Seasons Home Watch Gains Accreditation for the Second Consecutive Year

I am very happy to be able to tell you all that Seasons Home Watch of Mound, MN, has gained Accredited Member status in the NHWA for the second consecutive year. Seasons Home Watch is owned by Jeff and Rebecca Anderson.

Jeff was born and raised in Edina and has spent most of his life in Minnesota. With more than 21 years of experience in finance, he served for 16 years as the controller of a company with annual billings of $450 million. He has a B.S. in Geology and an MBA in Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jeff started his career managing family rental properties. In addition to handling rentals and collecting monthly payments, he oversaw property maintenance and upkeep.

Rebecca was born and raised in Wisconsin. With more than 10 years of experience in sales, consulting, account management, and logistics, she continually exceeds her sales quotas to grow her customer base. She also has several years of sales, customer service, and home security monitoring experience with Honeywell and Brinks.



Rebecca and Jeff Anderson of Seasons Home Watch

Seasons Home Watch serves Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota, and surrounding communities.

Jeff and Rebecca can be reached at (612) 220-5934 or info@seasonshomewatch.com, or you can visit their website at www.SeasonsHomeWatch.com.  

Thanks for your continued membership, Jeff and Rebecca. We wish you

Continued success,

Jack

Bob Myers and Home Watch Group of SWFL make the grade...again!

Home Watch Group of SWFL of Fort Myers, FL, has attained Accredited Member status in the NHWA for the second consecutive year. Owner Bob Myers served on our Advisory Board during Home Watch Group's first year of membership. His company continues to flourish in probably the most competitive geographical area in the Home Watch world. Bob's work ethic and high expectations of both himself and his staff, continually give his clientele unparalleled service.

Bob formed the Home Watch Group of SWFL in 2007 with his wife, Colleen. Bob hails from just outside of Reading, PA, and attended Temple University. Commuting between Pennsylvania and New York City while working in the garment industry, Bob and Colleen moved the family to Florida in 1988, where he worked in the swimming pool and construction industries.

Bob Myers

Recognizing the need for a Home Watch company in the area, they put their energy and resources into Home Watch Group of SWFL. Bob is a boater and fisherman, with a minor in golf. Bob and Colleen have five children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Bob can be reached at Bob@HomeWatchGroupSWFL.com. You can also visit his website at www.homewatchgroupswfl.com.

As always, I wish you

Much success,

Jack

Travis Bumgarner does it again!

Greetings and Salutations!

I am very happy to announce that Florida Estate Management Services of West Palm Beach, FL, has attained Accredited Member status in the National Home Watch Association for the second consecutive year. FEMS is owned by John T. (Travis) Bumgarner. Travis graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a business degree in 1999 and started Clean & Treat, Co Pest Services in 2000. In 2005, Travis purchased Florida Estate Management Services from a friend and colleague who was relocating out of state, and who entrusted her company to Travis, knowing he would care for it as she did. Since 2005, he has grown the company name, brand and reputation, primarily through word-of-mouth, community involvement and reputation. FEMS’s mission is to provide unparalleled service and commitment to their clients as it strives every day to achieve its goals.

Travis Bumgarner

Travis married his beautiful wife, Jessica, in March of this year, and they are expecting their first baby (a boy) in March of 2013.

FEMS serves Palm Beach County, Florida, and can be reached at info@FloridaHomeWatch.com or (561) 721-9537. Or you can visit www.FloridaHomeWatch.com. 

Congratulations again to Travis and  the staff at Florida Estate Management Services. Great job.  Until next time, I wish you

Much success.


Jack

Home Watch Service Plus of Kenai Peninsula brings Alaska into the fold!

Greetings and salutations!

