After many years as a Realtor and Real Estate Appraiser, I recognized the concern that people had about their property.  As a homeowner, other residents in our community relayed horror stories about problems with leaving their residence vacant for months at a time.  Returning home after a lengthy absence and hoping nothing has changed is very risky.  Many of the stories we heard were about damage in the home and the high cost of repair.  Most of these problems could have been avoided if someone had kept an eye on the property.  It can be agonizing to have your home and possessions damaged or destroyed.