I love this video and it's all true! I've been House/Pet Sitting since 2019 mostly on my own (new to TH this summer) and I learned the hard way that I need a clean house when I arrive to a sit. I don't want to arrive to a Hosuesit and need to deep clean for a few hours (I've done that multiple times!), so for my private clients I always do a Meet & Greet (before committing to a new client,) and while I'm there, I am eyeing the home and making sure it's up to my standards and I won't need to deep clean upon arrival in order to feel at ease living there. I don't mind a tidy up, but overall it needs to be wiped down, fresh, bathrooms clean, etc. On TH, in addition to the photos, I literally ask clearly about the cleanliness of the home and even request a video call to see the current state of the home. Many of my clients also have cleaning companies, which I am grateful for. But this is just me! I'm a Virgo! I need a clean, fresh home - I also work from home in these sits (not vacationing, like you all also said!) and am in the home most of the day, so I only apply and choose sits and clients whose homes I know are fresh and well kept. It's worth the extra due diligence for me to know I don't need to deep clean and won't feel Eww upon arrival. So, for new sitters - know it's ok to have high standards for the homes you say YES to!
We also like a super clean home. In 8+ years of house sitting, most are terrific. We do a video call with all of our sits before accepting and often get a video tour. One tip we've learned the hard way...if the photos look untidy, it won't be better when you arrive. Now, we avoid those.
👍💪👏 My niche is staying overnight with my local petsitting. Wanted to add that I do most of the cleaning the day before they return bc so many have returned early for all kinds of reasons. Very relieved that I was still able to leave it better than when I arrived. I also usually leave something fresh to eat for breakfast if their flight is going to be very late. Do NOT underestimate how much you grow to love & to miss the pets! Even my regulars are only biannual or annual. Thank you for this excellent video. May you be richly blessed with much love & laughter, good health & success.🙏
I was thinking of cleaning toilets when I said “deep” cleaning. 😂 We definitely do that on house sits (and a lot of other cleaning chores) but the word “deep” is open to interpretation.
Yeah, I never deep clean after a house sit. I only clean up after myself too, and leave every thing exactly where/the way the home owner left it. I never thought about cleaning the toilet after a house sit, this is a good idea. I am going to have to remember to add this to the light house cleaning that I do on my house sits. So far my house sits have only been for a couple of days. I recently got a house sit that is for one week, this is my first longer house sit.
Thanks for bringing up those ads that say housesitting is a great way to vacation. I saw one recently that said you can pet sit and spend the day touring & sightseeing. As a professional sitter, this drives me nuts! The responsiblity is great and it should be taken seriously.
Thank you for the video! We are thinking of jumping on board. We have furbabies and fens! We lost our house-sitter that we’ve had for the past 5 years. We can’t NOT travel. So glad I’ve found this option!!
Another great update! I've found pets are very resilient and can adapt to various situation. i.e. I locked my ex wife and dog in the trunk... came back two hours later... guess which one was happy to see me????
enjoyed your video very much. I also am a member of TH and have had 5 sits so far. I plan on doing as many sits as I can. I really relate to your comments about leaving the house better than you found it and it pays off in great reviews. It is so important to get a sit that is right for you, I am happy and eager to explore my new digs while walking the dog, but I do skip over sits that require me to not leave the pets alone for more than 3 hours at a time.
Same here. I actually learned to avoid puppy's which requires wayy more attn like a baby. Not ideal if I'm wanting to explore the city I'm in for over 3hrs! Lol..I also avoid pets who require meds & houses w/o a tub or a pool.
@@LoveAimshigh Ah, yes...no puppies. That's a 24/7 job. We've had 2 and both were adorable but insane. We've done loads of elderly and special needs pets, though. I like the idea that we give them so much love toward the end of their lives.
Great, thank you! We have always used family in our home for our time away..but planning for the whole family to go this year! So we want our pups pampered!!! Fun seeing different back drops in your videos as you move!
Fun that the whole family is going on a trip this year!! We should do a video about the insanity of creating (and uploading!) videos in different spots each week. It would be an hour of outtakes!!
You’re both great motivational speakers. By far the best videos I’ve seen on house/pet sitting. You make my hubby and feel positive about our upcoming new venture.
