This article is about what is House Sitting and how to find one.
Traveling, both nationally and internationally, can add up with accommodation costs nearly always being the most expensive. A great way to get rid of those costs all together is by house sitting.
With house sitting you’ll be able to relax in a home instead of a small hotel room and will find all of the comforts of your own house or apartment, including a TV, full bathroom and kitchen.
As exciting as this can be, there are a few things you should know about house sitting and how to sit for your first time.
To help you out, here’s our guide on how to house sit around the world for the first time and get free accommodations while you travel.
This idea has been around for a few decades now and is slowly gaining popularity with travelers of all ages.
At first, it was a good way for those of retirement age to see the world without having to pay a lot of money for hotel and resort accommodations.
It has since grown into a popular way for everyone to travel, homeowners included. House sitting also allows pets to stay home in their own environment when their owners are away, making the need for kenneling almost nonexistent.
There are a few to choose from, with the most popular choices being HouseCarers, TrustedHouseSitters, and MindMyHouse.
These three choices have been around for a long time and each is backed by a large number of rave reviews from both homeowners and house sitters.
To join one of these sites, you simply pay a fee and then fill out a profile. But before doing this, you can browse a list of all of the available houses sits around the world, giving you a better idea of the selection available.
The easiest way to figure this out is to answer the questions found below:
The first one is Are you looking for a country house sit or one in a city?
Second is are you looking for a house sit within the US or one internationally?
Third, are you looking to be in a cold climate or a warm one?
Fourth, are you looking to sit during the summer or another season?
Fifth, how long of a house sit do you want to complete, a weekend, a week, or more?
Sixth, are you okay with watching someone’s dogs and cats, or do you prefer one over the other?
Seventh, are you looking to take care of farm animals?
Eighth, do you like birds?
Ninth, are you okay with yard work (mowing, pulling weeds, tending to a garden)?
Tenth, do you prefer a house, condo, townhouse, or an apartment/flat?
Eleventh, are you traveling in an RV and need a place to park it?
Twelfth, are you willing to walk a dog or take on hikes?
Thirteenth, are you willing to administer medications if needed?
Fourteen, Are you willing to pay for utilities if the house sit is longer and the owner requests it?
All of the above questions are very important. After answering each, you should have a pretty good understanding of what type of house sit you’re looking for. Also what’s best for your spouse or family if you’re planning to house sit with them.
If you’re planning a long vacation, then a long term house sit may be the way to go. Longer terms also work great for those who work from home or those who are retired.
If traveling with a large family or pets of your own, a short house-sitting maybe your best bet.
Also, sometimes it’s best to choose a short one for your first time sitting, just to work yourself into it and to make sure that it’s right for you.
Some people love to house sit, while sometimes others will find that it’s not for them and that the responsibility isn’t to their liking and that they rather stay in a hotel.
First off, with each house sitting website that you join, you’ll have to fill out a bio complete with questions and answers about yourself and a handful of pictures.
This bio, as long as you fill it out completely, will give each homeowner a good sense of who you are, which is extremely important.
When you’ve selected your house sitting, you’ll email the owner through the website stating your interest. In this email, you’ll want to summarize what your bio is all about and then you’ll want to include a resume as well.
Instead, you’ll want to craft a new ‘resume’ that outlines and highlights your rental history (or homeownership) and any pet experience that you have.
As far as your rental history goes, include your current landlord and/or past landlords as reference. If needed, friends and family members might work as well.
If you’ve ever had a pet (or currently do) or have worked with animals in any capacity, you’ll want to include that as well.
Essentially what you’re doing is creating a paper that suggests that you are a great fit for each particular assignment.
With that in mind, DON’T copy and paste and send the same resume to each house sit if applying for more than one at a time. The worst thing that you can do is come off as impersonal.
If you’re still waiting for a house sit, don’t feel shy to apply for another one in the meantime. There is wrongdoing by applying for as many as you want. The important thing is that you settle on the one that fits your needs and wants the best.
Read More Here
Also, once you’ve been chosen for a house sit, it’s best to have a phone or Skype conversation with the homeowner before you start your assignment. That way you’ll know that they are in fact a real homeowner and the posting is not a scam (which is very unlikely, to begin with).
Traveling, both nationally and internationally, can add up with accommodation costs nearly always being the most expensive. A great way to get rid of those costs all together is by house sitting.
With house sitting you’ll be able to relax in a home instead of a small hotel room and will find all of the comforts of your own house or apartment, including a TV, full bathroom and kitchen.
As exciting as this can be, there are a few things you should know about house sitting and how to sit for your first time.
To help you out, here’s our guide on how to house sit around the world for the first time and get free accommodations while you travel.
