Is House Sitting Right for Me?
We are Trusted House Sitter Members. We exchange our services to watch members pets and keep their home clean and occupied while they are away, in exchange for free accommodations. All exchanges are different, some homes are large, others small, some in great locations, while other in unexpected and more remote locations. Some will come with a vehicle and others not. Some with a lot of pets and others none. So don’t be fooled by the name.
Many members find that their animals are most comfortable staying in a familiar space, and they feel better having someone in their home to deter theft and looters. Especially if they are away for 2 weeks or more.
But the Question is, Is Housesitting right for me?
There are a few things to consider.
Cost: House sitting through Trusted House Sitters means you need a membership. This is a paid membership service. Both the house sitter and homeowner must pay an annual membership fee to use the service. There is a basic, standard, and premium plan to choose from for sitters. However, all give you the ability to be a sitter. The plans range from €119-€239 annually. If you want airport lounge passes, a badge, insurances, and dedicated support, go for the premium plan. We find the basic one suitable for our needs.
Why do so many people say that they got accommodation for free when there is an annual membership fee? Probably because after your first house sit is complete, there are no additional costs related to accommodations and it feels free. Its best to look at it like a gym membership. The more you use it, the more value you get and the lower your nightly rate (or visit to the gym). But if you let your membership sit there unused, the less value it has.
It works the same way for Pet/Homeowners. The more or longer you travel, the more value you will get out of a membership. The annual cost for a Pet Parent is the same, €119-€239 annually.
So, is the price worth it? It depends. If you are only able to provide your services for 2 weeks annually. This is probably not for you. But if you are flexible with your availability and can schedule multiple sits annually and enjoy spending time with animals and taking things slow. This may be great.
My recommendation is that unless you have 30-60 days annually to dedicate to housesitting. This isn’t the platform for you.
Due to the high cost of pet care, that number is lower for home/pet owners. My recommendation is 3 weeks annually.
Responsibility:
You didn’t think that you got a free place to stay in exchange for nothing did you? Well get that out of your head right now. Think of this as a barter exchange. However, the number one rule is that money isn’t exchanged.
The responsibilities associated with each house sit are specific and thus laid out in each posting. Here is where you find out how many pets, what is needed to care for them and how to maintain the house. Make sure to read every posting to ensure you are up for the task. The more detail the better to ensure expectations are clear. Be cautions of listings with little listed responsibilities. Listings typically mention how often a dog needs to be walked, if the animal is allowed outside, the feeding schedule and how long the animal can be left alone. This is where you can determine if you have enough time to explore the local area. Remember that you will take longer to do any of the tasks mentioned as this is an unfamiliar space for you, it probably takes the pet owner very little time.
Responsibilities can include watering plants, on and off the property if they are extensive gardeners. Raking leaves, cleaning the pool, mowing the lawn. Caring for all types of animals such as birds, lizards, horses, sheep, goats, chickens, and sometimes even more exotic types. We have had the pleasure of sits with gardeners and ones with dead plants we were able to revive. We enjoyed both tremendously.
How does the platform work?
Before signing up, you can browse the platform to see if your interested in any sits. Please keep in mind that you can’t contact anyone until you have your account created, membership paid, and identity verified. This process takes 2-3 days. For us, the sit we wanted was gone by the time we had an active account.
Once your account is ready to go, browse it to look for listings you would like to take on. Once you have found one, submit an application explaining to the pet owner why you would be a good fit for them and why they should choose you amongst the other applicants. They may or may not get back to you depending on the number of applicants they receive. This process can be overwhelming from both sides. Don’t let this upset you. If another candidate is selected, the platform automatically notifies you. If you were lucky enough to be short listed by the pet owner, they will typically schedule a video call with you to learn more about you. This is also where you can ask more questions to see if this is a good fit for you.
Once all video calls are done, its time for the sitter to be selected. The Pet/House owner does this through the platform, and you get an official request to sit. Once you confirm, the agreement is made, and you will get a welcome package from the pet owner, the sit is confirmed, and your calendar now shows up as scheduled.
Once your sit is done, you can review the pet owner, and they can review you. This doesn’t happen automatically so, if you think you did a good job, request a review. This is what will build your profile to attract new sits. Make sure to scout for new sits ASAP, there is no need to wait until a sit is complete to schedule more. Line up as many as you can and start exploring the world. We like to do a few in the same area to keep transportation costs down and to avoid flights.
What to expect?
Now that you have successfully landed a house sit, what should you expect? Seeing as this is a relationship you would like to maintain and keep. Its good to check in to see if they are excited for their trip. Follow up with anything from the video chat and ask any additional questions you come up with before you arrive. I like to ask where they are going on their trip and provide some recommendations if I have been there. Confirm what time they expect us to arrive and what time they need us until so I can book another sit after them or book another accommodation.
Once you have agreed on when you will arrive, book any needed transportation. Most people will pick you up at the local train or bus station, but not everyone has a vehicle, so be prepared to take a bus, and walk a portion. Sometimes up a very steep hill with too much luggage. This has happened.
If the owner is there when you arrive, you will typically get walked through the house and be shown around. If not, get familiar and try to ask any questions early on. I prefer to not bug people when they’re away, however, make sure to update them about their pets. Typically, every 2 days, or more if they have requested.
Most owners will let you know which areas of the home to avoid, what not to touch and if food should be used up in their absence. We like to see what is available and work with that, so nothing gets wasted. This isn’t always possible. Some owners will leave you a little welcome gift, we have had alcohol, sweets, a full pantry and fridge of groceries, groceries to get us through the first few days and once even a few days pet free before we arrived to allow us more time to explore the city. What we have learnt is that none of this is needed but people are so gracious to know their pets are in good hands and they don’t have to worry. We are always surprised, as nothing is expected.