I’ve been with TrustedHousesitters for years as a pet/house owner and I love it and always use and recommend them. My membership was up for renewal in April and I didn’t renew because our travels were cancelled due to Covid. We always go away to Europe for the Summer (family there) and travel 2-3 more times a year. I sure wish all my sitters had been as great as you sound...most have been 😉. I just saw your replies to all my previous comments. Thank you! Will get to you eventually!
Great video and good realistic information! I get my pet fix everyday so I was more interested in the homeowner side of things but learning the other side is good. I just retired and was trying to figure out how to make my retirement dreams come true without worrying about the house and animals! Hopefully I can connect with people like you guys when it’s time to go! Thank you!
Great content. This is very valuable information that provides a realistic view of house sitting. I think that house sitting is definitely a vaulable tool to have in one's nomadic lifestyle tool box. It is something for us to consider maybe after we get our feet wet in our slow travel lifestyle. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
For some, house sitting is a full-time pursuit. For others, it's a nice tool. It will be interesting to see where we shake out over the next few years. Thanks for watching!
Very interesting to hear this from the perspective of a housesitter. It’s also kind of interesting to realize that my pets are probably better behaved than most, because they actually sleep through the night. I have birds, rabbits, dogs, fish and they all sleep through the night and are very quiet. It’s interesting to hear that some people might have just one or two pets that might wake you up at night. I need to go and hug my pets, LOL
I believe what they're saying is that the change and unfamiliarity of having someone else sleeping in the house instead of the owner is what some pets are reacting to, and causing the animals to wake up in the night. So, sure, your pets sleep through the night when you are there, but they might not when strangers are in the house while you are gone!
@@BlissfulDee Well...I was in Costa Rica for 15 days over the holidays and my Poodle cried/barked relentlessly until the sitter came by. (The web cam footage was soooo sad) After week 1, they felt so bad for him that they started sleeping over! His anxiety of being alone was new to us!
House keepers aren’t free cleaning services. 😂 Repeat sitters are wonderful since they know your pets and home. If they receive a home that needs cleaning when they arrive, most wouldn’t do it again. And, they might do an honest review which will scare off other sitters. Sounds like your home is super clean but want to make sure owners know it’s important that the home is in great shape. 😀
@@GoWithLess I used this service last week! It was excellent!! The lady was great with my dogs and my house! She left here yesterday to go to Philly for another week at another house w another dog! - she wanted to see the states and now she can! Excellent service so far! Going away in Nov! Can’t wait to meet that sitter weve been chatting she sounds amazing
I am thankful for this video. I am not sure why you do this at all. There is no time for you to go out and have fun and look around the corner. I don't want to go to Europe for animals. All that cleaning and pet sitting is not my idea of a vacation. Thanks for opening my eyes to what this all actually involves.
I was thinking exactly the same thing, It's not worth it for me since you must be available practically 24/7 at the house just in case. If its just interacting with diffrent animals, Many People will PAY YOU to pet sit. I'll pay for my own lodging for a real get away/vacation...
Very informative! Learned alot. I think I would house sit for the turtle!😂Pets disturb your sleep. I can see that. Sometimes our pup does too. Living like a local sounds cool! And of course the economics.Thanks for sharing your video again this week. Stay well. Be safe. ❤
I take care of two different friends' dogs when they go somewhere. I'm lucky that once they calm down with their happiness that I'm there, they just want to cuddle.
WOW, great information! Although, I may not necessarily do the actual pet sitting, but would probably sign up for someone to come and take care of my 15-year-old kitty. Thank you for taking the time and informing those with a need to know. 😊
The main problem is that there are not enough places in good location to sit. There are too many sitters so the owner takes it too far. Many time offer bad place dirty not wel maintenance, interviews sitter like he is doing the sitter a favor.
House sitting is an exchange of service. It works both ways. We figure it out from the listing when that may be an issue and we don’t apply to those. We’ve been house sitting for 8 years and it’s never been an issue on a sit.
@@GoWithLess I think there is not a good feedback system there. First there is no way to rate the sit by category as it is done about the sitter, but only general 1-5 stars. Second, there is no way to rate the place without the owner know who rated it (as on airBnB). The sitter gets to know the owner and doesn't feel comfortable to leave honest review. Therefor it is too hard for the sitter to have clear view about how the place really is.
@@GoWithLess There is no real sense of a balanced exchange deal in the system, but more of a feeling that the sitter is the only one who needs to prove its worth. Even the name of the platform refers only to one party's competence.
