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One way to live rent-free is to house- and
pet-sit for folks while they are on vacation, traveling, or
are required to leave their home for an extended length of
time for career or other reasons.
A professional house sitter can spend nearly
all year helping different folks out by watching their houses
and pets. We have several friends who own homes in other areas,
or take extended trips for a month or more.
Also, it’s not just travelers and vacationers
who need house sitters. With more and more companies establishing
multi-national offices and branches throughout the world,
it is often necessary to send an employee or executive out
of the country for several months or a year or more.
To become a house sitter, run ads in local
newspapers that circulate the more affluent neighborhoods
in your area. Make sure you have good personal references
for your prospective clients to call. Put notices up on bulletin
boards in markets, drug stores, veterinary offices, pet stores,
and even online on the Internet. Pretty soon word-of-mouth
recommendations should keep you 'sitting pretty' throughout
the year. One house sitter we know is booked up almost a year
in advance. Her summer vacations are spent living in other
people's townhouses, mansions, and estates.
Free house sitting works in the opposite
way as well. People who own expensive homes in resort and
vacation areas often visit these homes only once or twice
a year. When they arrive for their vacations, you can go visit
friends or relatives or, as is often the case, you can move
into a guest room, while they are vacationing in "your" home.
How does year-round living in Key West, Florida; Kannapali
Beach, Maui; Aspen, Colorado; or Malibu, California sound?
Many people have homes in the Bahamas, Mexico, and other foreign
countries that they prefer to be lived in year-round. A good
way to offer your services and find these opportunities is
to place classified ads in the local newspapers in affluent
areas, travel magazines, and metropolitan magazines, such
as Los Angeles, Arizona Living, or New York magazine. In fact,
if you know where you’d like to housesit, advertise your services
in the newspaper of that town. When the owners are in their
vacation home, they probably read the local paper and will
see your ad.
Another way to live rent-free is to housesit
for homes that are empty and for sale. Houses built for "spec"
and model homes especially are perfect for house sitting.
They may not be fully furnished, but often their owners are
willing to rent furniture to make the place look less empty
and more "lived-in." Higher priced homes often stay on the
market for several months at a time. Meanwhile, you are living
in a brand new home. Older homes up for sale are often left
empty because the owners have already moved into new homes
they've purchased. Fine homes with swimming pools, tennis
courts and lush gardens need someone to watch over them so
that vandals don't take advantage of their being empty for
long periods of time.
House and Pet-Sitting Web Sites
Chicago
Pet Care
If you are in Chicagoland go to this site if you're interested
in being a pet or house-sitter.
Housecalls4Pet.com
For information about running a pet sitting company or becoming
a pet sitter.
Homesitters.net
Information on house sitting and pet
sitting information. Look at the opportunities section for
job opportunities.
National
Association of Professional Pet-Sitters
Visit this site if you would like to apply for pet-sitter
certification.
In Australia
If you happen to live in Australia and you are interested
in become a house-sitter go to: http://www.house-exchange.modus.com.au/house_sitting.htm.
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