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Press and Testimonials
Edina Magazine featured Snowy Owl Home Watch in their October 2023 issue. Click on the image to read the article.
Photo (L-R): Ana Cantell - Snowbird Home Watch, Laura Schuh - Northern Nest Services,
Tamara Nugteren - Snowy Owl Home Watch and Terri Bristlin-Johnston - Surelook Home Watch.
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12.13.2023
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Minnesota's Snowbird solution: Women-owned businesses collaborate to care for unoccupied homes.
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Minneappolis/St.Paul metro area: It is no secret Minnesotans flock to warmer weather in the colder months. Leaving homes unoccupied for long periods of time in our harsh climate is a challenge for these homeowners, and others. To help with that problem, a newer industry—home watch—is gaining traction in the Twin Cities. Now snowbirds, remote workers, corporate relocations and even realtors are calling. Within a few months of each other, four local women started similar businesses and began seeking out advice and support. This led to the group forming organically last spring. “Each of the women has something different to offer the group based on past experiences. We are able to build stronger and better businesses to serve our clients by learning from and supporting each other. Between all of us we have most of the metro covered and provide assistance and peace of mind for our clients.”
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Home Watch businesses provide a visual inspection of a home or property, looking for obvious issues. Each of these businesses is trained, insured, bonded and background-checked and provides immediate reports to the homeowners. If any issues are discovered, the home watch provider will work with the homeowner to resolve them.
As a new small business, I rely on referrals and good reviews. You can find those below.
I also encourage you to read the reviews left for me by clients from my other business, Kayak the Creek.
You can find those at: https://www.kayakthecreek.com/testimonials
Thank you for your consideration of myself and of Snowy Owl Home Watch.
I will treat your home as I would want mine treated.
“Tamara and the team at Snowy Owl was careful, thorough, discreet, and diligent while looking after our home while we were away for the winter. We could rest easy knowing our mail was in, our plants were watered, and our home was secure. Their reports on our home’s status were so thorough that they even located some issues of needed maintenance that we hadn’t previously realized! We recommend them to anyone who is in need of peace of mind and security while away from home for long and short periods of time!” — Emily W., Minneapolis
“I first saw Tamara and Snowy Owl featured on a KARE-11 segment. We contacted Tamara to watch our home
when we vacation. She is professional and friendly and has great attention to detail. She walks the property inside and out, checking for any possible problems. Tamara even contacted us during vacation when we had a very heavy rain, checking to see if we usually have problems and if we had battery backup on our sump pump. We can really enjoy our vacation knowing our home is secure and well taken care of.” — Jan S., Plymouth
“I spent this winter, January through April, in Florida, away from my MN home. I hired Snowy Owl Home Watch so that I could rest, relax and not worry about leaving my home vacant. Tamara Nugteren, the owner of the company personally visited my home every two weeks and then sent me via email, a detailed report of every detail in my home. When a problem occurred with a window lock, she contacted a handyman and met him at the property to repair. When my regular snow plow contractor didn’t show up and the snow was piling up, she gave me a new contact who I hired to have the snow removed. When the driveway and walkway were icy, she scattered ice melt so that it would not be a problem. She alerted me to mail that was delivered despite the fact that I had my mail forwarded. In her report, she included photos of any problem areas as well as the thermostat so that I could see for myself at what temperature it was set. I felt her attention to detail and ability to follow up on any issues were well worth the cost.
I would highly recommend Snowy Owl for anyone leaving their home vacant for more than a week. So many things can go wrong in a vacant home. Knowing I will be coming home after a four-month absence and that I won’t be faced with any surprises made my investment well worth it.” — Paula S., St. Louis Park
“Tamara is my first call when I’m in need of something! She is my go-to person because she is knowledgeable, reliable, conscientious, caring and has an attention to detail. She wants to make sure things are done right and that is a rare find!” — Jane S., St. Louis Park
“I have worked with Tamara for nearly 20 years. Her attention to detail and care she puts into every task she does is awe inspiring. Every i is dotted and t crossed, with genuine gracious consideration. She brings capability and tenacity to every endeavor she engages in.” — JR, St. Louis Park
“Leaving our Minnesota home for several months a year has always been a concern. Ever since we hired Tamara and Snowy Owl Home Watch our anxiety has vanished. We feel as though family members are watching our home during our absence. Tamara is professional, organized and motivated. Very responsive and takes the time to make sure that everything throughout the home is taken care of from top to bottom. Great attention to detail and provides real time feedback. Tamara's high level of integrity and professionalism provide us that trust.If you are looking for a great home watch company this is the one!” — SN, Wayzata
“Snowy Owl has done a great job of making sure that everything on their considerable checklist gets checked off. We had issues with our timed lights and the crew went the extra mile even loaning personal equipment to ensure our lights work when we are not there.” — JB, Edina
“We have had Snowy Owl watch over our home twice now. Working with Tamara has been very easy. She is very professional: knowledgeable about what is needed to keep a home safe and secure, and about how to avoid preventable disasters. She is very reliable and sent us reports about services provided and the condition of our home. We found it very reassuring to know that our house was in her good hands while were away. Snowy Owl provided us with a needed service: While family and neighbors are glad to keep an eye on our house if asked to do so, it is an extra burden as they go about their busy lives. We prefer to shift that responsibility to Snowy Owl, secure in the knowledge that our home will be protected with Tamara’s consistent and reliable attention.” — RR, St. Louis Park
"Snowy Owl has been watching our home for the past several months while we were working remotely from out of state. Tamara has always been extremely reliable, efficient, and accommodating. She made sure everything was fine inside and outside the house––and she even watered the plants! In the few instances where there was an issue with the house (e.g. low battery in smoke alarms), she promptly notified me and fixed the issue. I am very grateful that I found such a trustworthy and reliable person to give me peace of mind when I'm not home! I highly recommend this service."
— JR, Golden Valley
"For me personally Snowy Owl Home Watch has been a lifesaver, or more appropriately, home saver.
My work has required me to be out of state for long periods of time. Just knowing the professionalism of the owner and company, and their efficiency , has given me tremendous comfort. Tamara not only secures and protects my residence while I’m away, but takes note of things that need to be repaired or maintained, and areas for improvement.
All invaluable. I could not recommend Snowy Owl Home Watch more.”
— HG, St. Louis Park
"Having Snowy Owl Home Watch check out our home every week brings us great peace of mind. We are snow birds wishing to avoid the Minnesota winters and reduce the worries of an unoccupied home. Tamara Nugteren does so much more than just check the inside and outside of our house. She is current with all the recommendations and standards to ensure the safety and maintenance of houses and helps us comply with these best practices. We are happy to use her extra services, such as arranging appointments for pest control, furnace installation and inspections. She is thorough, responsive, honest, and professional. We highly recommend her services.” — IG, St. Louis Park
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