Homegrown business celebrates 5 years

Sara and Ed Manochio moved to Maricopa from their home state of New Jersey in 2007 as abandoned homes popping up in cities across the country became a telltale sign of the economic downtown.

Sara recalled what they saw as they drove along the streets of Maricopa.

“We saw a lot of empty houses and a lot of weeds and wondered if anyone was home,” she said.

What started out as misfortune for those who lost their homes in Maricopa — the fastest-growing community in the country in the early 2000s — turned into a burgeoning business for the Manochios when those empty houses were bought up by investors and out-of-state residents seeking a good deal in a down market.

Maybe out-of-state homeowners needed someone to do landscape maintenance and keep an eye on their property, the couple wondered.

Anyone Home? is celebrating five years in business and in today’s strengthening market the Manochios have more than 60 regular clients and are expanding their business with the help of their 27-year-old daughter, Alaina, and 24-year-old son Jordan.

“I have been turning new customers away due to lack of space in our schedule,” Sara said. “Alaina will be taking over our current house-watch customers and will be available to service new clients.”

As part of the expansion, the company is providing concierge services including stocking refrigerators and pantries, picking up mail and light housekeeping. 

The Manochios moved to Maricopa after Ed was laid off from his job at a trucking company in New Jersey.

They had relatives living in Mesa and found a house they could rent in Tortosa while Ed applied for jobs in the Valley. They now own a home in Tortosa.

None of the jobs Ed applied for came close in pay to what he made back East. “They wanted to pay $9 or $10 an hour for a job that paid $23 an hour in New Jersey.”