Our Top Tips for New House Sitters

Over the years some of our house sitters have been kind enough to share some top tips for new house sitters, or things you wish you had known before starting housesitting. In the spirit of sharing the recommendations of experienced house sitters in our community we offer the following tips, collected directly from our community. Read on to learn more.

Our top tips for new house sitters

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Top Tips for new House Sitters from Beverley Smith

Nearly all the housesits that are available through housesitting platforms involve the care of pets. So you must love animals and be ready to care for them, walk the dogs, feed all the animals and so on. It is vital you are at home with this. And be sure to check all the animals in the home, so you are prepared. It can be a real joy to discover a new location, in the company of friendly pets for company.

The most important tips for house sitters

First things first – before starting your housesitting journey or travels you need to prepare by thinking through a number of decisions you will need to make ahead of time.

For how long do you want to housesit?

Consider the length of time you want to go housesitting. Some people want to try it for a week or two as an active holiday. Whereas at the opposite end of the spectrum there are housesitters who want to begin a housesitting lifestyle, and plan on doing back to back housesits for a longer duration of time. Think about what you want and then decide how to go about starting by considering the following options –

• Housesitting for one week or two at a time – Trying housesitting by sampling this lifestyle for a week or two allows you to explore new locations, perhaps to simply have a change of scene or explore a new area.
• Taking a few months to travel by housesitting – Housesitting is a great way to travel on a fixed budget and can enable you to discover a new location in some depth by living as a local.
• Housesitting life style with back to back housesits – Likely you will need to join more than one housesitting platform to ensure you get access to as many housesitting opportunities as possible. You will also need to decide where and how far you are interested in travelling for housesitting assignments.

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Top Tips for new House Sitters from Debbie Sakal

As a house sitter you need to understand how much energy and effort it can take moving every week or every couple of weeks. Constantly moving is hard work. Also not having the security of a home base can be unsettling but it can work. It just takes planning and being extremely organised; on the plus side it can save you a lot of money on accommodation.

Where would you like to housesit?

Many of our house sitters start out by housesitting locally first, for friends or relatives. In fact this is one of the regular top tips for new house sitters. Start locally where you might know either the people or the area.

• Housesit locally to get started – This is what we always recommend and what our experienced housesitters often suggest as a good way to learn the protocols of housesitting and petsitting.
• Housesit further afield but in your own country – Once you feel you understand the routines and approach needed in home and pet care in housesitting, consider travelling further away from home but still in your own country.
• Housesit internationally for a greater adventure overseas – For those with an adventurous streak and a desire to travel further housesitting can be a great way to get around. The homeowners are often excellent guides to their local area to help you discover new and interesting places to visit. Be sure you have at least 6 months on your passport, and an appropriate visa.  There is no house sitting visa. so likely you will secure a tourist visa for your travel. Be sure you understand the requirements and what it allows you to do in this new country. If you travel internationally you will also need to have the address and contact details of your hosts to hand as you cross international borders. You may well be asked such details and you should be ready.

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Do you join a housesitting platform?

Some people like the security and guidance offered by joining and being part of the community offered by a housesitting platform. This is one of the top tips for new house sitters offered by experienced sitters. But what kind of housesitting platform should you join? What could that service offer? Here are some of the services to look for in a good housesitting platform:

• Check if it is paid for housesitting platform, if it requires an annual payment there should be help to get you started.
• Is there ID checking at registration for all members to ensure the site is secure?
• What about Background checking for house sitters? If this is not available through the site you might consider securing an up to date check.
• Does the site offer any assistance and guides in profile building?
• Does the platform offer the ability for you to add references to your profile to make it easier to get started?
• Will the site allow you to view the member profiles and reviews before applying for a housesit?
• Will you earn reviews for each housesit you complete to be published on your profile?

Are you happy to care for pets and animals during the housesit?

One of the most important tips for new house sitters is that you are honest about whether or not you like pets, and are happy to live with pets in the home. This is largely why homeowners want you to housesit for them, to move into their  home and to care for the property and pets. So a love of animals is a priori so to speak. Most housesitters have either had their own pets for years, or missing having pets at home or have volunteered at a pet shelter. So a little experience with animals can count a great deal towards your being chosen by the homeowner you apply to.

Top Tips for new House Sitters from Liz Edge

Be careful not to fall in love with the pets you care for. And try to arrive at least the day before you start the housesit so the home and pet owner can show you how everything works and preferably have it all written down.  Being there a day or so earlier also means it gives the pets time to get to know you.

And what about cameras, are you happy to have them turned on at the property while you are resident?

It is a perfectly fair question to ask if there are security cameras on the property, ask to learn where they are located both inside and out. Any property that has cameras on the outside of the property usually has a notification, so this is a fair question to ask your homeowners.

Top Tips for new House Sitters from Kymberly Wilborn

If I have some top tips for new house sitters they would be – you should feel comfortable asking if there are hidden cameras inside. You should also feel comfortable asking if you can see the room where you will be staying it can help you decide whether or not to accept the assignment. Such open conversations will help to minimise any surprises and reduce the risk of a change of heart on either side.

Preparing for a housesit and what you need to know

If you have interviewed the homeowners, and they have also asked you all their questions, you are both happy with the decision to match on this housesit there will be information that is useful to you personally as the housesitter. Be sure to ask these detailed questions and to note the information for your own use and preparation just in case.

Top Tips for new House Sitters from Bragi Jonsson

As I do not drive in some countries outside of my native Iceland I need to know about public transport, especially if the housesit is not in a town with built-in public transport routes. So one of top tips for new house sitters is ask where are the local shops as well as the bus and train stations and also where you should go if you have a medical situation. I travel on my own so this is essential in case of an emergency. Others might find this too.

Learn about the local area, amenities and local friends

One of the top tips for new house sitters which many forget to ask is what is the local area like, and what is it famous for. And are there local attractions the area is known for and perhaps others off the beaten track that you as a house sitter might enjoy? And what if you need to find out something if the homeowner is uncontactable? Is there a local contact? Some homeowners take a little extra time to show you around and introduce you to neighbours.

Top Tips for new House Sitters from Angela Smith

One of the things I wish I had considered on my first housesit was is there a car available and if there is a friend I could reach out to if the homeowner is not reachable. On my second housesit it was pretty easy, because we were in a very central location and so didn’t need a car, and the homeowner introduced us to a couple of local friends which was very helpful.

Understand the terms of the housesit and what is expected of you as the house sitter

One of the most important top tips for new house sitters is to be really sure you understand what is required of you when housesitting. This include the outside dates of the housesit, the times you need to be in the home and what the pet need. Sometimes a housesit agreement can help you ensure you have all the details you need. If the housesitting platform doesn’t offer one make sure you pull one together with the homeowners to be sure you both know what is expected.

Top Tips for new House Sitters from Alex Walker

The most important of the top tips for new house sitters is make sure you understand what the homeowner wants of you and what you are agreeing to. Writing it down helps. Get the dates agreed, the pet care clarified, and your hours in the home clearly written out so you know. It’s easy after that because both parties have agreed the terms of the exchange of services and everyone is happy.