LAST UPDATE: March 28, 2023
When long-term house sitting, you may have the opportunity to visit many countries, meet new people, see incredible sights, and hang out with awesome animals. By staying somewhere longer than a usual house sitting assignment, you can have a deeper experience, where the pets can settle in and you can live like a local.
If you’re looking for a more profound travel arrangement, a long-term house sitting gig is a great way to make memories that last a lifetime. Two months with a great dog in a beautiful home surrounded by nature could be life-changing.
You can even find luxury house sitting jobs. You may need some high-quality references and abilities to be a live-in house sitter in a luxury property, but all kinds of house sitting jobs are available. You just need to keep your eyes and your mind open to possibilities and continue to build a resume and testimonials that would make you attractive to homeowners.
A long term house sitter has the opportunity to live less like a tourist and enjoy an area like a local. You can become one of the community during a long term house sit, which means you’ll be able to make new friends, get off the beaten path, and explore (or not) at your own pace. You can visit new parks, beaches and trails with the dog you’re sitting. Maybe even join a local ping pong or bocci ball club!
Whatever reason you want to get away on a long term house sit, it offers you the chance to fulfill your objectives while helping others. You may be a writer looking for space to work on a novel. You may be taking some time out between studies or between jobs. You may be retired and open to new possibilities. You may already be a digital nomad with the ability to work from anywhere. Whether you’re looking for invigoration, peace, or something that provides both, you can find it with the right long term house sitting gig.
Not only are these benefits a few clicks away, but there is also a (small) chance for you to enjoy this lifestyle and make money. Professional house sitters are in increasing demand, as are highly trustworthy people, so there are opportunities out there for you if you are serious.
Many professional house sitters do not have a home of their own. Instead, they organize housesitting gigs so that they can house sit full time. While some pro house sitters work digitally at their location, some professional house sitters don’t do any other kind of work. With living arrangements and some living expenses taking care of, the money earned by professional house sitting can be good or be a nice complement to an existing source of income (such as Social Security).
Many people who are looking for professional house sitters are doing so because they do not want to leave their home empty while they are away. They may wish to reduce the risk of burglary or satisfy insurance requirements. Or they may choose to use a house sitter because they would prefer not to put their pet in kennels. If you can prove yourself to be responsible, trustworthy, and an animal lover, these traits will help you become a professional house sitter.
How to Find Long Term House Sitting Jobs
- Get On a House Sitting Website – Picking up long term house sitting jobs starts with getting involved with a great house sitting website. The site will collate and vet potential house sitters. A professional, functional site will attract high-quality house sitting opportunities. While EstateSitting.com, in 2023, doesn’t currently connect you with estate managers and homeowners looking for someone trustworthy to look after their properties at this time, we do have a guide to the top housesitting sites.
- Rock Your Profile – Once you are a member of your house sitting website or websites, it is time for you to create a well-written, up-to-date profile so that homeowners can get to know you and learn important information. Testimonials will be essential! This info is likely to include your previous experience as a house sitter, how you feel about pets, and whether or not you have any notable talents or abilities that will make you the ideal person to look after their home.
- Look The Part – Be sure to get good photos of you and the pets you’ve taken care of! When a homeowner sees you and a happy pet, it shows warmth and authenticity. You can take a selfie, or maybe a photo in a full-length mirror, if there’s no one to help you get a good photo.
- Collate References – If you can get some references, these will help you build trust, which is very important as a professional house sitter. Your references don’t need to be from homeowners when you are starting out. You can ask anyone who might be considered respectable and can attest to your character and trustworthiness. This might be a previous employer or the leader of an organization with which you are affiliated, or perhaps a former landlord.
- Be Prepared to Move Fast – If you find or are offered a potential house sitting gig, act quickly. By being prompt, you will show that you are keen and reliable and that you are readily available when called upon. Keep in mind that homeowners may have tapped out the usual “friends and family” candidates for housesitting, and so they’ve gone to a platform where they are hoping they will find a great housesitter they can trust.
- Be Prepared to Interview – Interviews are typically an essential part of the process of becoming a house sitter. Get ready to meet face-to-face with homeowners, whether in person or virtually. Answer their questions honestly and fully and ask questions of your own to demonstrate that you have thought about your responsibilities and take house sitting seriously. Maybe put pets you’ve watched in your Zoom background!
But Do You Get Paid to Be a House Sitter?
Yes. You really can be paid as a house sitter. House sitting is a serious business. Discerning homeowners – particularly those who own luxury apartments or are particularly concerned about the welfare of their properties – are looking for someone reliable, trustworthy, and capable to look after their property. That peace of mind is worth paying for. How much you get for house sitting varies.
It’s true that many, indeed most, house sitting gigs are organized as an exchange of accommodation for rent and perhaps some food, but house sitters can earn anywhere from $25 to more than $100 per day. The numbers depend on the homeowner, the area, your experience, and other factors.
Don’t forget to factor in travel costs and discuss who pays what. You might make $40 a day for a month, but if you have to pay for plane tickets to the destination and stay in a hotel on either side of the sit, it may be a break-even prospect at best.
If you want to know how to make money house sitting, we recommend investing in your experience. Get out there, house sit, and do a great job. By stacking up great references, you will be able to earn more money as a house sitter, in part because previous owners will call you for the next gig and be willing to pay for that peace of mind.
