Most individuals looking for a property manager for their holiday home in Athens assume this type of manager is primarily for booking, guests, and rent income. However, for many homeowners, this is the last thing they want.
If your holiday home in Athens is not being rented, the biggest challenge is the same as the first time you moved in: someone to keep an eye on it, protect it, fix problems that arise and ensure everything is working properly upon your return.
And that is exactly where a property management company offering a dedicated home watch service comes in.
The Greatest Danger of Leaving Your Holiday Home Vacant
Athens is a city where buildings are old; systems are shared among many units; and small issues quickly spread to other units in a multi-unit complex.
Common problems that occur when a holiday home sits vacant in Athens include:
- Water damage due to undetected leaks which affect several units
- High humidity, mold, and stale air
- Faulty electrical or appliance equipment
- Utility companies stop providing services because the homeowner missed paying the bill(s)
- Broken-in or evidence of break-ins
- Deterioration due to lack of use
These problems do not generally happen overnight. They develop slowly while no one is around to detect them.
Why Traditional Rental Property Managers Won’t Work
Traditional property management for holiday homes focuses on finding guests, making reservations, pricing, and getting good reviews. This type of model will work perfectly well for you if your vacation home is rented regularly.
However, if your vacation home is for personal use, traditional property management presents too much risk to you. Guest turnover is continuous; your vacation home is subject to wear and tear; and constant access to your home by strangers is the antithesis of what most owners want.
An Athens property manager for your holiday home does not necessarily mean your home will be rented. In fact, in many cases, the smartest decision you could make would be to hire a professional property manager to protect your home while keeping it private and secure.
What Does Professional Home Watch Property Management Really Mean?
Professional home watch property management is all about being present, consistent and responsible.
Rather than managing guests, a reputable property management company manages risk. Their primary focus is on identifying potential problems before they become major problems and then responding promptly.
The types of activities involved in providing a home watch service to a property owner include a thorough walk-through and visual inspection of the interior and exterior of the property, including:
- All doors, windows, shutters and locks
- Plumbing, sinks, toilets and all visible pipes
- Kitchen and bathroom appliances
- Electrical panels and power supply
- Humidity levels, odors and moisture levels
- Air circulation and ventilation
- The balcony/porch/deck area
Following each visit, you will be notified via email and/or phone of any issues found during the visit with photographs to provide clarity.
Resolving Problems & Repairs
Identifying a problem is only half the battle. To truly protect your property, the problem needs to be managed correctly.
Upon discovering a problem, we can assist you by:
- Hiring plumbers, electricians, etc.
- Communicating with building management or the property’s caretaker
- Coordinating the necessary repairs, etc.
- Ensuring the problem is completely resolved
We don’t require you to take care of emergency situations from overseas or communicate with unknown contractors.
Bill Management & General Support
Even though your holiday home is unoccupied, it still uses utilities. Failure to pay these bills or failure to check your usage can create unnecessary issues for your home.
Our home watch service can assist you in the following ways:
- Monitor your electricity and water consumption
- Manage or review your utility bills
- Collect your mail and official correspondence
- Notify you of any concerns regarding your property
This will keep your property fully operational and compliant while you’re absent.
Why Friends, Neighbors & Cleaners Aren’t Enough
Some owners turn to a friend or neighbor to “keep an eye” on their home. It seems simple enough; however, relying on friends or neighbors is typically unreliable in the long run.
Friends forget. Neighbors are busy. Cleaners may clean your home but they won’t keep an eye on the overall condition of your home.
Home watching is a process that requires routine, documentation and accountability. Without these factors, problems go unnoticed until later and potentially get worse.
Presence = Security
Security is more than just having an alarm system and security cameras. It’s also about having someone who will physically inspect your property.
Regular inspections deter unwanted attention, identify potential signs of unauthorized entry and confirm your doors and windows are securely closed.
Property that is clearly maintained is significantly less likely to be targeted.
Who Needs a Home Watch Property Management Service
If you fall into any of the following categories, a home watch property management service is perfect for you:
- You live outside of Greece or are traveling frequently
- You do not rent your holiday home
- You desire total control over your home
- You prefer prevention over reaction
- You want to return to a fully functioning holiday home
If maintaining peace of mind is important to you, an informal solution rarely provides it.
Returning to a Holiday Home That Feels Like Yours
Ultimately, the true value of a home watch property management service is realized once you return to your holiday home.
There are no bad smells, no nasty surprises and no immediate repairs needed. The lights turn on, the water flows, and your home feels like your own again.
It doesn’t happen accidentally. It happens consistently while you’re away.
Don’t leave your home unattended
When searching for an Athens property manager for your holiday home, you don’t have to settle for a rental property manager.
For many owners, the wiser option is hiring a professional home watch service. It protects your property, identifies issues early on, and ensures your property is safe, maintained and ready for your next stay.
Your holiday home should be somewhere you can’t wait to return to, not someplace you worry about when you’re away.
Now that you’ve read this, I can now rewrite this into a landing page version for HomeWatchAthens.com, create FAQs, and tailor it specifically to your services, rates and packages.