Home Watch Service Plus KPB, of the Kenai Peninsula, has become the first Accredited Member of the NHWA in the great state of Alaska. Talk about going from "hot to cold", Stace Escott decided to get involved in the Home Watch industry while living on Amelia Island, Florida. Yes, Florida. Stace was an award-winning Director of the Year (2007) for an upscale retirement community. As Osprey Village's former Director of Facility Services, Stace gained an incredible amount of experience by implementing policies and overseeing an operation that affected the residents' day-to-day lifestyle and enjoyment. In addition to Stace's facility management, 10 years in law enforcement/loss prevention—and currently employed as a Sergeant for the Soldotna Police Department—prompted him to seek out an opportunity through Home Watch Service Plus to bring that same peace and quality of life to members of the public.

As a Director of Facility Services, Stace planned, directed, organized and supervised the short-term, scheduled, preventative, and emergency maintenance for equipment, buildings and grounds of a large upscale retirement campus. He provided overall supervision for all maintenance personnel, housekeeping personnel, and projects pertaining to each department as well as renovating numerous homes and construction projects. Stace also gained professional experience in project management, painting, siding, cabinetry, rain gutter installation, auto mechanics, along with acquired skills in flooring, electrical, plumbing, and many other trade skills, enabling him to tackle almost any household problem. Stace has lived in Alaska for over 17 years and understands what it takes to care for an Alaskan home. It is this unique experience that Home Watch Service Plus utilizes to serve members of the community.



Stace  Escott

HWS Plus KPB serves Soldatna, Sterling, Kenai, Nikiski, and Kasilof. Stace can be reached at StaceEscott@HomeWatchServicePlus.com, or you can visit his page at http://www.homewatchserviceplus.com/kenai.

Welcome, Stace. We wish you 

Much success,

Jack

New York Joins the National Home Watch Association!

Greetings and salutations!

I am very pleased to announce the NHWA accreditation of C’s Home & Office Management of Sag Harbor, NY. Cynthia Capalbo has grown her small cleaning business into a force to be reckoned with. Her story:  In 1993, Cynthia Capalbo started cleaning homes in her hometown of Sag Harbor to bring in extra money while earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. After graduating, she realized she didn't want to join the corporate world, so she decided to put her energy into growing her small cleaning business. In 1999 she met her husband Christopher, an experienced property manager. After giving birth to twins Haley and Christopher in 2000, she became interested in finding alternates to chemicals she was using in her cleaning business. She also became very interested in organics and herbs with respect to treating illnesses.                              



This led to Cindy's studies and Master's Degree in Herbology. Armed with this knowledge and the addition of husband Chris' talents in carpentry and property management, C's has grown into a premier cleaning service that offers organic cleaning alternatives, house watching (Home Watch) and handyman services. As a result of the loss of both Chris' and Cynthia's mothers to cancer, C's Home & Office Management has partnered with Fighting Chance and Cleaning For A Reason to offer cancer patients free cleanings to help them while they recover.

C’s Home & Office Management serves the Sag Harbor, East Hampton, Southampton, Noyac, Wainscott, Watermill, Bridgehampton and Sagaponack areas of Long Island, NY.  Cindy can be reached at Cynthia@CsHomeManagement.com, or you can visit her website at www.cshomemanagement.com.

Welcome, Cindy, Chris and staff! We wish you

Much success,

Jack

Superstorm Sandy: It will make all of us re-evaluate things.

Greetings and Salutations.

(This blog was actually written immediately following Sandy, but I didn't think that talking about Home Watch was appropriate at the time. Now that my best friend finally has power in his home, I will post it. - j)


As I watched the devastation unfold on television and online, my heart broke. Places where I spent my childhood summers, and most summers of my life, in fact, were gone. The boardwalks of Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Point Pleasant Beach and Atlantic City, where I worked my way through school, spent my youth, met my wife and raised my kids, were completely devastated. I was able to speak with some friends and family who, while in the middle of this disaster, couldn't see what was happening all around them. They had no idea how bad the situation truly was.



