State of Home Watch

Protecting Your Home: Insights from Kathleen Kuhn on the Future of the Home Watch Industry

When it comes to safeguarding your most valuable investment—your home—expert advice is crucial. Kathleen Kuhn, author of What to Watch For: A Professional’s Guide to Home Watch, brings over three decades of extensive experience in home inspection and home services to the growing home watch industry. Driven by her passion for protecting homeowners and enhancing industry standards, Kathleen offers unique insights shaped by her professional expertise and personal experiences.

Personal Experience: A Wake-Up Call

Like many second homeowners, Kathleen initially relied on informal home checks by family members, including her father. However, despite these efforts, she faced several close calls, from water heater leaks to HVAC system failures, each highlighting the inherent risks homeowners face without professional home watch services. These experiences illuminated the critical need for specialized knowledge and proactive home management, inspiring Kathleen’s deep dive into the industry.

Uncovering Industry Gaps Through Research

After dedicating two years to in-depth research on home watch services, Kathleen discovered gaps in professional knowledge, consistency, and training. Many providers lacked foundational understanding of essential home systems, missing critical issues such as ice dams and neglected crawl spaces. These oversights can lead to costly and preventable home damage.

Addressing the Industry’s Key Challenges

The home watch industry, while rapidly emerging, still struggles with a lack of standardization and limited access to training. Kathleen recognized that without foundational knowledge of home systems and conditions specific to different regions, providers are ill-equipped to detect and address potentially damaging situations effectively.

Importance of Foundational Knowledge

Kathleen emphasizes that professional home watchers need more than a cursory understanding of home maintenance. Essential training in identifying common issues and understanding the dynamics of home systems across various regional climates significantly enhances their ability to prevent problems before they escalate into disasters.

Comprehensive Training: Elevating Industry Standards

In response to these challenges, Home Watch Central is creating a robust foundational training program designed specifically for new home watch professionals. This curriculum not only equips participants with the basic competency and confidence required to conduct thorough home checks but also provides essential risk management tools, marketing strategies, and best practices for networking effectively with real estate and insurance professionals.

Strategic Partnerships and Industry Support

To further strengthen her mission, Kathleen partnered with Bridget Karl, an accomplished leader with nearly 15 years of experience as CEO of one of California's Premier Chambers of Commerce. Together, they have developed a support program designed to elevate standards and provide ongoing resources that empower home watch businesses to succeed and grow.

Vision and Commitment

Kathleen Kuhn is firmly committed to professionalizing the home watch industry and fostering its growth. She believes strongly in the potential of a well-supported home watch sector, one that not only protects homeowners but also creates sustainable business opportunities for trained professionals.

As the home watch industry continues to evolve, Kathleen's insights and initiatives offer essential guidance to ensure homes remain safe, secure, and well-maintained, providing homeowners with peace of mind.