You may have considered housesitting as a part time job while you are studying or working at another job. Yet you may not know that housesitting can offer you much much more. Here are nine tips on how to become a house sitter. Read on to learn more about housesitting and the easy steps to get started.

9 Tips on How to Become a House Sitter

What is a house sitter?

A house sitter is some one that a home or pet owner invites into their home to care for property and pets in their absence.

Housesitters – What you need

House sitting gives you the chance to travel to new places, earn, and have a place to sleep while on the road. The practice is fast becoming the go-to option for many traveling homeowners due to the benefits it brings to the table.

Are you searching for a way to get in on this train? Here are nine tips on how you can go about becoming a house sitter.

Trusted house sitters

It is good to consider all the elements that make up a good trusted housesitting arrangement. In our opinion they would include the following:

1.      A love for pets

You must have a strong affection and way with pets before you become a house sitter. Most homeowners have these furry companions, and her hoping to find someone to care for them too. The more passionate you are with animals, the more jobs you can land online.

Pets often range from dogs to cats, fish to hamsters, lizards to birds, and more. Having one yourself or owning a farm is an extra touch.

2.      Obtain a criminal record check

Having an up to date criminal record check or background check available to show owners speeds things up. This is especially true if you are new to housesitting and don’t yet have a reference. Clients often take their time to check out potential sitters.

But presenting such documentation can help you gain their trust and become a house sitter, faster.

You can get one online via the police website or by visiting your local government building. At Housesitmatch.com when you register as a housesitter we ask you to get an up to date background check through out system. Our online facility means you can do this online no matter how far away from home you are.

3.      Sign up on a house sitting platform

You’ll need to sign up for a house-sitting platform online like Housesitmatch.com to begin your journey. Many of these websites, but reading through their reviews and services can help you decide the right fit.

4.      Create an outstanding housesitter profile

There are many house sitters out there, so you’ll need to convince homeowners that you’re suitable for the job. There’s a problem; you can’t appear before everyone to tell them how great you’d be at taking care of their homes. But your profile can achieve this feat.

This is why many home sitters have some of the best resume writing sites to prepare house-sitting resumes for them. This way, they know they are putting their best foot forward.

Trusted housesitters

Consider all the elements you will need to have and to project in your housesitter profile in order to be considered a trusted housesitter.

Housesitter profile

A profile that stands out features the following information will help you become a house sitter more readily.

• A clear picture of you.
• Your previous job and pet experiences
• The qualities you bring to the table
• Your relevant skills and qualifications
• Your passion for pets
• References

Having a unique profile can significantly improve your interview call-ups and help you to become a house sitter. Many house sitters who get assistance from top resume writing sites don’t even have to send applications anymore. Their profile and introductory messages attract homeowners to shortlist them for interviews right away.

5.      Be Flexible as you become a house sitter

It can be challenging to find homes that match your desired preferences. In unusual scenarios where homeowners of castles or extraordinary properties approach you, consider the skills you might need and if they are suitable for you as a house carer.

As you become a house sitter these decisions will become easier. It’s best to expand your search to include other criteria. For example, you are trying to find a home-sitting job within your state and having no luck.

You can broaden your search to include other nearby cities. Remember, an allure of this job is visiting new places, so it’s best not to restrict yourself to the minimum.

Your adaptability as a house sitter will help

Flexibility means more job applications as you become a house sitter. This in turn results in more house sitter references. Having great reviews or references from homeowners improves your chances of landing the best sitting gigs available.

• Animal lover and pet sitter – If you are an animal lover make that clear on your profile. It will help you become a house sitter faster, because most housesits have pet minding at their core.
• Long term house sitter – If you you have in mind specific criteria you would be happy to accept then mention them in your profile. For example if the housesitting platform allows it ask how to become a long term house sitter.
• Professional house sitter – You might also want to learn how to become a professional house sitter, but that is not always encouraged on specific platforms like HouseSit Match which are primarily focused on affordable travel. This means that no money changes hands.

6.      Sign up for email alerts

House sitting is an increasingly competitive arena. So as you become a house sitter it’s best to stay tuned to any news or alert mechanisms that tell you about great housesitting gigs. Signing up for email alerts can help you with that.

At Housesitmatch once you are registered you can sign up for automatic and immediate notification of any new housesits in countries or cities that you want. You can also filter out any pets you prefer not to care for (e.g. if you have a cat allergy). You’ll receive timely notifications of new housesits going live.

That way, you can be among the first set of house sitters to apply. You can also follow the various social media accounts of your association.

7.      Research being a local

It’s a good idea to research ample information about the community before heading out for a sitter job. Such knowledge will help you connect better with the homeowners and neighbours. You can easily find your way around the community and learn about its sights and hotspots.

Image credits:https://pixabay.com/photos/beautiful-home-garden-2826052/

8.      Housesitting jobs – Ask questions

It’s best not to make assumptions as a home sitter. It would help if you asked many questions to have an absolute understanding of what your clients expect of you. Are there any rules you should know about before committing yourself to a contract?

Can you explore the nearby area? It would be a bummer to find out you can’t go exploring after accepting an offer.

Also, trust your instincts on jobs. It’s best to decline offers that don’t sit right with you irrespective of the pay. This is an essential check for you as a you become a house sitter – have the confidence to say no.

9.      Prep yourself to manage emergencies

Consider taking a pet first aid class in the event of an emergency, it might help you if you become a house sitter for pets. Most long-term assignments also include petsitting, so you’ll have to be ready to dedicate yourself. You can sign up for a class that typically takes one day to complete.

Final thoughts on how to become a house sitter

Being a house sitter presents you the chance to explore new places and live in fabulous homes. And sometimes you may even end up getting paid for it. You’ll need to have a genuine passion for caring for pets and housekeeping.

Sign up on a home sitting website to get started. You can have resume writing sites prepare your profile and message to land an interview for your next home sitting job.

SIGN UP AS A HOME OWNER TO FIND HOUSE SITTERS 

SIGN UP AS A HOUSE SITTER TO HOUSE-SIT

Further reading about housesitting and trusted house sitters

At Housesitmatch.com we like to share useful blogs and practical advice about housesitters, housesitting and pet sitting. We hope you find this small selection of our blogs on house sitters and house sitting in London useful.

Budget travel guide Budapest – Housesitting

London calling – London house sitting

Cat sitting tourist sees London for free

What a housesitter does – Top 10 responsibilities

Top 10 tips for catsitting

Top dogsitting tips for beginners

Housesitters keep pets safe at home and save money

What a housesitter does – Top 10 responsibilities

Preparing a home for a house or pet sitter

What is House Sitting?