If you have been struggling with trying to find a way to make a fair income working from home and only working about 20 hours a week, this is one business idea you really need to put some serious thought into pursuing. I’m talking about the home watch business. In other words, a business where you would provide people with peace of mind so that they don’t have to be concerned when away from home for an extended period of time.
Here’s why I think the home watch business is a great start-up idea for anyone who wants to get into business for themselves or just to make a few extra bucks on the side – because there is a demand. Look around your neighborhood and community. If you see a lot of RVs parked in yards you know that there are a lot of mobile people around you. They will load up that RV and disappear for a week, a couple of weeks, a month or a complete season. Then there are the other neighbors who take an annual vacation and fly away to somewhere exotic for a few weeks or months. What happens to their homes when they are away?
Well, in some cases, neighbors will keep an eye on things. Maybe a family member will show up on occasion or a friend will stop by. But the problem with all of these ideas is that these people who have been entrusted with checking on the empty home are busy with their own lives. They may not be able to stop by and check on things on a regular basis.
This is where your home watch business fits into the picture. You would be providing a service specific to the needs of these vacationing customers. And since you would be doing it as a business rather than as a favor to a neighbor, you will be serious about the services you would provide and would provide them at set times for a set rate. You would be viewed as professional and will attract additional business because of that.
But how exactly would you earn $480 a day with your home watch business?
Well, it will have everything to do with the pricing structure you develop before you start signing up customers. This means that your best possible way of earning a fair income with your home watch business will come from a pricing structure that centers on a fee for each home check. But that rate will have several variables such as what kinds of duties will be performed during the average visit and how often those services are provided. As an example, you could charge $25 for a basic exterior property check where you would drive up to the home and check doors and windows.
For a little higher rate you could include additional on-site service. If your customer gives you a house key so that you can go inside the home and check all entry points, ensure that the water tank and furnace or in good working order and maybe water the plants, you could go as high as $60 per hour. If you have enough customers and you plan your property checks correctly, you could slot several of them in a single eight-hour day and pocket up to $480 a day.
What makes this even more amazing is that you can start your home watch business a lot faster than most other businesses – including other home-based businesses. Essentially, you have to be honest, have integrity and a desire to provide a service that will give your customers peace of mind when they are away from home for any length of time. There is no formal training required or expensive franchise fees.
In addition to being an easy home-based business to start, a home watch business will not cost you very much in start-up costs either. Once you get your license in place – business licensing for your community – and your office space in order, you can pretty much start soliciting business right away.
The most effective way to promote your home watch business would be through the use of the internet. You can create a website on your own, launch various contact pages on social media channels and advertise your services online with all of these sources as well as through free classified ad sites in and around your community. Once you start picking up business, you can work on developing a network of customers through word of mouth in neighborhoods, social clubs and wherever your satisfied customers spend their time. In fact, if you make sure to pass out business cards to your customers, they will end up doing the bulk of the advertising for you which will result in referrals.
Starting a home watch business is a smart venture to get involved in. That’s simply because there is a demand. Those who go away on vacation do not want to come home to find their property damaged, broken into or burglarized. By offering something as simple as regular property checks while they are away, you are providing a vital service and giving your customers peace of mind knowing that someone reliable is keeping an eye on their home.
With this in mind, your hourly rates will be what will earn you up to $480 per day once you fill your daily calendar will numerous rounds to several different properties. The best part is, you can work at this job for as little as 20 hours a week – a part-time job – and earn full-time wages.
Our new guidebook, How to Start a Profitable Home Watch Business, covers everything you’ll need to get started and start making money in no time.