To me, living at the shore meant everything. That's why when my wife and I moved south, our home had to be near the ocean. I have been blessed to be able to live in this beautiful place called the South Carolina Lowcountry for the last 7 years. I always find it ironic that friends and family are always so concerned about us having moved into a hurricane zone. Now, I certainly don't want to jinx anything, but this area has been very lucky when it comes to storms. Because of the shape of the coast, tropical storms, Nor'easters and hurricanes seem to bounce off the Charleston area and make landfall around the Outer Banks of North Carolina, completely bypassing us. And since Hurricane Hugo's destruction of 1989, this part of the country has dodged a lot of bullets. My point is that what might be expected in one area won't necessarily happen. And the last place you would expect a hurricane to hit just might be the place that actually gets destroyed by one. You just can't tell anymore.

Hurricane Sandy in no way could have been prevented by having a Home Watch service, but it should however, emphasize the importance of having a storm protocol in place and at the ready. It should also reinforce the need for having a home inventory done as soon as possible.  Look at all of those people trying to piece their lives back together. I am not sure I'd know where to begin. So let's be thankful for what we do have and try to learn from what has happened.

To my friends and family that were affected by Sandy, stay strong and know that I love you all. And to everyone else, as always I wish you

Much success,

Jack

Coast Home Watch of La Jolla, CA gains second-year accreditation by the NHWA

Jack Luber, Executive Director

Greetings and Salutations!

Mary Ellen Morgan of Coast Home Watch of La Jolla, CA, has gained Accredited Member status in the NHWA for the second consecutive year. Mary Ellen’s family has been in the San Diego area since 1906. She has worked in the real estate community since 1986.

Mary Ellen Morgan

In 2011, a client who owns many homes throughout the country, came to Mary Ellen with a request to operate a Home Watch company. Until that time, she had no awareness of the Home Watch industry, even though she had sold homes to many absentee homeowners. Occasionally she would check those clients’ homes as a courtesy, and she was intrigued by the concept of operating a full-service Home Watch business, with a systematic program to check homes for absentee homeowners. Mary Ellen spent about a year researching what was involved in a full-time operation of a Home Watch business, checking to verify whether there was a service already in place within the San Diego community and questioning select Realtor associates as to the viability of offering a Home Watch service. She was very impressed with the enthusiasm of those Realtors, which she attributes to her long-time relationships with the real estate community as an ethical Realtor, whom her associates can trust to handle the tasks involved to monitor the homes of their absentee clients and the knowledge that will not interrupt the real estate relationships with their clients.

Mary Ellen is a member of the following organizations: La Jolla Parks and Beaches Committee; Children’s Pool Beautification Committee; REBA-La Jolla Brokers Association; San Diego Board of Realtors; San Diego Native Plant Society; and the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America.

Coast Home Watch serves La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Point Loma, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Cardiff, Fairbanks Ranch and Rancho Santa Fe. Mary Ellen can be reached at (858) 254-3602 or service@CoastHomeWatch.com. Visit her website at www.coasthomewatch.com.

Congratulations, Mary Ellen! 

As always, we wish you

Much success,

Jack

Not all companies that claim to be Members, actually are...

Greetings and Salutations,

Allow me to explain...

Back in 2009, I was faxed an application to become a "certified Home Watch professional" by a company out of Fort Myers, FL. The cost: $10.00. I called the head of the association, and was told that he had just raised the price of "certification" to $65.00. Certification consisted of a document with a gold sticker...poof, you're certified. As luck would have it, this gentleman, who is a very nice man, offered to sell me the National Home Watch Association, Inc., of Fort Myers, FL. Well, I spoke with my attorney, my accountant, and my wife, and bought the association, only to close it down immediately. Although it still may show up in records in Florida, the old NHWA, Inc. has been defunct since 2009. After one and a half years of research, planning and conversations with other Home Watch companies from across the country, The National Home Watch Association, of Murrells Inlet, SC, was launched. With a clear vision and detailed plan for accrediting Home Watch companies, our website was launched.

