Plan B Home Service of Cave Creek, AZ makes the grade for a second straight year!

Greetings and salutations to all.

Talking about Pete Playman always makes me smile. The first communication that I received from Pete was basically: "Who the heck are you, and what gives you the right to form an association?"

Pete Playman of Plan B Home Services

And so began our relationship. After explaining to him who I was, and my reasons for forming the NHWA, Pete understood what I was trying to achieve. Arizona is a state that demands a lot of recourse from its contractors. And because Plan B Home Services complies with every law and licensing requirement, Pete feels strongly about the playing field being level. We spoke at length about his competition, and it was pretty obvious that a lot of them are under- or uninsured, unlicensed, and maybe not as ethical as they should be. After our conversation, it didn't take long for Pete to apply for accreditation in the National Home Watch Association. For the second year in a row, I am proud to call Plan B Home Services a member of the NHWA.

Plan B Home Services serves Anthem, Tromonto, Cave Creek, Carefree, Sonoran Foothills, North Scottsdale and the North Phoenix area. Visit Pete's website at www.planbhomeservices.com, or give him a call at (602) 540-7900.

Congratulations again, Pete!

Much success,

Jack

Insurance woes???

Greetings and salutations.

A recurring theme of my blog has been the difficulty Home Watch services have had while trying to deal with insurance companies. The problem: Most insurance providers have little or no knowledge of our industry. I have spoken with so many people who have approached insurance brokers, looking to obtain liability coverage, only to be shot down by unknowing underwriters. Speaking with an established property management company last week who is adding Home Watch to their services, I was shocked by what I heard. According to the owner of this company, the insurance company wanted over 10k in order to add the coverage. Ten thousand dollars! Are you kidding me? The story gets better: This particular company already covers a couple of members of the NHWA. Obviously, the left hand does not know what the right is doing. And I can assure you that most companies are paying only a small fraction of that ridiculous number.

If you search Home Watch on Manta or some of the other business lists, take a look at how Home Watch is categorized. A fair number of the listed Home Watch services are considered "security" or "armed security guard, armored car service." I have also seen "janitorial," "home inspection," and even "farm services." I am not kidding. My point is that Home Watch is all over the map. The reason for the disparity is that the US Census Bureau does not yet recognize our industry. The Census people are the ones that assign "NAICS" or North American Industry Classification System codes. Huh? Ok, if a plumber applies for an insurance policy, the underwriter looks at all of the pertinent information, plugs it all into his computer program, and the policy premium is calculated. Simple. That's because all plumbers fall under a NAICS code that is specific to plumbers only. Same with electricians, morticians, retail stores, fast food joints...you get the idea.

The NHWA recognizes the disconnect between our current situation and where we need to be. We are planning to lobby the US Census Bureau in 2013 and get Home Watch recognized and classified with our very own NAICS code. If we are successful, all Home Watch companies should be treated fairly and, hopefully, equally. By educating insurance companies, we hope to drive down the cost of general liability insurance across the board. In addition, we'd like to see discounts for homeowners insurance for those who employ accredited Home Watch companies.

Please let us know what you think. If you'd like to share some info about your own coverage, that would be terrific. Look for upcoming blogs announcing new members. Until then, I wish you

Much success,

Jack

Small victories

In our day-to-day business life, it's really easy to get overwhelmed. Let's face it: It's tough out there. Owning a small business can make you question your sanity at times. I know it does to me. As the owner of Coastal Carolina Home Watch, I deal with so many different things on a daily basis that it's easy to get a little crazy at times. If I have a bad day or two, I can deal. Sometimes I have a bad week; I can deal a little less. I have been through a pretty rough time these past few months (some might say years), and so to get a little negative is pretty easy. I have never been negative before. Hell, I've been accused of whistling past the graveyard on more than one occasion. But I have always believed in myself--and this Association. And I have never lost faith in the potential of Coastal Carolina Home Watch. So putting my life back together after losing my wife has been a day at a time, one step at a time. The amazing thing is that now that I am seeing clearly again, and my brain is actually processing thoughts and ideas, I am starting to see the importance of "small victories" again. While I was overwhelmed and stressed out, it was always all or nothing. Things were either good or bad: no in-between, no middle ground. And from my point of view, most of the time it was bad. And everything was BIG.

Having been forced to slow down, I have been able to re-evaluate things. I am now breaking things down a little more, and looking to make each day and stretch of time devoted to something count even more. I don't try to win the game with one swing. I've stopped trying to kill the ball with my driver. If I keep my head down, take an easy back swing, drive through the ball and finish with a good follow through, I know that I'll hit the ball well. As long as I stay in play, and get to the green in regulation, I'll give myself a realistic shot at par. If I get a little lucky (from good fundamentals), I should leave myself a chance at a few birdies too.

I guess I am trying to tell you to stay the course, lose the negativity, and get back to good fundamentals. Take the small victory every time. Those small ones pay the bills. Those small ones make our foundations solid. Those small victories keep us thinking and feeling positive, so that we feel good and confident when that really big victory is there to be won. Think about it.