Great video! I was always leery of the idea of strangers house sitting, but I would be quite comfortable with you pair 😁 especially if you do some nice cleaning 🤣 I might just give the site a check over and see what it about 👍
I house/pet sit regularly and always clean any area I use and I make it a point to do a few things extra for the homeowner. It’s really a box of chocolates - I’ve been in really dirty homes and that’s difficult. But it’s none of my business so I adapt.
It comes with great responsibility,one which you take seriously. This would not suit those of us who just go away a few times a year to have a vacation for a short break.
YES! I say this house sitting should not be used in the way you mention. To each their own, but for people who want a "cheap vacation" this is a recipe for everyone to be disappointed and the pets to get left behind. Though, if one's idea of a vacation is to stay home and work on their book, or something similar, then perhaps a great idea.
Great video. Answered a lot of my questions about how can people vacation and take care of people dogs so thanks for clarifying this and that this is not for people who just wants a free place to stay and not take the responsibilities of taking care of peoples dogs seriously.
Each sit is unique but none of our sits were just a free place to stay. There might be caretaking sits that don’t have pets but they might have gardens to water.
My fear would be that I would break something by accident. I know we rented a house for a week at Gatlinburg and we broke a beautiful decoration on the coffee table entirely by accident.
Amy, if you are no longer a home owner what kind of insurance do you have or that would apply? For most home owners it is home owners insurance that offer such protections - kind of like general liability insurance. If you hit someone at the store with a shopping cart causing an injury or property damage, home owners insurance provides coverage. I would hate for your nest egg to be compromised. Luckily most other countries besides the US are not as litigious.
Just learning about this and exploring it as both an owner and a sitter. We have two homes. One in a desert location that looks like no one is using the service. The other is in the PNW WA state and it says: "Sits in B*&#^%@$, WA, US not currently accepting applications" What does that mean? Does it mean there are many homeowners seeking sits, but no one available so they are not taking any more applications? Also, it doesn't look like you can list both homes on your page. Do you have to buy two memberships to be able to list both homes?
Hi! Since each home has its profile with details about the space, kitchen, yard, location, WIF, transportation, etc., you wouldn't put 2 homes on one profile. I would reach out to THS to understand if they might offer a discount for 2. When a sit shows it's not accepting applications, it means they have 5 in their queue and are working on those. If they haven't found a sitter in those 5 and they remove any from their inbox, they open up to more applications again.
Staying at a housesit is NOT free, it's just not paid in money. - You are working for it by using your time. If that is fine for both parties, it's a great opportunity !
Who pay for the vet, if an appliance stop to work, there is s leaking in the bathroom and such? Is there an assurance provided by the website THS or the homeowner and the sitter agree to thing before hand on a contract?
No, we don’t get paid nor do we pay to house sit. We do pay our own way to get to sits. We save so much on our accommodations, it’s still our biggest travel hack. You might like this video - ua-cam.com/video/n6-jePEtSm0/v-deo.html
We do not charge anything to house sit. It’s an exchange…we get a home in a spot we want to be and provide our services for it. If you are house sitting internationally, there would be extra considerations if you charge (like a work visa).
I was looking for tips on local house sitting (like as a side hustle, not travel so much) but I just had to say that this guy has a really kind and oddly familiar face haha, just seems like the kinda guy you wanna hang out with at the BBQ 😂
Kathy and I try if possible to get together with the pets and owners before they leave. One time we stayed the night before the owners left. In the morning when the dog saw that I was still there he started crying with excitement. Yep, me and my buddy for the next week.
We didn't. When we learned about it, we were in a 2-bedroom townhouse 45 minutes from Denver and too far from ski slopes. I thought no one would want to swap. Because there was an annual fee for the house swap sites, we figured we'd stick with house sitting.
thank you so much for the informative video... so it seems you are able to house sit as a couple... is that right? how many listings (like 1/3 or 1/2 or...) does it seem to be listings for couples?? THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT VIDEO
While we sit as a couple, we know solo men and women who are also frequent house sitters. Some sits want 1 person, some want 2, others don’t have a preference.