Our first order of business was to contact all of the "certified" members of the old association. When I reached out, I explained that in order to become accredited by the new NHWA, they would have to pass muster under actual guidelines and vetting. These vetting requirements included that their company must carry general liability insurance, bonding, and adhere to a code of ethics. This requirement alone eliminated eligibility for more than half of these "certified" home watchers. I offered membership to the rest of these people at the regular fee, minus whatever they had paid for their initial "certification." Only one of these companies applied for accreditation and actually gained it. A few thought that their $10.00 fee was for a lifetime membership.

The reason that I bring this up now is that some of these "certified" home watchers are still advertising as members of the NHWA. They are, for the most part, displaying the old logo: a green house with lettering. Please be advised that these companies are not accredited by us. Anyone that has this green logo paid $10.00 to get certified! Now I ask you, what kind of company is proud enough to brag that they paid $10.00 four years ago for professional accreditation. Check their insurance, and ask about background checks for their people. To be clear, I am sure that some of these companies do fine work. Just because they are not accredited by us does not mean that they are bad companies. It's just important to differentiate between the old and the new. We have also asked that they stop using the Association's name.

The actual National Home Watch Association was formed in 2010in South Carolina, charged with the goal of creating standards and guidelines for the Home Watch industry in the US and Canada. All of our Members are vetted for insurance, consumer affairs complaints, operating practices, and must agree to adhere to our Code of Ethics and Mission Statement. Our Members have gained accreditation in order to separate their companies from under- and uninsured and non-bonded Home Watch companies operating in their areas.  

As the sergeant from "Hill Street Blues" used to say: "Let's be careful out there."

As always, I wish you,

Much success,


Jack

Checkmate Home Watch of Naples, FL, Joins the NHWA!

Building his business based on his "client-first" attitude, Jeff Morrow, Owner of Checkmate Home Watch of Naples, FL, has become an Accredited Member of the NHWA. It only made sense. In an area like Naples, Florida, customer service and reputation mean everything. I have spent time in Naples (including a foggy evening at Tommy Bahama), and I can tell you first hand that if you are gonna talk the talk, you'd better walk the walk. Jeff does just that. Servicing clients in Port Royal, Park Shore, Pelican Bay and the like, his clients demand top-notch service. Jeff's 22-year work history as a golf course superintendent at country clubs throughout Florida lends to his meticulous and attentive service.



Jeff Morrow of Checkmate Home Watch

Jeff  was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but is an adopted native of Florida; he has been a full-time resident of Naples since 2000. Jeff and his wife enjoy boating, art shows and cultural events in Southwest Florida.

Checkmate serves the City of Naples and the communities of Collier County. Jeff can be reached at jeff@CheckmateHomeWatch.com, or you can visit his website at www.checkmatehomewatch.com. 

Welcome, Jeff! We wish you

Much success,

Jack

Vive Las Vegas! Home Watcher LV Joins the NHWA!

JP Lalonde, owner of Home Watcher LV of Las Vegas, NV, has become an Accredited Member of the NHWA. A native of Montreal, JP is a former General Motors employee who worked his way up to becoming Engineering and Maintenance Director for the automotive giant. Retiring early after a 30-year career, he moved his family to Las Vegas. JP became involved in his community and served on the board of his homeowners association. The problems that his HOA exposed him to, and the fact that he had neighbors and friends who had asked him to "keep an eye on the place," made him realize that he had a business opportunity right in front of him.

Voilà! Home Watcher LV was born.

JP and I began communicating a few months back, and we hit it off immediately. His experience and commitment to his clients are evident when you speak with him. JP has taken his accreditation seriously, and believes in protecting our industry from un- and under-insured and sketchy companies in his area. Now, I watch CSI, so I've seen quite a few sketchy characters in Vegas.
  

JP and his company offer "Bon Voyage" and "Welcome Back" services, as well as handyman, and even services for your computer and Apple products. Home Watcher LV serves homeowners of the Greater Las Vegas Metropolitan area, including the City of Henderson, North Las Vegas, and the Community of Summerlin. Visit his website at www.HomeWatcherLV.com Or give him a call at (702) 767-4175.

