General FAQ’s

HomeWatch of Westfield is not a security company. We do not install alarms or surveillance cameras. HomeWatch of Westfield is a locally owned and operated, retired New Jersey State Trooper owned business that affords its home owner clients, who are away from home for any length of time, peace of mind by carrying out extensive visual inspections of homes looking for obvious exterior security and interior home systems issues. To provide the most comprehensive and effective Home Watch services possible, HomeWatch of Westfield adheres to best practices recommended by the National Home Watch Association and employs the same security measures and situational awareness techniques recommended by federal government and state government homeland security agencies.

Burglary deterrence is those techniques and tactics that suggest you the home owner client is at home, is actively engaged in the security of your home, and that your home is an unattractive, difficult target for burglars. Burglary deterrence measures are tailored specifically for your home, your lifestyle, and your needs. All techniques and methods regarding burglary deterrence are home and home owner’s lifestyle specific. HomeWatch of Westfield never employs a typical home security technique. All burglary deterrence techniques and tactics are confidential and not for public announcement on this website.

HomeWatch of Westfield generally conducts inspections weekdays during business hours, however, weekday inspections can be done anytime from sunrise to sunset.  Upon request, Home Watch inspections can be done during times of school drop-offs or school dismissal times, or other notable times.  Weekend Home Watch inspections, and concierge and special service requests usually require pre-booking.

Surveillance cameras are great aids to police investigators who are investigating the burglary of a home. On many occasions surveillance camera video provides police with descriptions and identifiers of bad actors. Cameras however, are not burglary deterrence, they simply document bad actors who believe a home is an easy target for burglary. Because bad actors are caught on video, they are within arms length of a home owner’s doors and windows. When bad actors are recorded on surveillance camera video some situation beyond the camera led these actors to believe that their choice of burglary target was an easy target. HomeWatch of Westfield’s burglary deterrence techniques and tactics presents a home as being occupied, the home owners as being security-engaged, and the home as an unattractive and difficult burglary target. HomeWatch of Westfield’s burglary deterrence keeps bad actors away from a home.

NO! HomeWatch of Westfield cannot guarantee that your home will not be burglarized either while you’re away while you and your family are at home. To mitigate the possibility of burglary, we take all reasonable measures already in use by structures and facilities deemed to be critical infrastructure and high-value targets and apply them to your home’s exterior security and presentation.

Yes, we work with realtors responsible for temporarily vacant homes in ownership transition status. We also work with the families of recently deceased home owners and families of persons transitioning from independent living to seniors housing and care. We offer home watch services for temporarily vacant homes when families and relatives who cannot effectively watch and care for a home.

HomeWatch of Westfield is not a house sitter service. Our core service includes periodic visits to your home where we follow a specific routine and a mutually agreed upon checklist.

As agreed upon, we are in and around your home on a daily, weekly, or bi-weekly basis.  We take great pride in making sure your home is in the same condition as when you departed.

An alarm company usually only monitors entry of your home.  The problem with alarm systems is that they are activated when bad actors are at your doors and windows.  An alarm company only notifies police and the home owner, the company does not actually do an eyes-on inspection of your home and property that seeks out those situations and circumstances that lead bad actors to believe that a home is an easy target for burglary.

The value of HomeWatch of Westfield is that we identify and correct those situations and circumstances suggesting vulnerability before bad actors can be close enough to your home to activate an alarm system.

Most neighborhood watch groups are passive by nature and do not provide the level of engagement with your property that HomeWatch of Westfield provides. Most participants keep a neighborhood lookout when convenient or not too busy.  The hope of most participants in a watch group is that a neighbor participant is actually watching their neighbor’s home.  HomeWatch of Westfield will inspect your home’s exterior in far more detail than you can expect from a no-cost neighborhood watch program.  HomeWatch of Westfield also looks at your neighbor’s home and and property for situations that put your home at risk.  No cost has a cost.

HomeWatch of Westfield will send you a report upon completion of our visit to your home. Any problems identified will be accompanied by detailed explanation(s) of the problems and photographs – if necessary.

If we take immediate action to contain damage and prevent further damage, we will immediately contact you to discuss what has occurred and to discuss what course of action is needed for remediation.

HomeWatch of Westfield is not defined as a property inspector. Property inspectors are usually involved at the sale of a property to do a detailed inspection of the structure, plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems.

While HomeWatch of Westfield’s does not usually provide home maintenance services, we can refer you to locally-known contractors or vendors and can coordinate contractors or vendors’ access to your home and property.