Of the many services real estate professionals provide their clients, one very important service is that of recommending a professional home check company for absentee homeowners. You see, not only is it a good idea to have your unoccupied home checked on a regular basis for any leaks, water damage, air conditioning, pests, etc. but your homeowners policy may require it. How so, you may ask:
Well, as an example, in very fine print some HO policies warn that in the event of a flood due to an overflowing toilet the homeowner may be deemed negligent because they did not have their home checked regularly to make sure it was in good working condition. Insurance estimators have a way of determining how long a toilet has leaked or a faucet was accidentally left on, thereby causing a flood. If it is determined that damage was left unattended to for several days or weeks then the homeowner may not be eligible for full damage repair repayment. This type of catastrophy could amount to thousands of dollars in repairs and you definitely want your insurance company to foot most of the bill, right?
This is where hiring a licensed and insured home watch firm can help avoid such incidents from ever happening. In Naples, Florida there are several good companies who will meet you at your home and provide you with a menu of home watch options from which to choose. For example, for a nominal price you can choose a basic package that provides two visits per month whereby the technician flushes toilets, checks the A/C, makes sure the doors and windows are secure, etc. This basic package may be all you need to assuage your insurance company. To be sure, however call your insurance provider and ask them what is required for absentee homeowners.
Lastly, having a home check service watching over your real estate investment while you reside elsewhere is good protection for a valuable asset. It adds another layer of security when you're not there! For more information on this and any other real estate related questions, please contact Mitch Norgart at [email protected] or 239.404.7007.
Mitchell L. Norgart
Broker/Sales Associate
Gulf Coast International Properties
Naples, FL.