Leaving and Returning: A Checklist for Seasonal Coachella Valley Homeowners
Updated: Oct 12
The weeks around leaving and returning are when seasonal owners are busiest and most likely to forget something. A short checklist at each end makes the season smoother, and it helps your home watch provider look after the house on your terms.
A countdown before you leave
About four weeks out: book any HVAC service you want done before the heat, and tell your vendors your dates.
About two weeks out: decide how mail and packages will be handled, and share access details with your home watch provider.
About one week out: confirm contacts and who can approve work, and use up or donate perishable food.
Departure day: do a last walk-through using the list below.
Before you leave
Schedule final vendor visits. Confirm your pool, landscape, and pest control providers know your schedule while you are gone.
Talk to your HVAC contractor. Ask what thermostat setting makes sense for an empty house, and whether anything should be serviced first.
Decide what stays on. Work out with your vendors what should keep running, such as irrigation and pool equipment, and what should be adjusted.
Deal with perishables and trash. Remove food that will spoil and take out the trash.
Plan for mail and packages. Decide whether mail will be forwarded, held, or collected.
Share access details. Give your home watch provider gate codes, community or HOA entry instructions, alarm information, and any areas that should not be entered.
Confirm contacts and approvals. Make sure your provider has your best phone and email, a backup contact, and knows who can approve work.
Desert Estate Home Watch can help with departure tasks, such as adjusting settings and coordinating approved services, as part of concierge support for active members.
A departure-day walk-through
Set the thermostat the way your HVAC contractor advised
Lock windows, doors, and gates, and set the alarm
Check under sinks and around appliances for anything already damp
Secure or store patio furniture and loose items
Take a few dated photos of each room, so the first report has something to compare against
While you are away
Weekly visits run on a regular schedule, with a photo report after each one. You can read more about what a visit includes in what happens during a weekly home watch visit.
Before you return
Tell your provider your arrival date as early as you can
Request arrival preparation: we coordinate approved services, stock essentials, and help make sure the home is ready
Ask for grocery and pantry stocking if you want the kitchen ready when you walk in
Ask about vehicle or golf cart checks if you store either at the property
These are concierge services. They are available to active monthly members, scheduled separately, and may carry additional fees; the scope and any fee are confirmed before the work is done. Details are on the property concierge page.
An arrival-day walk-through
Read the most recent home watch report before you walk in.
Check the thermostat and make sure the cooling is running.
Look at ceilings, walls, and floors for stains or dampness, and notice any odor.
Test lights, appliances, and the garage door or gate.
Walk the yard and pool area.
Tell your provider about anything that looks off, so it is documented from day one.
A note on keys and access
Whoever holds your key becomes part of your home's security. Read how key holder services work for what to ask before you hand one over.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead should I tell you my arrival date?
As early as you can. Requests are confirmed based on availability, and we cannot guarantee short-notice scheduling.
Do I have to be a member to get arrival preparation?
Yes. Arrival preparation and departure assistance are concierge services for active monthly members.
What if my plans change?
Tell us as soon as you know. Weekly visits continue on their regular schedule regardless of when you arrive or leave.
Planning your next trip? Request a consultation, or see the complete guide for seasonal homeowners.
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