How to score house-sitting gigs around the world
Experience local-style living, minus the mortgage or lease Homeowners can tap adventurous souls to mind their abode and watch their pets.
In the past four years, Toni and FFarmer have visited France, En Scotland, Wales, Spain, Switzerlan AAustralia, as well as a number of ci t the United States. For the most par haven’t paid a dime for accommoda That’s because the two decided, in retirement, to become house-sitter
They travel to the home on thei dime, then care for the property — often, pets — in exchange for the “It’s enabled us to live in places we dreamed we would get to in our life just because of the cost, and ac experience living in a culture wh not ours,” Peter says.
In 2015, the couple signed up on th Housecarers.com, which is a mat site where homeowners aroun wworld can find housesitters, who $65 annual fee. “By the time we our profile and published it, we j four house-sitting networks,” Ton It didn’t take long to fill their sch with commitments across Europe
The two sold most of their belon ings and their home in Chicag packed two suitcases each and set o ffor a house-sitting adventure, opt f for “sits” of a month or longer, when possible, so they could explore at a casuaal pace. “We’re able to travel slowly, live slowly,” Peter says.
Through sites such as Nomador.com ($ 118 per year or limited free option), TrustedHousesitters.com ($131 per year for sitters) and MindMyHouse.com ($ 26 per year), travellers can find home stays around the world, while homeowners can tap adventurous souls to mind their abode, handle a few chores aand watch their pets. If you’re looking f for an inexpensive way to travel, and don’t mind picking up a few responsibilities in exchange, here’s advice shared by the Farmers on how to get — and keep — house-sitting gigs. 1. Let people know you’re available to house- sit, and give references. Talk to friends and family and post on social house-sitting media opportunities. that you’re looking You never for know when you’ll meet someone who needs a house-sitter, says Toni, who has met homeowners on a cruise, through her network, via house-sitting sites and by referrals. She suggests signing up on a ffew house-sitting sites and including re- ferrals f from friends and employers, and eeven a background check from your lo- cal police department in your profile.
When she and Peter began, those references made up for their lack of experience. “People looked at a very stable couple and said, ‘Oh yeah, we’d want them in our house,’ “Toni says. When creating your profile, be sure to note any skills and experience you offer, such as types of pets you’ve worked with, garden and yard expertise and more. 2. Schedule a video call with the homeowners before accepting. The Farmers request to talk with prospective clients by video so they can get a vvisual tour of the house, connect with t the owners and make sure there are no surprises. “It’s a win-win situation for both of us,” Toni says. 3. Don’t be shy — ask a lot of questions. YYou’re going to be living in someone else’s house and you’re going to be responsible for it. It’s important to have some frank discussions upfront so you can establish eexpectations for both parties and banish assumptions about caring for the house, caring for the pets, communicating with one another and more.
Some questions that the Farmers uggest include: How old are the pets? y on any medications? What are bits and what would constitute haviour? If there are dogs, can around other dogs? Can they go park? How many walks do they per day? How long can the pets lone? If something happens to a th or illness), what should I do uld I let you know? What is the condition of the house, yard or ? What kind of house duties will o perform? How often (if at all) want to hear from me? Are you expecting any deliveries? Is there a webcam in your house that will be recording? Figure out your own preferand boundaries. ys it’s important to decide what willing to do and say no to situaat aren’t appealing — such as es with large yards that will remowing, unkempt homes with e animals that will need extra , rural estates that will require a car or a farm stay, if you’ve never r barnyard animals. “You really define what you want to do and ou’re capable of doing. We’ve a lot along the way and we’re very ar about the animals we take, the house we do, whether or not it’s avelling to that area,” she says. 5. Understand that this isn’t a luxury vvacation and you may need to make some sacrifices. Sure, mansions need to be looked after, too. Odds are, you’re not going to start this out with a mansion. And even if you do, you’ll be in the caretaker position. Expect to be in homes that have quirks aand may lack some of the luxuries you’re accustomed to, like a dishwasher. Or a sharp knife. Or a comfortable chair. “Not everyone has the ideal setup in the kkitchen,” Toni says. Just remember that it’s a tradeoff. You’re in a beautiful new place and you’re not paying for accommodations.
Living like a local allows you to experience different cities away from the tourist zone, and housesitting gets you as close as possible to local-style living, minus the mortgage or lease.