Hey Linda! I'd say Go for it!!! On THS site there's all kinds of ppl who do it as couples and or take thier kids. If you joint the website or even just browse it you'll see that it says "Family friendly" homes as well. Meaning you can usually bring your spouse/partner or up to 1 or 2 family members. (Ask for clarity 1st of course) I'd also suggest you bring a friend or a family member to tag along with you if you are too afraid to do it alone. It's usually safer in other countries, most ppl won't believe tht. But it's true. I dnt believe you'll have much to worry abt! Most folks are very kind. Good luck!
Excellent video, you two! I second everything you said - this is a great resource for those who are considering house & pet sitting but haven’t jumped in yet. I might mention the due diligence aspect of choosing a sit - this can and must be a key component in the process and if one is not willing to put in th time with the possibility of a no, either from themselves or the HO, probably not a go. Must be willing to engage with the HO to find out if it is a good fit. Thanks again, great job!
Hi , my question is ..... we have 2 , 20 lb dogs of our own . Have you seen it possible that we could bring them along to house and or pet sit ( in the continental US )?
We live in ID and are retired . Our children & grandkids live in SO CA . We'd love to spend more time down there but would like to house sit so we'd have our own space while there . Would we be able to have family or friends over to visit ? Maybe a grand child spend the night ? Bring our 2, 20 lb dogs with us ?
People publich bad places for very short term, think they doing the sitter a favor that he stays there. The owner forget that hassle cost and time it takes from the sitter to get there, maintain the house and pet and leave. I think the owners are too cheap
Yes, it is, at least on the Trusted Housesitters platform. That is, if the homeowners' listing says "Family Friendly" under the "Home and Location" heading.
Retirement, in my view, is 'freedom', regardless of your age. The ability to do whatever you want, when you want it. Of course, there are degrees. So, you are NOT retired, IMHO.
I don’t agree. My definition of retirement means we don’t work for income. By your definition, a person isn’t retired if they do volunteer work or have children.
@@GoWithLess Not exactly. 'Volunteer' means that you do something because you want to do it: "a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task." Same with children, they don't just happen. I do agree that lots of useless material possessions diminish one's freedom because they become burdens if kept when not needed but I believe that certain 'things' are freedom enhancers: one's own land vehicle, boat, airplane grant owner mobility and freedom of movement and that is an essential ingredient of my freedom formula. A home base can be a great stress reducer, simply because it's 'there'.
There are many ways to “ retire”. We earn passive income now from rental property, but it still requires us to deal with tenants. Anyone who has assets or investments, will have to do some work managing it. House sitting requires some work / responsibility on their part, but they are bartering this for a place to stay so it is not “ work” as in earning an income with the usual expectations of an employee. Retired or not , very few of us can have complete freedom from all responsibilities. Not If we have family( parents, children, spouses) or are involved in a church or any short of community work.
@@nesadcruz7840 The nomadic retirement method seems to be quite a stressful one - they describe what happens when things get cancelled and they find themselves with 2 backpacks and no place to stay. And then consider that they seem to be in their 50's now. Will they be able to do the nomadic thing while in their 70's? 80's? 90's? I don't know, I am just asking. I suspect they have a plan but was it shared with the FIRE community?
hmm,, is it possible that your UA-cam VIDS are hurting you and after looking a few some people cancel on you because of this, do you think your UA-cam Channel is hurting you? i personally like yall,,,, you can Apt Sit my efficiency anytime.. LOL
Actually for myself as a youtuber, and a house sitter. Its a real advantage having a video with the potential house sitter in it, its a great way to introduce the home owner to what their potential house sitter's personality is like. I read instructional videos are best, with back ground music is a helpful way to introduce the home owner to their potential house sitter. If the person in the video is showing how to create something it shows how knowledgeable that person is, and it helps to create a level of trust.
It seems unikely, given our relationships with the owners and the reasons they've provided, but anything is possible. They can Google us and we're easy to find. The home owner/house sitter exchange is built on trust so we would only want to sit for people that want us to sit for them. Our 5 fabulous years and off-the-hook reviews from past home owners seem to land us pretty great situations. Our house sitting intro video is on a UA-cam account alone so it's not connected to our GoWithLess channel at all. You bring up an interesting point, though!
