Locally Owned. Personally Invested.
A Costly Lesson in “It Won’t Happen to Us”
With spring’s arrival and family visits on the horizon, we turned the water main back on—even though the house would sit empty most of the time. What we didn’t count on was the toll 25+ years can take on plumbing fixtures.
A hidden leak under the kitchen sink quietly ran for weeks. By the time we returned, the kitchen and dining room floors were flooded, warped, and riddled with mold that had crept from the crawl space up into the ceiling-height cabinets.
Not wanting to risk an insurance dispute, we absorbed the damage ourselves—over $100,000 in repairs and six months of disruption. In the end, the home was restored, but the experience taught us a painful truth: even a well-loved home can’t protect itself when no one’s there to catch problems early.
Background & Experience
Background & Experience
Before starting Sisters Home Watch, we founded and operated Buell Recreation, a successful company serving schools, cities, and community organizations throughout the Pacific Northwest providing high-quality, accessible playgrounds and outdoor recreation products. We sold our business in 2020 and moved to live full-time at Black Butte Ranch. Since then, we've focused on living more locally—while seeking opportunities to continue serving our community in meaningful ways.
Meet Doug & Jeannie
Doug brings a background rooted in service and leadership, from the U.S. Marine Corps to managing parks and recreation facilities around the world, to co-founding Buell Recreation and most recently working as a greenskeeper on the golf course at Black Butte Ranch. Jeannie’s strength in customer service, administration, and relationship-building has always ensured that every client feels heard and well supported. Together, we’ve built our reputation on trust, professionalism, and follow-through—and that’s exactly what we bring to Sisters Home Watch.
Why We’re Needed
We know how vulnerable a home can be when left unoccupied, especially in the eastern foothills of the majestic Cascade Mountains surrounded by beautiful ponderosa pine forests, where extreme weather, wildlife and water systems can cause costly damage if not caught early. Our clients choose us because we’re local, experienced and treat every property like it’s our own.
VIDEO for potential clients to view
Video providing information to second homeowners who are considering the value of having a Home Watch Professional who is certified by the National Home Watch Association contract to care for their home