All of us who share the love of travel know how valuable someone can be who is ready, willing, and capable of helping us at the Concierge Service Desk in quality hotels. Today, the concept has expanded beyond the travel sector into other service areas. These types of services help make our lives easier and allow us to spend more time doing what we enjoy.

A concierge boat service, as is found in Oldfield, allows the resident to call ahead to request that his boat be launched prior to his use. When he no longer wants to use the boat, he calls back and asks that it be put back into storage. Over the years, we have owned a number of boats and I think this would likely eliminate some of the “shouting” that accompanies the launching task. Most of us wouldn’t miss that part of water fun.

Concierge lawn services are also available to some owners, like those provided by Colleton River Plantation. Since the plantation has a number of employees working on the golf course and common areas, this is a natural expansion of those services. It takes time to develop these programs to accommodate the demand, but those who have been participating appear to be quite pleased with the service.

Absentee owners frequently need to have someone who regularly checks the house for them, calls their attention to services needed, assists them with getting repairs done, etc. This is usually done on an individual basis. These concierge services can even include picking up groceries, washing and fueling the car, etc – all for a fee.

A new concierge service is coming to our area. In exchange for an annual membership fee, the service will provide a full annual inspection of the home, checking for such things as wood rot, air conditioning efficiency, roof integrity, just to name a few. In addition, while the homeowner is not in the area, they will check the home on a regular basis. Even though there is a small up-charge for the repairs they manage, because of the volume and negotiating abilities of the service, it may actually cost less to have them complete any required work. The best part is – when there is a problem – one phone call is all that’s required.

I don’t know about you, but having a reliable and knowledgeable person looking after a property makes sense to me. This new service provider may be very important to purchasers who are buying pre-retirement, want to own a second home that is occupied only part of the year, or simply enjoy traveling. It could also be a great concept for those who prefer golfing to working on their property or waiting for a service person who may or may not appear.