Top 5 ways to find House Sit Assignments

House Sitter 101: Where to find a House Sit Assignment

So you want to try your hand at being a house sitter – but don’t know where to start? There are multiple options, and the list below summaries the Top 5 options:

Option 1: Family, Neighbours & Friends

There’s probably no better way to start your house sitting career, than offering to house sit for Family, Neighbours or Friends. Make it known that you’re available to house sit, and hopefully it won’t be long before one of them takes you up on your offer.

Option 2: On-line Classifieds or Forums

Probably the hardest, is to use on-line classified platforms (like Craigslist) to tout or search for business. You can post an ad for your house sitting services, or alternatively, search for homeowners advertising for a house sitter.
Another option is to use Expat forums in the country you’re interested in.

Option 3: Create a Website

You can set up a website or blog to advertise your services. This is a useful tool if you want to be a full-time house sitter, but when you’re first starting out, it’s a big commitment.

Whilst the above 3 are valid options, it’d probably be difficult sustaining a house sitting career from them alone, although they’re definitely good supplementary tools to use with the following options:

Option 4: House Sitting Agencies

Theses agencies manage a pool of house sitters and drive the assignment process. Homeowners are charged a daily rate for the house sitting services, plus additional charges for animal care, chores and daily food allowance.
You can register with the Agency, and if accepted as a house sitter, they’ll help guide you through the assignment process, and act as the go-between. The home owner pays the agency, and the agency pays the house sitter.

Option 5: House Sitting Listing Services

Listing services are an online platform that brings homeowners and house sitters together. Homeowners can advertise their house sitting assignment, and also search through house sitter profiles to find the ideal temporary resident for their home. Whilst house sitters can post their profiles to advertise their services, and also search through available house sitting assignments.
These assignments are usually unpaid, but depending on the arrangement, the homeowner may pay for certain tasks/jobs to be completed, or house sitters may be asked to pay for certain utilities.
Although Listing Services offer information to both house sitters and homeowners, there is nobody playing the “Agent” role, and it’s important that both sides of the partnership are informed about the process, and make agreements with clear expectations.