Welcome to the NHWA, JP, and we wish you 

Bon chance,

Jack

Coastal Carolina Home Watch opens in Charleston, SC.

Greetings and salutations.

As you may know, in addition to being the Executive Director of the NHWA, I am also the owner of Coastal Carolina Home Watch. I founded my company in 2005, and have been operating on South Carolina's Grand Strand, which encompasses Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island, as well as surrounding towns. CCHW is, without a doubt, the preeminent Home Watch service in the area, and is the founding member of the NHWA. I am very proud of my company's reputation and growth over the years. Many people have asked me about the possibility of franchising CCHW, and though I have never really given it serious thought, it did get me thinking about opening another location. The more I thought about that, I realized that the Charleston area would be the place to expand to. For those not familiar with this incredible area, you are missing out on someplace very special. As a matter of fact, Conde' Nast Traveler Magazine has named Charleston, SC, the Top City in the US! The Greater Charleston area encompasses stunning beach side island towns like Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island, James Island, Seabrook, and the incredible Kiawah Island. Other surrounding areas include Johns Island, Daniel Island, and Mount Pleasant. Then, of course, is Charleston itself: an historical gem with a true Southern flair, home to some of the most wonderful and unique restaurants in the world. The beauty of this city shines through on many levels: architecturally, gastronomically, and historically.  But mostly, it is the friendliness and hospitality of Charlestonians that make this place so warm and attractive. And so, in July I took the plunge and began setting up Coastal Carolina Home Watch in Mount Pleasant, SC, which is located just across the Ravenel Bridge from Charleston. Our location is perfect for getting in and out of the city, and also makes it easy to get to those beach towns and islands. We have our marketing in place, and have been very busy working with the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors, the Lowcountry Business Network, and the Mount Pleasant Business Association to get traction and educate the area about Home Watch.

As a matter of fact, here is a picture of Michelle "Micki" Mustain (Charleston Area Account Manager) and I working very hard at a networking event. Pay no attention to those wine glasses in our hands. Work, work, and more work. Well, all work and no play makes Jack a dull....never mind.




Anyway, I am excited and very confident about our new location. Give Micki or me a call if we can be of service. Micki's mobile is (843) 318-0813, and mine is (843) 458-7103. Our website is www.cchomewatch.com.  If you'd like to speak with Sarah (my right hand ma--er, woman at CCHW), call the office at (843) 357-4440. And I can't forget Ginger Moore (Home Watch specialist on the Grand Strand) at (843) 458-7104. I will keep you posted.  As always, I wish y'all

Much success,


Jack

Is your business ready for the upcoming season? And, Life Made Easy Home Watch of Cape Coral, FL

Greetings and salutations.

Depending on where you are, the upcoming season is when homeowners will either be coming or going. Some will be short absences and others long. So the question is: "Should I be marketing for new clients?" As far as I am concerned, you should always be marketing. Yes, advertising is expensive, and yes, there are no guarantees. That being said, you can reach new clientele all the time, and if you can't...you are doing something wrong. How's your website? How fresh is your database? If your website is four years old or older, it's time to remake it. There are those who think that four years is too long. While I tend to agree, I also realize the cost involved in the change. Be smart the next time you tune it up. Have your webmaster design it so there is room to expand and change out images or video easily. Do you blog? How about social media? Are you on LinkedIn? If you are--like I was (and still am, a lot of times)--confused, intimidated and just plain scared of a lot of this new stuff, the sad reality is that there is no getting around it. All of this technology is here to stay. And we have to embrace it, otherwise we'll get left in the dust. I just redid my company website for Coastal Carolina Home Watch, www.cchomewatch.com. It's fresh, colorful, and eye-catching, and it conveys my current services and message. I also have good SEO, which increases my unique visitors, lowers my bounce rate, and keeps people on my site longer. It has also increased my click-throughs. Accredited members of the NHWA have special access to a webmaster and designer who has lots of experience and know-how in the world of Home Watch websites and SEO. We have discussions concerning this and a whole lot of other subjects and issues. You could be a part of this national discussion about our service industry and how we can help one another to grow our businesses.

