Why this service exists, and what it actually is
A Florida house left alone for six months is an insurance question waiting to be asked. Policies commonly impose vacancy and water-damage conditions; storms demand shutters up and patio furniture in; a burst supply line found in March costs what ten years of home-watch costs. The snowbird concierge industry exists because the cheapest way to protect an empty home is a documented human visit on a calendar, with photos, a checklist, and someone to let the plumber in. The service is real even though the profession is not chartered: in Florida, anyone may watch a house, and that is exactly why YOUR diligence replaces the state's.
The boundary that matters legally is the one the licensing chapter draws. The moment a provider rents your place out, advertises it, collects rent, or negotiates with tenants for compensation, they have crossed from concierge into brokerage territory and need a license; watching, errands, and coordination do not. Ask one question early: « will you ever touch rental money or tenants for me? » If yes, the property-manager guide on this site is the file you need, and the provider needs a license.
Opinion: in an unlicensed trade, the contract IS the regulation. A provider who arrives with a written scope, a COI, references, and a fixed visit report beats a cheaper handshake every winter; the absence of a state license is a reason for more paperwork, not less.
Who does NOT need this
A condo whose association already inspects common systems, with a trusted neighbour holding keys for the unit, may need nothing more for a short absence; renters whose lease makes the landlord responsible likewise. The service earns its fee on detached homes, long absences, storm exposure, and insurance policies whose fine print demands periodic checks: read YOUR policy's vacancy clause first, then size the service to it.
The frame, level by level
| Aspect | State (FL) | Federal US | Provincial CA (for contrast) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensing of home-watch | None: not a licensed profession; ch. 475 licenses only the rental/brokerage side | No federal role | Likewise unlicensed as such in Canadian provinces; house-sitting is a private contract everywhere |
| Where the line crosses into licensing | Renting, advertising, rent collection, tenant negotiation for compensation: s. 475.01(1)(a) | None | Provincial real estate acts draw the same broker line (e.g. OACIQ in Quebec for brokerage activities) |
| Your protections | Contract, provider's insurance (COI), your own homeowner policy's conditions | None specific | Same logic at home: contract and insurance |
A worked example: a Cape Coral winter-empty home, 2026-27 season
Pierre's house sits empty May through November. His setup: two documented visits per month (photo report, water heater, A/C condensate, pool deck), storm activation (shutters, furniture) when a named storm threatens, and contractor access twice for the roof job. Typical range: recurring home-watch visits in Southwest Florida commonly run 40 to 100 USD per visit depending on home size and scope, with storm preparation billed as a separate call-out commonly in the low hundreds of dollars, June 2026 reading of how the trade publicly prices; no official grid exists and quotes vary by market. His insurance angle is the quiet payoff: his policy's water-damage condition requires periodic inspection during vacancy, and the dated visit reports are exactly the evidence an adjuster asks for. At the Bank of Canada rate of 1.3930 (June 10, 2026), his roughly 1,100 USD season costs about 1,532 CAD: less than his deductible.
Common mistakes
- Hiring on price without a COI. An uninsured key-holder is a liability you sponsor; demand the certificate before the keys.
- Letting the concierge drift into renting. The moment money or tenants flow through them unlicensed, ch. 475 is in play and your file is exposed.
- Ignoring your policy's vacancy clause. The service's visit cadence should MATCH the insurance condition, not your intuition.
- Accepting verbal scopes. Visits, checklist items, storm duties, and rates belong in writing; the contract is the regulator here.
- No storm protocol. Decide BEFORE June who installs shutters, on what trigger, at what price; August quotes are hurricane quotes.
The hiring checklist
- Read your homeowner policy's vacancy and water-damage conditions; note the required check cadence.
- Write the scope: visit frequency, checklist, storm duties, contractor access, reporting.
- Require a certificate of insurance and two references; verify both.
- Confirm in writing that no rental activity will occur (or move to the licensed property-manager file).
- Agree rates per visit and per call-out; diarize the season's calendar.
- Test the reporting on visit one: photos, timestamps, exceptions flagged.
Frequently asked questions
Is home-watch licensed in Florida?
No: watching, errands, and coordination are unlicensed; renting for compensation is the licensed activity under ch. 475. The contract and insurance carry the protection.
What should a snowbird concierge cost?
Quotes vary by market and scope; the dated ranges above (tens of dollars per visit, June 2026) are orientation, not prices. Two local quotes beat any list, this site's included.
Can my concierge rent out my condo for February?
Not unlicensed: renting for compensation is broker territory under s. 475.01(1)(a). For rental management, use the site's property-manager guide and a licensed provider.
Does a watched home satisfy my insurer?
The policy's own clause decides; documented periodic visits are precisely the evidence vacancy conditions contemplate. Match cadence to clause and keep the reports.