Spouses Watching Houses - Concerned with Your Property’s Security?
One of the most common concerns we come across in dealing with vacation rental owners is the issue of security. The vast majority of those who own a second home / condo in a vacation destination do not live within a short drive of their property, making things like maintenance, cleaning, and general “check ups” difficult to conduct.
It was a great idea at first - buy a vacation rental, use it for personal use, get tax benefits, and rent it out to others when you weren’t using it. Cha-ching.
Adding to this issue is the fact that property owners are choosing more and more to rent and manage their properties on their own. Horror stories of experiences in dealing with property management firms, which often charge anywhere from 30-45% of rental income, are common in the industry. With the continued rise in popularity of the internet as a resource for booking travel, owners are finding that generating bookings for their property is easier than ever - why pay a property manager to do it at 30-45% of your income?
While saving that amount of money is usually worth it to rental owners to part ways with their property managers, the other benefits of having a property manager working with you are lost. The individual owner is left with the responsibility of dealing with giving out keys, scheduling cleaning crews, as well as routine maintenance and security checks. Truly, not having a local presence in your vacation area is a tough obstacle to overcome.
Where can you find a reliable cleaner? Is there someone in the area that can check up on your house or condo? In South Walton County, Florida the answer is an affirmative yes. A company called “Spouses Watching Houses” has sprung up in the area, offering vacation rental owners “peace of mind by personally watching over [their] investment”. The company is more than happy to make weekly inspections on property security, appliances, trash, and the like for a small quarterly fee ranging from $350-400. Sure beats a property manager! Those in the area now have someone to check up on pest and storm damage or meet a deliveryman.
Property owners who live far away and are only able to make it down to their rental a few times per year can now relax in knowing that they have some eyes and ears watching over their vacation rental.
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