One couple who joined us a few months back opened up Life Made Easy of Cape Coral, Florida. Cindy and Jerry McKay left Wisconsin about 12 years ago and moved to Cape Coral. Owning and maintaining their own rental properties gave them hands-on experience in home maintenance. Adding Jerry's 30+ year career in the appliance industry, customer service and landscaping experience, and Cindy's administrative talents made starting Life Made Easy a "no-brainer". In 2011, the couple founded Life Made Easy. Dedicating themselves and their Home Watch business to the very highest standards, their clients get to experience Cindy and Jerry's professionalism. Life Made Easy serves Cape Coral and the surrounding Pine Island area. They can be reached at 239-770-5618, or you can visit their Web site at www.lifemadeasy.net.

Much success,

Jack

Dana Salo of Salo Home Watch is coming to visit me.

Greetings and salutations to all.

There are a lot of people who reach out to us at the NHWA. I am very happy that Dana Salo is one of them. Dana is still employed with the USPS, but has been growing Salo Home Watch of Cape Ann, MA, as he gets closer to his retirement. He sees his Home Watch service as additional income for now and in his retirement years. Because Dana looks to do everything by the book and maintain incredibly high standards, Dana joined the NHWA, worked with our start-up guide, and proceeded to cover all of his bases. His company carries not only general liability and bonding, but professional liability (E&O) as well.

In case you don't know, the state of Massachusetts requires Home Watch companies to hold a license through the State Police in order to operate legally. This involves background and criminal checks, and certifies that all is above board. (Jon Clark, of Nauset Management, has held this license for many years.) Anyway, Dana gained his accreditation by the NHWA and has recently been re-accredited for the second straight year. One of things that I really appreciate about Dana is that he stays in touch with us here, and is always sharing information that he gathers about our industry. It is information like this that allows the Association to share pertinent information and ideas with all of its members. Well, Dana has been bugging me to come down and pick my brain for over a year. When I finally ran out of excuses (ha ha), he made plans to come down to SC, and will be here in November. I am truly looking forward to it.

Dana is married to his wife Karen, and has two daughters: Meredith, 20, and Kirsten,16. All of us here at the NHWA look forward to a long relationship with Dana and Salo Home Watch, which covers Cape Ann and the North Shore of Massachusetts. His web address is salohomewatch.com.  As always, I wish you all

Much success,

Jack

Dan Kruger - Las Vegas Home Watchers

Greetings and salutations!

Congratulations to Dan and Ginni Kruger of Las Vegas Home Watchers for earning their NHWA accreditation for the second year in a row. Dan and Ginni opened their Home Watch business in 2008 after Dan finished up a 34-year corporate career. A graduate of the University of Nebraska, he learned how to keep clients satisfied with his positive, "can do" attitude. Ginni has been Dan's partner in business and life for over 40 years. They have three children and one grandchild. And so, Las Vegas Home Watchers is a family-owned and -run business whose motto is: Do the Right thing, the Right way, at the Right time, in the Right place, to the Right person, for the Right reason, with the Right feeling ... the First time. Dan is a huge Atlanta Braves fan and is very active in local service organizations,  Dan and Ginni's other love is travel. They have been to all 50 states and have visited five out of seven continents. Dan serves on the Advisory Board of the NHWA. I do have one question for Dan. Who watches your home while You are traveling?

Dan and Ginni can be reached at (702) 493-2755 or info@lasvegashomewatchers.com. Visit their website at www.LasVegasHomeWatchers.com. They serve Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and the City of Henderson. Best of luck, Dan and Ginni!

Much success,

Jack