Thanks to all of you for your positive emails and comments about our caretaking and housesitting blog. One of the most common questions we receive from perspective housesitters and caretakers is: "I have never done this before, how do I get started as a housesitter or caretaker?" While every situation is unique, in every case, our response is that property owners are looking for honest, trustworthy, responsible people to care for their homes and properties. We recommend getting some personal and professional references lined up prior to responding to the property owner's ad. Some property owners check references via a phone call while others prefer to receive a written letter from the person providing the reference. Your references should be able to attest to the fact that you are honest and responsible. In addition to seeking housesitters and caretakers who are honest and responsible, property owners also like to know if the people they are hiring are flexible and have common sense. Again, these are things that your references can convey to the property owners. If you have been a homeowner, you should stress that you are familiar with the day-to-day running of a home.
That sounds like me. Now single after having been married and owning a home, I am ready for a change in my life and housesitting or otherwise caring for a property sounds great. I have been afraid to take the leap because I've never done this before. But like you said, I an honest and have common sense and I know my way around a house and have good references. So I think I will take the leap!
ReplyDeleteThis is good advice. You shared it with me during a long phone call that I made to you when I first subscribed to the Gazette. My wife and I went ahead and applied for several housesitting positions - with no previous housesitting experience, but plenty of life experience. To make a long story short, we were hired, and housesitting has turned into one of the best thing we have done.
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