Tips On How To Apply To Be A House Sitter

Are you a retiree enjoying travel around Australia?

Are you interested in house sitting as you travel?

Are you curious about where to apply to be a house sitter?

Do you know what to write in your house sitting profile?

Check out the tips on how to apply to be a house sitter in Australia.

Since beginning our road trip around Australia we have met so many retirees who house sit. We have been really surprised how popular house sitting is with retirees. Retirement has offered many the freedom to be retirees enjoying travel. And, for many, house sitting helps make retirement travel affordable.

Many house sitters we have met travel full time. House sitting is a fabulous optional way to see Australia or the world.

Reasons why people become a house sitter:

• Explore new travel destinations
• Free accommodation
• Reduce living expenses – electricity, gas, internet etc
• Time out from living in a caravan / motor home
• Choice – you can house sit in every state in Australia and overseas
• Flexible – there are short or long term house sits available
• Spend extended time in one location
• Accommodation – some people go from one house sit to another
• Save money
• Enjoy looking after pets

As retirees enjoying travel around Australia we decided to give house sitting ago. We asked around for recommendations on which house sitting website to sign up to. We settled on Aussie House Sitters and applied online.

To register we needed to complete a profile for ourselves. Initially we were at a loss about what to include in our profile. After some research and brain storming we did a rough draft. We also reflected on what we would look for in an applicant, if we were looking for a house sitter. Then we compiled our profile and completed our  house sitters registration form.

We applied as a couple. Here are our tips for completing a house sit profile:

• Research how others house sitters write their profiles
• Find a couple of profiles you like, to use as a guide
• Make notes on how the above profiles are written and what is emphasised
• Brain storm what each of you offer as a house sitter.
• Choose an appealing Sitter Profile Name. We simply put Retirees Enjoying Travel.
• Create a draft list outlining what each of you offer as a house sitter. Each of you will probably have different skills and interests. The below points are a guide only. Complete the following for both, and list separately:
  • Mention if you have a current criminal record check
  • Mention if you are willing to be a pet sitter. If so, what pets / animals you are willing to care for. Remember to include farm animals, reptiles, birds etc. Briefly say how you both obtained your experience with these animals.
  • Emphasise your reliability. We put we were retired in the occupation section. Very recently we updated this to say retired & our occupations prior to retirement.
  • Emphasise your ability to be trustworthy. If you worked or volunteered in a position that required you to be trustworthy / confidential briefly mention it. Also mention if you have a working with children check.
  • Emphasise that you are physically fit. Mention you are fit and willing to be a pet walker.
  • Emphasise if you have an interest and are experienced in gardening – briefly explain
  • Emphasise if you have practical skills in relation to home maintenance. Obviously house sitters do not attend home maintenance chores. But an ability to be practical and able to identify anything needing attention around the home is important.
  • Make a statement about why you are interested in house and pet sitting.
  • Mention if you have been a house sitter, or pet sitter, before and if you have references.
  • Mention if you require space to store your caravan / motor home while house sitting
  • Mention if you are a non smoker
  • Make a comment acknowledging pet’s are important to their owners and you be kind and caring with any pets you care for.
  • Finally, make a statement that you are a honest, trustworthy couple.
  • Only make the above comments if they are relevant and true to you. People see through fakes.
  • Any additional points you wish to highlight.

Review what you have written. Determine your main points. Focus on being concise and delete any waffle. Review again. Complete your registration and submit.

The photo you choose is important. Choose a good quality photo where you are both smiling. We chose an active outdoor photo, as we don’t have a pet or a home. Include a video if you wish.

We submitted our house sitting application in June 2017. We decided we only wanted house sits that fit in with our travel plans. We listed on our profile that we were travelling Australia and currently in Broome. We updated this regularly as we travelled along.

We received about a dozen offers to house sit within a few weeks. We were delighted when we were getting so many offers. However, these offers were not fitting in with our travel plans. We decided we would only accept short house sits, one month and under. It is important that you know what you want, and don’t want, before you apply. Given the offers we were receiving we could have markedly changed our travel plans, just to fit in a short term house sit.

Experienced house sitters told us new house sitters are usually only offered short house sits. Once you have completed a number of short house sits, and positive feedback is posted online, than you may be offered longer house sits – if that’s what you want.

We ended up seeking a house sit in Perth. In a metropolitan area there is so much more choice. We did this about two months before we hoped to arrive. Within no time we were accepted to do our first house sit.

Certainly we are no experts in applying for house sits. We have only applied to Aussie House Sitters. We have been very surprised how easy it has been for us as inexperienced house sitters to get house sitting offers.

We did not simply focus on being an animal lover, or our willingness to provide in home pet sitting. Yes, house sitting is more often than not about pet sitting. But, don’t forget, it’s is someone’s home you will be entering. People need to believe (in their mind) that you will be a good pet sitter AND also care for their home. They need to gain a sense that both will be safe in your hands.

What about you?

What would you think is important to add in a house sitters profile? What’s your thoughts about house sitting? If you have been a house sitter, what has been your experience? Have you house sat in a dream destination? What would be your dream house sit destination? Have you experienced any challenges house or pet sitting? Love to hear your thoughts. Please join in the conversation.

Wishing you safe and happy travels.

From Estelle and Greg – Retirees Enjoying Travel.