About Home Halo and this blog

My name is Kevin Coulter. I am the founder and president of Home Halo, Inc., a home watch and concierge company that specializes in watching, caring for, and servicing the vacation home.

Caring for over 100 million dollars worth of vacation property and checking properties more than 5000 times since we started, I have gained valuable knowledge that I wanted to share with others. This blog includes everything involved in owning a vacation home, from keeping up with the pest control so the spiders do not take over, to keeping your septic system working properly when you are gone, to the hot fishing photos(everybody likes a good fishing story). Hope you enjoy, and if you have an experience that I have not listed, please comment.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

101 Things That Can Go Wrong When You Are Gone!

It's truly amazing what can go wrong when you are gone. This is a small list of problems we have caught before they grew into a major insurance claims (for more details visit our website). With our home watch service and our preventative maintenance program, we can catch small issues before they turn into major problems or prevent them from happening altogether.

Getting The Boat Ready For Winter

Oh yes--it's that time of year again. Time to start thinking about putting the boat away and pulling out the camo! Not only can we help with getting the boat cleaned up and winterized, but we can also help you store it for the winter if you don't have a place of your own. And for all the die-hard fisherman, we know the boat doesn't go into storage until the oar can't break through the ice! Some of the best fishing is when the ice starts to skim over the lakes.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Tree Down!

The last thing you want to do when you come up to the cabin after a busy week is get the chainsaw running and cut up a big oak tree! Don't worry. We'll have it cut up and hauled away before you arrive.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Raspberry Jam Anyone?

Another great pastime at the cabin! August is the time for raspberries. You don't have to look very hard to find them. This patch is alongside our customers driveway! If you can't make it up to the cabin in time to get the fresh berries, we can pick them for you and freeze them until you arrive.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Keep Tree Debris Out Of Landscaped Areas

It is very important to keep tree and yard debris out of landscaped areas. Neglecting this task can cause the debris to turn to organic dirt over time, making it easier for the weeds to get established. Plus, it always looks nice to keep things clean around the yard.


Moving assistance

Home Halo offers a variety of concierge services as well, including moving assistance. We are always sad to see customers move, but if they do, we'll be there to help!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Deer And Rabbits Stay Away, And Don't Come Back Another Day

Ok, we all want beautiful blooming flowers at the cabin all summer long. To accomplish this all you need to do is keep the deer and rabbits away(and maybe the pesky neighbor dog). This is easier said than done. Being an avid gardener and paying close attention to what the deer and rabbits like and dislike I know what works and what doesn't. Check out our website for tips and tricks on how to have a head turning flower garden at the cabin.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Weedy Beach (before)


It doesn't take long for a beach in Minnesota to be overtaken by weeds! Beaches need regular maintenance to prevent them looking like this. If you aren't around to clean your beach yourself, Home Halo can do it for you!

Clean Beach (after weeding)

Here is the same beach, maintenanced by Home Halo, after raking, weeding, pulling, collecting, and hauling away debris. Beautiful!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Send Me A Picture Of Our Remodel Project!

Remodeling the cabin and want to see the progress? No problem, we now have the ability to send pictures and video of the construction progress.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Grandpa and Grandma

Long time cabin owners, my grandparents, discussing memories at the lake.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Cabin Show


The Lake Home And Cabin Show was a great success for us and thank you for everyone that stopped by! For those that guessed the bobbers in the vase the amount was 181. We actually had a guess that was exactly that amount (must have been an insider)!

April Fools!

The snow was almost gone and then came mother natures April fools joke! Almost a foot of heavy wet snow that covered every limb on every tree. Spring is going to have to wait.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

March Snow Storm

Is this it for snow? Is spring right around the corner? Not so fast, 10 below zero last night and over 6 inches of new snow yesterday. Great for snow shoeing, bad for boating.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Ice Dams On Roof


Some years are worse than others depending on how much snow we get. This year seems to be the year for ice dams on the roof. With all the snow we've been getting and now rain in February, you find out pretty quickly where the problem areas are on your roof.

Ice dams are usually caused by lack of insulation in the attic and can cause major problems with water leaking into the home. When temperatures are cold, your home's attic should be the same temperature as the outside temperature. With inadequate insulation, heat can escape out the top of the attic (hot spots), creating melting on the roof. When the snow melts, it runs down to the bottom of the roof where there is no heat and the water refreezes causing an ice dam.

Solution: Call your area insulation contractor (www.reliable-insulation.com) and have them inspect the home for heat escape. They have the right tools and knowledge to help solve the problem. Not only can they help solve the heat loss, but they may also help cut your heating bill by up to 30 percent!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Home Halo ad

An ad for Home Halo.
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Home Halo TV ad


An ad we ran on local cable.
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Home Halo on Fox 9


Home Halo on Minneapolis local news.
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Spider Webs On House

This home is only one year old and already is covered with cob webs. A good pest control company can almost eliminate the spiders from making a home on your house.

A Good Idea To Turn Off Your Water

Garage doors do mysteriously open when you're out of town and it is 35 below zero on Christmas Eve. This stuff really does happen. Not a bad idea to shut the water off when you leave.