Unlocking House Sitting Opportunities: Your Guide to Success
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It’s Simple to Secure House Sitting Gigs — Here’s How
Your profile could be the deciding factor.
Back in 2017, while we were in Canada preparing for a life of full-time travel by selling our belongings, we received a lot of advice on how to navigate our upcoming journey.
As if they had all the answers.
During a dinner with friends, we mentioned that we had registered on a house sitting platform.
> “Oh, nobody ever gets those jobs,” one friend confidently declared, “it’s impossible.”
With a smile that masked my annoyance, I replied, “Well, we’ve signed up, and there’s no harm in trying.”
Despite the skepticism, we didn’t let it dampen our spirits too much. We figured having an online profile was better than having none.
We persisted.
Upon signing up, I discovered we could select countries where we wanted to house sit and receive email alerts when opportunities arose. We aimed for South America, so I opted for all those countries to stay informed.
A few gigs appeared, but the timing was off as we weren’t quite ready; we still needed to sell our house and belongings. However, I kept an eye on potential opportunities for the future.
About six weeks after we joined, well before we were set to leave, we received a message from a woman in Costa Rica who loved our profile and wanted us to house sit for her for four months.
She reached out in April, requesting us for September.
However, we were both tied up with summer jobs (Chris was landscaping, and I was painting houses). I knew we couldn’t finish selling the house and complete our work in time.
I felt disappointed as I explained our situation to her. This seemed like the ideal opportunity for us.
Yet, she suggested she could find someone to cover the first two months if we could handle the last two.
This meant we needed to be in Costa Rica by November.
After discussing it with Chris, we decided to seize the opportunity. Until that moment, we hadn’t established a concrete timeline for selling everything and setting off on our adventure.
Having a fixed date motivated us to accomplish our goals.
Suddenly, our grand journey felt tangible! We had a destination and a plan, and excitement filled the air!
If you’re curious about the house where we had our first house sitting experience, click below!
Since our time in Costa Rica, we have successfully house sat in numerous countries. It turns out, securing these gigs isn’t as challenging as we thought!
Lesson learned: don’t let the naysayers discourage you!
We’ve received many offers from homeowners just as we did that first time. Some worked out, while others were too far away, but the key takeaway is that they sought us out.
Somehow, they found us, reviewed our profile, and decided we would be a good fit for their house sit.
Thus, I emphasize that your profile page is crucial in presenting yourself as a house sitter!
When I created ours, I made sure to include every detail and added photos of our pets and home, allowing homeowners to see who they were considering.
Now, we also include links to our website, social media, and our YouTube channel, providing a comprehensive view of who we are. Additionally, we showcase reference letters from previous house sits.
All this information gives homeowners a clear understanding of our character and intentions.
The more details you provide, the more appealing you become.
Why Do We Adore House Sitting?
Securing house sitting positions is our primary objective in our nomadic lifestyle. These gigs allow us to unwind in comfortable environments while focusing on our online work. Plus, it’s a cost-free accommodation option (though it’s wise to read the fine print, as some listings may require a monthly fee).
It’s delightful to settle into a fully equipped home, complete with appliances, internet, furniture, and, most importantly, pets!
Pets truly are the highlight of house sitting! We love interacting with various animals and discovering their unique personalities. They add variety to our routine and joy to our lives.
Being responsible for them keeps us grounded at home, but we appreciate this. It provides a reason to relax and escape the hustle and bustle of constant travel.
Sometimes, we crave these restful periods.
House sitting also offers a wonderful opportunity to immerse ourselves in local neighborhoods. It’s not like staying in a hotel. We become part of the communities we find ourselves in, which is always enlightening and engaging.
We’ve enjoyed every location we’ve house sat in, with only one negative experience (fleeing the civil war in Nicaragua), and I’m confident we will continue house sitting for many years to come.
If you're considering house sitting, several websites cater to this need. We primarily use Housecarers, which has met our requirements. I must note that their website isn’t the most user-friendly, but it serves its purpose.
Our profile link is below; if you decide to join the platform through our link, we will receive a small commission.
House sitting opportunities are available across the globe!
It’s an excellent way to travel, and we can’t recommend it highly enough. If you have any questions about house sitting, feel free to reach out. I’ll do my best to assist you.
Thank you for reading, and safe travels!
xo Jill
Interested in following our travels? Check out the weekly wrap-ups I post on Weeds & Wildflowers:
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Hi there! We are Jill and Chris from Artistic Voyages, two Canadians who have embraced a nomadic lifestyle since 2017, exploring diverse countries and cultures firsthand. We’ve now spent over two years on the African continent!
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