What a Real Walkthrough Covers (and What a Drive-By Does Not)

The Problem With “Checking On It”

Almost every owner we meet already has someone. A neighbor, a relative, a cleaner, a contractor who did the remodel. Almost none of them have a checklist, a cadence, or a record of what they saw. They drive by, see the house standing and the lights on a timer, and report that everything looks fine. Everything usually is fine. Until the one visit where it was not, and nobody can say when the problem started because nobody wrote anything down.

A walkthrough is different in three ways: it is the same list every time, it goes inside, and it produces a report with photos that you receive the same day. That record is what lets you catch a slow change, prove a date to an insurer, or hand a contractor exactly what they need to quote from.

Same-day photo report from an estate walkthrough on a phone

Every visit ends with a photo report in your inbox the same day.

The 15-Point Exterior

Every Home Watch visit, exterior-only or full, starts outside. We walk the entire perimeter, not just the front.

Roofline, flashing and visible shingles or metal from the ground
Gutters, downspouts and where the water actually goes
Siding, trim and paint for cracks, peeling and water staining
Windows and doors: glass, seals, locks, signs of forcing
Foundation, grading and anything pooling against the house
Decks, railings, stairs and dock for rot, ice and loose fasteners
Garage doors cycled, openers and keypads tested
Exterior lighting and timers working

Irrigation, hose bibs and backflow for leaks or freeze damage
Driveway, walkways and snow or debris that needs clearing
Trees and limbs over the roof, the drive and the power drop
Mail, packages, flyers and anything that says nobody is home
Trash, recycling and anything animals have been into
Generator, propane tank level and fuel delivery access
Shoreline, dock and lift (waterfront properties)

The 15-Point Interior

The full plan adds the inside, which is where the expensive failures live.

Temperature and humidity confirmed inside, thermostats checked
Furnace, boiler or heat pump: filter, codes, sound and smell
Water heater and mechanical room for leaks, staining and corrosion
Under every sink, behind the washer and the refrigerator
Every faucet run, every toilet flushed, drains checked
Ceilings and walls for new staining or cracking
Windows from the inside: condensation, frost, failed seals

Attic hatch opened and looked at; crawlspace access checked
Electrical panel for tripped breakers; GFCIs tested
Smoke and CO detectors tested, batteries replaced as needed
Refrigerators and freezers running and at temperature
Signs of pests: droppings, chewing, nesting material
Doors, windows and safe room secured on exit
Anything you asked us to look at specifically

Why the Report Matters More Than the Visit

The visit protects the house. The report protects you. A dated photo of a dry ceiling in November and a dated photo of a stain in December tells an adjuster when the leak started. A photo of the dock in October tells your dock builder exactly what they are quoting. Each report lives in your Private Estate Ledger alongside every receipt and vendor visit, so the history of the house is in one place and not in someone’s memory.

“The difference is not whether someone looked. It is whether anyone can show you what they saw.”

See a Sample Report

Home Watch starts at $125 a month for the exterior walkthrough and $295 for the full interior and exterior, bi-weekly, month to month, with no onboarding fee. Ask us for a sample report and judge the difference yourself.

Schedule a Private Consultation See Home Watch Details

Special Care Estates is operated by Specials Home Selling Team LLC. Walkthroughs are visual, non-invasive checks and are not a licensed home inspection.