The home watch industry has long operated in the background of the real estate and property technology sectors, but that is changing. According to Clem McDavid, founder of HomeLedger, whose Watch Tower software now serves home watch operators in eight states—with the heaviest concentration in Florida and Arizona, along with customers in North Carolina, New York, and Colorado—demand is rising as more people own second homes they cannot or do not want to maintain themselves.
McDavid attributes this growth to a post-pandemic surge in vacation and second home purchases. Many of these new owners are not equipped or interested in managing a property they do not occupy full-time. This has created a fertile market for home watch services that provide regular inspections and maintenance coordination.
However, the industry is not without challenges. McDavid notes that the space has attracted marketing operations that appear legitimate online but lack actual service capabilities, generating leads without ever performing a visit. He compares these to a ghost kitchen that advertises a menu item it cannot cook. As homeowners and legitimate operators get burned by such setups, those with genuine, documented service histories stand out more, not less.
Beyond the classic second home use case, McDavid sees home watch demand extending to primary residences. He expects younger homeowners to seek similar services—someone to check in periodically and flag issues—simply because they are busy and prefer to pay for help rather than spend weekends on maintenance. This widens the customer base well beyond seasonal coastal markets.
The market also accommodates a range of price points. McDavid points to a company serving ultra-high-net-worth estates with full-time staff and household management, a different tier from typical home watch operators. HomeLedger has customers working with high-end clients on the property side, coordinating everything from stocking a home before an owner's arrival to timing seasonal upkeep. This demonstrates the category's breadth across various home values and service levels.
For McDavid, the throughline across every market is the same: absentee homeowners need a reliable, documented eye on their property, and operators who can prove they show up consistently are building durable businesses. More on how HomeLedger supports that work is available on its resources page.
As home watch continues to expand into new states and property types, McDavid believes operators who invest in professionalism and reliable record-keeping now will be best positioned for future growth. HomeLedger is a property technology company focused on the home watch industry, and its Watch Tower platform is built for operators managing vacant and seasonal properties on behalf of absent owners.
