your business dealings.
Please visit the National Home Watch Association Website for more details: https://www.nationalhomewatchassociation.org/
Why not have a neighbor or relative?
In lieu of having your neighbor or relative check on your home in your absence, Advanced Home Watch provides scheduled inspections with a trained eye to look for any obvious issues and uses an extensive checklist customized for your home. A detailed report with pictures is emailed to you after each visit. When a serious issue arises you need someone ready to take swift action on your behalf, which can easily become a huge imposition for a neighbor or relative. What happens if your neighbor or relative is going out of town leaving your home unmonitored? Put your mind at ease knowing that your home is being taken care of by insured professionals. We do our very best to be available for an emergency situation no matter what time of day or night.
What is the cost for your service?
Our prices vary depending on your location, size and nature of your home and which customized services will best serve your needs. Let us meet with you and customize a list that meets your needs. We offer per visit rates and hourly rates.
Are you a home inspector?
We are not a licensed home inspector. Home inspections are conducted by a state-licensed inspector as part of the real estate sales process. They are trained to do a detailed inspection on the structure and all the working components of a home.
Are you a property manager?
We are not property managers. Property management services collect rent, structure leases, find tenants, evict tenants, and advertise your rental.
How often do I need someone to inspect my home?
Because leaks and problems can start at any time it’s best not to let your home go too long without being checked. Catching an issue early can potentially prevent a lot of damage. Every homeowner has a different comfort level but weekly or bi-weekly is suggested to provide the best protection.
Also, some insurance companies require someone to inspect an unoccupied home once or twice a month. Other insurance companies don’t have any requirements. It is imperative that you check with your insurance company in order to see what they require before making a decision on the frequency of inspections.
Do you inspect my home after severe weather?
In Arizona both wind and rain from severe summer storms can cause extensive damage to a property. As one of our premium services, we will inspect your home after a severe storm at half our normal rate. We do not perform a complete inspection after storms, we are just looking for damage and leaks.
How do you communicate with us?
Our inspection reports are sent by email the same day as the inspection. If email is not an option, then we can either place a call or mail the inspection report. If there are any immediate problems that need to be discussed, we will always call immediately from the home, as well as provide a report via email.
Privacy Policy
Advanced Home Watch Services appreciates the confidence our clients and service providers place in us when they supply us with personal information. We strive to manage personal information in accordance with our guiding value of respect for the individual because we feel that privacy is more than just a matter of compliance.
Our top focus is keeping your personal information secure. To help prevent the loss of or unauthorized access, alteration, acquisition, use, modification, destruction, or disclosure of personal information, Advanced Home Watch Services employs reasonable, appropriate, and industry-standard security methods.