Who Should Check on Your Coachella Valley Home While You're Away?
Updated: Oct 12
Sooner or later, every second-home owner asks the same question: who is going to look in on the house? The answer is usually whoever is easiest, such as a neighbor, a relative, or the pool service. Each of them can help. None of them is set up to do the whole job. Here is how the common options compare, so you can decide what mix fits your home.
A neighbor or friend
A friendly neighbor is free, close by, and trusted. The limits are practical. Neighbors have their own schedules, may not feel comfortable walking through your home, and rarely work from a checklist. An agreement to keep an eye on the place often turns into a glance at the driveway. It also depends on goodwill that can fade, and it is awkward to ask a neighbor for photos or to deal with a problem they find.
A family member
Relatives are motivated and can make decisions, but they are often not local, and visits tend to be irregular. A family member who lives an hour away may check the house once a month with the best intentions, which still leaves long gaps between looks.
The vendors you already pay
Pool service, landscapers, and housekeepers are on your property regularly, which is useful. But each is there for one task. The pool technician looks at the pool and the landscaper looks at the landscape. If something is wrong elsewhere, it may go unmentioned, and nobody confirms that a scheduled visit actually took place unless someone checks.
Cameras and smart-home sensors
Cameras, leak sensors, and smart thermostats are good at one thing: telling you something has changed. They cannot walk through the house, smell a musty closet, or go and look when an alert goes off. If you rely on them, you still need a person who can respond. Our guide to smart sensors versus home watch covers how the two work together.
A house sitter
A house sitter lives in the home, which can make sense for pets or a long stay. For most seasonal homes it is more arrangement than the situation calls for, and it puts someone else's daily life inside your house. It is a different service from a scheduled check.
A professional home watch service
Home watch is built for exactly this gap. A provider visits on a fixed schedule, follows a checklist, photographs what they see, and sends you a report. If something looks wrong, you hear about it promptly. At Desert Estate Home Watch, that means one visit every week, year-round, with a photo report after each visit.
It has limits too. Home watch is a visual, non-invasive observation. It is not security, emergency response, property management, or repair, and it does not replace your contractors. Plans start at $249 a month; see pricing.
How most owners combine them
These are not either-or choices. Many owners keep their pool service, landscaper, and smart thermostat, and add a weekly visit as the one party whose whole job is to look at the entire house and report back. The neighbor stays a friendly contact rather than the plan.
Which option fits your situation
The right mix depends on how long the house sits empty and what is in it. These are rules of thumb, not guarantees.
Away for a week or two: a neighbor or relative with a short written list is often enough, ideally backed by a smart thermostat or a leak sensor.
Away for a season, or gone every summer: a scheduled, documented check on a fixed day is hard to replace with favors.
Renting the home out, or wanting someone to run it: that is property management, which is a different contract and a different job.
Pets, or a long stay with no one else around: a house sitter.
Mostly worried about break-ins: a monitored alarm is the right tool. Add a person for everything an alarm does not see, such as a slow leak or a failing cooling system.
A pool, spa, and irrigation you cannot watch: those systems keep running while you are gone, so a regular look by someone whose job is the whole property matters more.
Questions to ask before you choose anyone
How often will you visit, and is it on a set schedule?
What do you check each time, and can I see a sample report?
How will you contact me if you find a problem, and how quickly?
What is not included?
Who holds keys or codes, and how is access approved?
Will you be present when my vendors visit?
What to give whoever checks your home
Whoever you choose, a one-page sheet saves time and prevents mistakes. Include:
Where the main water shutoff is, and whether you want it closed while you are away
The thermostat settings you want, and which HVAC company to call
Alarm instructions and who is allowed to enter
Your vendors by name, with their service days and phone numbers
HOA or gate contact information
Your phone number, a backup contact, and your insurance agent's number
Trash and recycling days, and anything fragile or off-limits
Keep keys and codes out of casual text messages. Share them only through the method you and your provider agree on in advance.
Does your insurance care who checks the house?
Some homeowners policies treat a home that sits unoccupied for an extended period differently, and some include conditions about inspections or water shutoff. We are not an insurance agent and cannot tell you what your policy requires. Ask your agent how long the house can sit empty and whether regular documented visits matter for your coverage. A time-stamped report is a useful record to have on file either way.
Frequently asked questions
How often should someone check on a vacant house?
There is no single rule. Providers set their own schedules. In a hot, dry climate, a failed cooling system or a leak can get worse in a matter of days, which is why we visit once every week rather than monthly.
Is a neighbor enough?
For a short trip, often yes. For months-long absences, a neighbor works best as a friendly contact and a backup, not as the plan.
Can home watch replace my pool service or landscaper?
No. We observe and report on pool, spa, and landscape conditions. The service work stays with your vendors.
What does home watch cost?
Weekly Home Watch is $249 a month and Estate Home Watch is $329 a month, each with one visit every week and a photo report after each visit.
To see how we answer those questions, read what happens during a weekly home watch visit or request a consultation.
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