You can also make money house sitting by being flexible and being prepared to go the extra mile, such as looking after farm animals or taking on more property maintenance than is typical. If you have special skills that are useful to home maintenance, therefore, highlighting these can be a way to command more money as a professional house sitter.
A friend of ours, we’ll call him Chet, has lived rent-free for over 11 years, having put a new roof on the house and completely remodeled multiple rooms and a bathroom. While not a house-sitter, per se, he has worked out a great arrangement that benefits him and the homeowner.
So, while most house sitting gigs are a straight trade, the numbers of paying gigs are increasing. Being reliable and persistent and open-minded is how to make money house sitting.
Where Can I Find House Sitting Gigs?
People make a living house sitting by being resourceful. There are many great house sitting sites to choose from that can help you. We recommend trying the following and more.
SabbaticalHomes.com is an excellent example of a quality house sitting site. This one is focused on academic destinations. Terms of agreement and what people are looking varies, so keep your eye out for a great long term house sitting gig here.
LuxuryHouseSitting.com is another great site that can connect house sitters and homeowners. By browsing the profiles and creating your ideal profile, you can find the perfect scenario for you.
TrustedHouseSitters.com has a wide range of house sitting opportunities. Check it out if you would like to be a housesitter long term. The right gig will allow you to spend a long time in an area you’ll love. It has clear listings and a focus on safe and happy pets, so if you are good with animals, make sure to check out this site (affiliate link above).
HouseSitSearch.com provides an effective way to find gigs that match your preferred responsibilities. You should find this interface useful as it will filter the house sitting opportunities that are best for you.
HouseSitMatch, which is Euro-centric, offers some stunning locations, properties, and experiences. Check out their testimonials to see why they may be a good choice for you.
HouseSittersAmerica.com provides security and safety via its website and high-quality support. House owners have the incentive of a free listing, so you may have more chance of picking up a great long term, paid house sitting role.
HouseCarers.com is proud of its confidential and secure matching system. It’s worth checking this site out for your next potential long term paid house sitting job.
If you are looking for an app for house sitting, some house sitting sites also have house sitting apps for added convenience and usability. Trusted House Sitters, for example, has a popular app to help match house sitters with homeowners. You may also wish to check out Nomador, HouseCarers, MindMyHouse, and HouseSitMatch.
Can you make a living house sitting, too? It’s certainly possible. We recommend doing everything you can to make yourself a great house sitter and then get out there. Keep your eye on house sitting sites, talk to other house sitters, and do your best to make the most of word-of-mouth recommendations and goodwill.
The best house sitting websites are easy-to-use, secure, and safe, with a great system to connect homeowners and house sitters, regardless of their requirements. Look for a site with good reviews and that is run by people who show they care about people, communities, and experiences, not only properties, algorithms, and ratings.
What are the Duties of a Long-Term House Sitter?
Being a house sitter means taking care of a property while the homeowner is away. Looking after a property typically involves basic house cleaning watering plants and collecting mail. Frequently, house sitting also involves pet sitting, as this is a major reason that homeowners want someone to stay in a property while they are away.
To be a long term house sitter, you will require the same skills as required for a shorter house sit, but your reliability and trustworthiness are going to be much more important. The ideal long term house sitter will demonstrate that he or she is trustworthy. You can do this by providing great references and credentials, but also by being prompt, courteous, and conscientious. A homeowner will want to know that you can hold your own in the event of an emergency or another crisis.
Empathic skills will be particularly useful, too. Imagine that you are interviewing someone to come and look after your home. How would you want them to behave and what would you want to know about them? Listen to homeowners’ needs and concerns and communicate your understanding and solutions effectively.
Here’s a list of the primary duties that you can expect to perform as a house sitter.
- House cleaning, including mopping, vacuuming, and dusting.
- Plant watering, indoors and outdoors.
- Securing the property at the end of the day, which may involve closing curtains or blinds, locking doors, and securing alarm systems.
- Maintaining a visible presence so the property is clearly occupied and more secure (such as by turning lights on and off accordingly).
- Pool maintenance, such as skimming leaves, emptying the filter, and perhaps assessing and adjusting chemical levels in the water.
- Looking after pets, including taking them for walks, providing food and water, cleaning up any messes, and contacting the vet, if necessary.
- Reaching the relevant people if there is an emergency or a maintenance issue you cannot solve, such as a problem with plumbing or air conditioning.
House sitting involves a lot of responsibility and may require action. The best house sitters make homeowners feel confident that they will take care of these responsibilities and follow the owner’s instructions.
Is House Sitting a Good Idea?
If you read the responsibilities of a house sitter and you’re still reading, then house sitting may be an excellent idea for you. Not only can you live rent free for a while, but you can also enjoy a new area, new experiences, new people, new customs, and potentially earn money at the same time.
To find a place to live with no money, check out the various house sitting sites and apps available. Remember to put yourself in the shoes of the homeowner and think about what you would want if someone were coming to look after a property that is precious to you.
Don’t be deterred if you don’t find the right match straight away. It’s critical to have a good fit between the house sitter and the homeowner, and that match is worth the wait. Finding a balance that works can take some time, but your persistence will be rewarded with a great house sitting gig, a potentially excellent source of income, and fantastic memories. Good luck out there!