Once the owners have left, make yourself feel at home. Get familiar with the pets and their routine. If you haven’t already, decide what you want to see and do in the area and what groceries you need. If you work remotely, test the Wi-Fi and find a comfortable work area. This is now your space for the duration of the sit, embrace it.
At the end of the sit, make sure you aware of how the turnover will happen, will you see them in person or leave the keys with the neighbour? We typically are not there when the owner returns but will get a message upon their return to make sure everything was ok. I like to ask at this point if there was anything we could have done to improve. We like the feedback.
How can I be a successful sitter on the platform?
Your write up about yourself is key, this is where people will get to know you and have an idea of what to expect. For us, were digital nomads that work remotely and value a good Wi-Fi connection and work area. We like hiking trails, site seeing, museums, parks, and great views. People want to know why you choose to be on this platform. They don’t want to see, “I heard I can go to new places for free”. Most homeowners are very happy to open their home to travellers and like to meet new people.
The more flexible you are, the more successful you will be.
Most of all people are looking at your reviews. So, we always recommend doing a few sits in your local area before taking on international ones. This builds up your profile. However, this isn’t what we did, we decided to head to the area with the most sits available, the UK, and try to land as many as possible. This strategy worked and we got sits in Bristol, London, Edinburgh, and Dundalk Ireland. All were lined up perfectly and we didn’t need to pay for additional accommodations.
Remember to mention your history with pets, have you cared for pets, worked with animals, or have had your own pets? Are you aware of the quirks of certain breeds? Are you good with large dogs or an expert in caring for horses? Maybe sheep? The pet owner reading your profile wants to know that you have experience dealing with an animal like theirs. Maybe you’re a reptile expert. Some people fear snakes, Pitbull’s or livestock. You need to be clear on what your comfortable caring for.
When applying for a sit, be sure to mention the animals’ names and why you want this sit above all others. Separate yourself as to why you are the perfect choice. You are often competing with 3-7 other people. Be yourself and be confident that you can handle the task. This is essentially a personality match, so don’t expect to be liked by everyone.
Its important to remember that you will get a better value out of longer sits, but this also means less reviews. What’s more valuable to you?
How can I Attract House Sitters?
We are at a time when sitters get to choose where they want to go. Many people are going on vacation after the pandemic. You need to make yourself attractive to people. How long is your sit? Most people have a rule of a minimum of 2 weeks. This is to make any transportation cost worthwhile. Are you located in a popular area? If not, what’s great about your area? Maybe hiking, water views, maybe the quiet or a feature of your house such as a pool. Sitters are always looking for all types of places. Maybe offer a tour of the local area before you leave or a few days extra to stay with you before or after your trip. Some people have offered tickets to local attractions or use of their vehicle.
Remember that the more remote you are, the more the use of a vehicle becomes a necessity for groceries or any local touring. This can be a deal breaker for most international house sitters who would have already paid for a flight. Some local house sitters will have a car, but not all. Also remember that if you offer a vehicle, please mention if its automatic or manual. A manual will also limit your pool of candidates.
If you find it difficult to land a sitter. Try offering a pickup from an airport, tickets to local attractions or bus fare. Some people have offered plane tickets, but I have found this much rarer of an occurrence and typically not necessary. The competition is stiff, separate yourself.
Keep your house free of clutter, most sitters themselves are very minimalistic and value that in their space. Make sure you home is clean and tidy in your pictures and that its clean and clutter free when the sitter arrives. This will make a big difference in your review and in the enjoyment of your space.
The number of animals at the sit makes a huge difference. The more animals, the less attractive the sit. This is because sitters become worried about balancing, work, care for the animals and exploring the local area. If you have many animals to care for, sometimes you will be better suited with families who can divide up the responsibilities.
The type of animal will dictate who applies for your sit. Some people wont deal with livestock, large dogs or farm animals or reptiles. Make sure to make your listings more appealing if this is you.
Think of this as your resume, you must stand out amongst the crowd and be the place people choose. The more flexibility you have and the more your able to offer, the more likely you are to land a great person, couple, or family to house sit for you.
In Short:
House sitting is competitive. For both sitters and homeowners. It requires trial and error. Sitters will need to apply for multiple sits to land their first one. While a homeowner will need to appeal to a wide demographic of sitters. This isn’t a platform that pairs you automatically with a sitter or sit. Nor should it be. This is people’s home, and they need be comfortable having a stranger in it, taking care of their animals. This is a tedious process and quite time consuming for all parties involved. But when it works, it can be glorious.
Please don’t think of this as a booking platform, its not free accommodations, its work. It’s a job and a barter. Just because money is not involved (excluding the membership fee), doesn’t mean that you have your days free to do whatever you want. Feeding schedules, pet routines, walks, cleanings, and house maintenance take up much of your time. So, expect to only have 4-8 hours of free time. Many people have begun working from home and their pets have gotten us to the time and attention of having someone in the house for long hours. The homeowner will want you to keep this up. The more time you can spend in the home, the better.
If your good with exploring the local area at a slower pace. A few things a day. Are open to new areas, are flexible, enjoy caring for pets, and maintaining a home. You can pay for your own transportation, food, and exploration. This may be right for you.
If you are thinking of signing up, you can use our discount code to get 25% off your annual membership. Referral Code: RAF557071