House sitting is an awesome way to save money while traveling, but you might be wondering if house sitting is for you. This post will cover 8 questions you should ask yourself before becoming a house sitter.
House sitting provides a unique opportunity to see new places at a slower pace than traditional travel. You get the benefit of an entire apartment or house without having to pay for accommodation.
Even though housesitting is an awesome option for most people, it might not be right for every traveler. Before signing up for an awesome house sitting site like TrustedHouseSitters, ask yourself these eight questions to make sure house sitting is the best fit for you!
Just joining in? Not sure what I’m talking about? Check out my overview guide to house sitting first.
Do you have very strict dates when you want to travel?
It is easy to find an awesome house sit if your travel dates are flexible. House sits can be one night long or several months long. Some hosts list their home months in advance and others need someone in the next two days.
If you are flexible with your travel dates, you are more likely to land that awesome flat in Barcelona or the seaside Italian villa.
Do you have a very specific place you want to travel to?
When I first began researching housesitting, I really wanted to find a sit in Costa Rica. I had just gotten back from a trip with my dad and I loved it. I wanted more!
Unfortunately, after weeks of refreshing the house sitting website, only a few Costa Rican house sits were listed and none of them were quite what I was looking for. It is much easier to find your ideal sit if you have a large area you are willing to travel to.
Will you be working online while house sitting?
If you plan to work online while house sitting, it is imperative that you ask about the internet speed at your house sit. And don’t just ask if it is good – ask your host to run a speed test and get some numbers.
It would be bad news to arrive at a month-long house sit planning to work, only to learn that the internet won’t support your needs. Do not consider house sits without internet reliable internet if you are planning to work online.
Will you want to spend nights away from your house sit?
You host is most likely going to expect that you stay at the house sit every night. If you want to do an excursion to another city or stay overnight at a friends house, plan to do it before or after your scheduled house sit.
Do you like animals?
Almost all homeowners expect you to look after their home and their pets. The pets should be one of the best parts of the job!
You should be comfortable caring for animals and able to handle their needs, including feeding, walking, litter box cleaning, etc. If you don’t enjoy animals, this probably wouldn’t be the best fit.
Will you be traveling with a car?
And if not, are you comfortable being car-less or renting one if the owner doesn’t provide one? While some sits are great for people without cars, other sits will specify that a car is very helpful or even essential. Depending on where you want to sit, a car can help or hurt your chances.
Are you okay with managing household duties during your stay?
You will actually have to take care of this person’s house, including a deep clean at the end of your stay (if you want a five-star review). Expect your household chores when house sitting to be about the same as they are back home.
Read more about how to earn 5-star reviews as a house sitter here!
Are you traveling alone or with a companion?
Traveling as a couple or as two friends has benefits beyond the good company. In the event that one person has an emergency, the other can stay at the house sit and take care of the animals.
If you have two house sits back to back and the first homeowner’s flight gets delayed, one of you can stay at house sit number one and the other can go on to house sit number two on time.
Though it isn’t necessary, there are benefits to having two people. I’ve house sat as part of a pair and solo. Both were great experiences but the way I searched for sits was different when I was on my own.
As a solo house sitter, I avoided very remote or isolated sits and I looked for listings that were with cats or only one dog so I could manage the responsibilities myself. I also picked sits closer to city centers so I had more chances to go out and meet friends abroad.
What do you think? Is house sitting a good option for you? Let me know in the comments below.