Much success,


Jack

Delaware is in the house!

If you happen to own a second home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, then you are in luck. DJ Hill and the staff of Homewatch Concierge are the newest accredited members of the National Home Watch Association. DJ's extensive experience in the hospitality industry was a driving force in the creation of this unique service. He has tailored his Concierge services to cater to homeowners and vacationers who are looking to be pampered and  carefree during their time spent in Rehoboth. Homewatch Concierge will ease the minds of part-time residents by providing periodic checks of their properties, while keeping them informed of any issues. He also offers services that apply to REO properties, sellers' and buyers' agents, rental agencies and property management. DJ was a gubernatorial appointee to the Delmarva Advisory Council as well as the past Sussex County Chairman of the Delaware Hotel and Lodging Association. He is also very involved with various civic groups in Rehoboth Beach. His management team is well educated, well rounded and well chosen. Please visit his website at www.homewatch-concierge.com to learn all about Homewatch Concierge. The NHWA wishes the best of luck to DJ, Jenny, Connie and John.

On a personal note: I am currently in Puerto Rico recharging my batteries. But, I know myself, and I am sure I'll be looking for Home Watch while there. If I do talk to somebody about the NHWA...it's a BUSINESS TRIP!

Much success,

Jack

Home Watch Service Plus of Amelia Island

Dave Carter and Rick Mowery

Dave Carter is a genius. A successful veteran of the business world, Dave approached me with his vision for Home Watch Service PLUS last year. He purchased a start-up guide from the NHWA and used the information from it (along with many spit-balling sessions with me on the phone) and combined it with his plan. What he has created is a well-laid-out, franchise-able Home Watch business. The first Home Watch Service PLUS is located on Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach, FL. Offering 100-plus services for homeowners, property managers and mortgage lenders, the Amelia Island location is managed by Rick Mowery. Rick is a maintenance expert with over 15 years experience. HWSP of Amelia Island serves Nassau County, Florida and Camden County, Georgia. Its property preservation program serves Nassau and Duval Counties in Florida, and all of Southeast Georgia. Please visit www.hwsplus.com/Amelia for more information. The NHWA would like to congratulate Dave and Rick on their accreditation and acceptance in our Association.

We are ready to announce new members in Delaware, Tennessee, Florida and Massachusetts in upcoming blogs. Until then, I wish you


Much success,


Jack

My inspiration....

You may have noticed a recent lack of blogging, or that our new website is not yet live, and might be wondering why. The answer is that I have been taking care of Chris, my wife and partner of 30 years. Chris lost her 15 year battle with Multiple Sclerosis on April the 16th. Chris endured a long, painful and terrible existence that took away her movement and physical abilities, but not her sense of humor, spirit or will to live. Her strength and courage has inspired me to persevere in so many situations that I thought were hopeless or too much trouble. She never gave up: no matter the pain or indignities she suffered daily. And so, I am recommitting and rededicating my energy, spirit and time to the National Home Watch Association. Chris was very proud of the NHWA and what it stands for. She was proud of me for creating it, and the strides being taken to better our industry. I know that if I put forth even half the effort that she gave everyday in order to survive, the NHWA will become what she and I envisioned it to be. Her memory will always inspire me to succeed. As always, I wish you 

Much success,

Jack

NHWA Interviewed by Real Estate Today Radio and Welcomes Heartland Home Watch of Gatlinburg, TN

Greetings and salutations.

While at the 2012 National Association of Realtors® Resort and Second-Home Symposium last month, I had the opportunity to talk Home Watch with some very high-powered people in the Real Estate industry. Meeting Moe Viessi, the national President, and other leaders from many states gave me the opportunity to educate them about the value of Home Watch and how the NHWA can be a productive partner with the NAR.  Real Estate Today, a national radio program broadcast to 3.2 million Realtors® nationwide, gave the NHWA center stage during one of their interviews with me. Yesterday I was interviewed by Gil Gross for a follow up. I will let you know when it will be aired a soon as I know. What was really a treat was speaking with Realtors® from Las Vegas, Colorado, Arizona, Cape Cod, Florida, and some of the other areas the attendees were from and giving them contact information for our Accredited Members in their areas. I have since been contacted by some of them who wanted to learn more about the Home Watch industry, and I intend to keep these conversations going. 

I have the pleasure of welcoming another mentored business into our growing membership. Pete Zimmer, owner of Heartland Home Watch, has become the first Accredited Member of the NHWA in Tennessee. A full-time resident of Gatlinburg, Pete brings a wealth of knowledge and know-how to his new service. His 30 years of experience in construction management, plumbing, and home inspection make Heartland Home Watch the obvious choice for anyone in Gatlinburg and surrounding towns in Eastern Tennessee who leave their home for extended periods of time. Knowing Pete has their back will make their absence less stressful. Heartland Home Watch can be found on the web at www.heartlandhomewatch.com. Pete Zimmer can be reached at (865) 415-3667. I expect great things from him. To Pete and all of you, I wish you

Much success,


Jack