What is house sitting
House sitting is simply put, caring for another’s house and/or pets in exchange for free accommodation.This idea has been around for a few decades now and is slowly gaining popularity with travelers of all ages.
At first, it was a good way for those of retirement age to see the world without having to pay a lot of money for hotel and resort accommodations.
It has since grown into a popular way for everyone to travel, homeowners included. House sitting also allows pets to stay home in their own environment when their owners are away, making the need for kenneling almost nonexistent.
How do you find a house sit opportunity
Though there is a bit of word of mouth house sitting in small towns, most people find their house sitting opportunities through established house sitting websites.There are a few to choose from, with the most popular choices being HouseCarers, TrustedHouseSitters, and MindMyHouse.
These three choices have been around for a long time and each is backed by a large number of rave reviews from both homeowners and house sitters.
To join one of these sites, you simply pay a fee and then fill out a profile. But before doing this, you can browse a list of all of the available houses sits around the world, giving you a better idea of the selection available.
How to pick the right house sitting for you
While a homeowner is concerned about picking the right house sitter for their home and pets, you should be concerned with picking the right house sit for your needs.The easiest way to figure this out is to answer the questions found below:
The first one is Are you looking for a country house sit or one in a city?
Second is are you looking for a house sit within the US or one internationally?
Third, are you looking to be in a cold climate or a warm one?
Fourth, are you looking to sit during the summer or another season?
Fifth, how long of a house sit do you want to complete, a weekend, a week, or more?
Sixth, are you okay with watching someone’s dogs and cats, or do you prefer one over the other?
Seventh, are you looking to take care of farm animals?
Eighth, do you like birds?
Ninth, are you okay with yard work (mowing, pulling weeds, tending to a garden)?
Tenth, do you prefer a house, condo, townhouse, or an apartment/flat?
Eleventh, are you traveling in an RV and need a place to park it?
Twelfth, are you willing to walk a dog or take on hikes?
Thirteenth, are you willing to administer medications if needed?
Fourteen, Are you willing to pay for utilities if the house sit is longer and the owner requests it?
All of the above questions are very important. After answering each, you should have a pretty good understanding of what type of house sit you’re looking for. Also what’s best for your spouse or family if you’re planning to house sit with them.
Should you pick a house sit that’s short term or long term
To answer this question, you have to take a good look at how long you want to be in the same area in someone else’s house.If you’re planning a long vacation, then a long term house sit may be the way to go. Longer terms also work great for those who work from home or those who are retired.
If traveling with a large family or pets of your own, a short house-sitting maybe your best bet.
Also, sometimes it’s best to choose a short one for your first time sitting, just to work yourself into it and to make sure that it’s right for you.
Some people love to house sit, while sometimes others will find that it’s not for them and that the responsibility isn’t to their liking and that they rather stay in a hotel.
How to apply for a house sit
Once you’ve picked out your chosen house sit/s, the next step is the application.First off, with each house sitting website that you join, you’ll have to fill out a bio complete with questions and answers about yourself and a handful of pictures.
This bio, as long as you fill it out completely, will give each homeowner a good sense of who you are, which is extremely important.
When you’ve selected your house sitting, you’ll email the owner through the website stating your interest. In this email, you’ll want to summarize what your bio is all about and then you’ll want to include a resume as well.
What should your house sit resume include
As you’ll be watching over someone’s house and property as well as their pets, it won’t make any sense to use your typical work resume or CV.Instead, you’ll want to craft a new ‘resume’ that outlines and highlights your rental history (or homeownership) and any pet experience that you have.
As far as your rental history goes, include your current landlord and/or past landlords as reference. If needed, friends and family members might work as well.
If you’ve ever had a pet (or currently do) or have worked with animals in any capacity, you’ll want to include that as well.
Essentially what you’re doing is creating a paper that suggests that you are a great fit for each particular assignment.
With that in mind, DON’T copy and paste and send the same resume to each house sit if applying for more than one at a time. The worst thing that you can do is come off as impersonal.
Waiting for the green light on a house sitting assignment
Depending on how long it takes for the homeowners to respond, it can take a few days to a few weeks to hear back from your potential house sit. This can be due to a number of reasons:- A large number of applicants to sort through
- The house sit date is a ways away, making the homeowner feel anything but rushed
- The house sit is a various dates house sit where the start and end date have not yet been confirmed
If you’re still waiting for a house sit, don’t feel shy to apply for another one in the meantime. There is wrongdoing by applying for as many as you want. The important thing is that you settle on the one that fits your needs and wants the best.
Read More Here
Also, once you’ve been chosen for a house sit, it’s best to have a phone or Skype conversation with the homeowner before you start your assignment. That way you’ll know that they are in fact a real homeowner and the posting is not a scam (which is very unlikely, to begin with).
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