With its number of professional sports teams, the DC Metro region and Northern Virginia has a preponderance of professional athletes in its midst. If you’re one of these athletes, you likely have an impressive home in our area.
However, if you’re like many professional athletes, you are not always living in your house. Your schedule might take you on the road throughout the season. During off-season, you may return to your home state or country for months at a time. This can leave your home vulnerable to systems failure, the potential of substantial damage, or even unnoticed break-ins or vandalism.
“I don’t care how well a house is built, and what kind of systems they have, something will eventually fail,” said Dan Lender, owner of Golden Rule Home Watch. “And these bigger homes have more complex systems that have more failure points.”
Here are some of the things that could—and have—happened:
- HVAC system malfunctions and begins leaking water inside the home
- Water heater fails and creates leak, which if unchecked, can create mold and mildew issues
- Break-ins
- Security system failure
- Heating or AC system stops working and interior temperatures are either too high or too low
- Windows left open and doors left unlocked
- Gas fireplace left burning
- Storm damage
- Power outages
Professional Athletes Have More Assets to Care For
It’s not unusual for us to find the homes of professional athletes containing wine cellars, geothermal heating/cooling systems, swimming pools & Jacuzzis, aquariums, gyms, electronics and fancy cars. Each of these systems must be maintained on a regular basis or risk falling into disrepair. Here are some examples:
- A wine cellar may contain hundreds or even thousands of bottles. If the climate control system malfunctions and the room becomes too hot, or the humidity levels rise too high, the wine can be ruined, resulting in a massive loss.
- When a professional athlete travels, they cannot transport the animals kept in their aquariums. Fish, snakes and other exotic pets must be looked after on a regular basis.
- Luxury cars cannot be left behind without preparing them for an extended idle period or providing regular maintenance. Gas can go bad, batteries can die, and tires can develop flat spots or go flat entirely if not maintained. Our Home & Car Watch service can look after your cars as well as your home.
Related: Guide to DC's Sports Scene
Young Professional Athletes May Be Inexperienced with Home Maintenance
Since many professional athletes are young, this may be the first home you own. You might be inexperienced in how to care for a home or perform maintenance tasks to keep systems operational. A Home Watch professional understands the workings of a house and has relationships with multitudes of vendors who can step in if a problem is detected.
Homes Need Constant Maintenance
Even when you’re not occupying your home, regular maintenance needs to be done in order to keep the house systems running properly. Filters need to be changed, and vendors need to come and go. But you can’t give a key to every vendor. Having one local point of contact is ideal. Your Home Watch professional can grant access to those professionals, chaperone what they do, make sure the job is complete, sign off and ensure that the home is locked up and secure.
Cybersecurity is Also Important
Because of your fame and wealth, professional athletes can become specific targets of cybercriminals. Knowing how to protect your cyberidentity is just as important as protecting your home. From your email name to use of security technology, there are ways to protect these assets as well. Golden Rule Home Watch can help identify areas where cybercriminals can enter, and help you secure them.
Anyone with Significant Assets Needs Golden Rule Home Watch
Even if you’re not a professional athlete, but you have a large home and significant assets, it is important to have a protector in place to monitor your home whenever you’re away. You want a local professional to be your trusted eyes on the scene.
Contact Golden Rule Home Watch for Northern Virginia Home Protection While You're Away
In Northern Virginia, homeowners trust their homes to Golden Rule Home Watch & Concierge. Contact us today at 855-928-2424 to learn how we can protect your home. For your security, we are insured, bonded and background checked.