I love this video and it's all true! I've been House/Pet Sitting since 2019 mostly on my own (new to TH this summer) and I learned the hard way that I need a clean house when I arrive to a sit. I don't want to arrive to a Hosuesit and need to deep clean for a few hours (I've done that multiple times!), so for my private clients I always do a Meet & Greet (before committing to a new client,) and while I'm there, I am eyeing the home and making sure it's up to my standards and I won't need to deep clean upon arrival in order to feel at ease living there. I don't mind a tidy up, but overall it needs to be wiped down, fresh, bathrooms clean, etc.
On TH, in addition to the photos, I literally ask clearly about the cleanliness of the home and even request a video call to see the current state of the home. Many of my clients also have cleaning companies, which I am grateful for.
But this is just me! I'm a Virgo! I need a clean, fresh home - I also work from home in these sits (not vacationing, like you all also said!) and am in the home most of the day, so I only apply and choose sits and clients whose homes I know are fresh and well kept. It's worth the extra due diligence for me to know I don't need to deep clean and won't feel Eww upon arrival.
So, for new sitters - know it's ok to have high standards for the homes you say YES to!
For you "private" clients, generally How much do you charge for house sit as a business in or outside if your city or country as a personal business?
We also like a super clean home. In 8+ years of house sitting, most are terrific. We do a video call with all of our sits before accepting and often get a video tour. One tip we've learned the hard way...if the photos look untidy, it won't be better when you arrive. Now, we avoid those.
👍💪👏
My niche is staying overnight with my local petsitting.
Wanted to add that I do most of the cleaning the day before they return bc so many have returned early for all kinds of reasons.
Very relieved that I was still able to leave it better than when I arrived.
I also usually leave something fresh to eat for breakfast if their flight is going to be very late.
Do NOT underestimate how much you grow to love & to miss the pets!
Even my regulars are only biannual or annual.
Thank you for this excellent video.
May you be richly blessed with much love & laughter, good health & success.🙏
Deep cleaning while house sitting doesn't make sense to me - I would clean up after myself and leave it the same as they left it.
I was thinking of cleaning toilets when I said “deep” cleaning. 😂 We definitely do that on house sits (and a lot of other cleaning chores) but the word “deep” is open to interpretation.
@@GoWithLess I get it, I would clean them too, anything I used would be clean before I left the house.
Yeah, I never deep clean after a house sit. I only clean up after myself too, and leave every thing exactly where/the way the home owner left it.
I never thought about cleaning the toilet after a house sit, this is a good idea. I am going to have to remember to add this to the light house cleaning that I do on my house sits.
So far my house sits have only been for a couple of days. I recently got a house sit that is for one week, this is my first longer house sit.
Thanks for bringing up those ads that say housesitting is a great way to vacation. I saw one recently that said you can pet sit and spend the day touring & sightseeing. As a professional sitter, this drives me nuts! The responsiblity is great and it should be taken seriously.
I was sleep deprived on my last sit 9 nights where I didn’t get more than 5 hours sleep on any night and often just 3-4 hours… it was horrendous!
Thank you for the video! We are thinking of jumping on board. We have furbabies and fens! We lost our house-sitter that we’ve had for the past 5 years. We can’t NOT travel. So glad I’ve found this option!!
Another great update! I've found pets are very resilient and can adapt to various situation. i.e. I locked my ex wife and dog in the trunk... came back two hours later... guess which one was happy to see me????
😂😂
Haha! 😆
enjoyed your video very much. I also am a member of TH and have had 5 sits so far. I plan on doing as many sits as I can. I really relate to your comments about leaving the house better than you found it and it pays off in great reviews. It is so important to get a sit that is right for you, I am happy and eager to explore my new digs while walking the dog, but I do skip over sits that require me to not leave the pets alone for more than 3 hours at a time.
Same here. I actually learned to avoid puppy's which requires wayy more attn like a baby. Not ideal if I'm wanting to explore the city I'm in for over 3hrs! Lol..I also avoid pets who require meds & houses w/o a tub or a pool.
Our minimum is 4 hours but we all pick what works for us. I'm glad things are going well for you!
@@LoveAimshigh Ah, yes...no puppies. That's a 24/7 job. We've had 2 and both were adorable but insane. We've done loads of elderly and special needs pets, though. I like the idea that we give them so much love toward the end of their lives.
Great, thank you! We have always used family in our home for our time away..but planning for the whole family to go this year! So we want our pups pampered!!! Fun seeing different back drops in your videos as you move!
Fun that the whole family is going on a trip this year!! We should do a video about the insanity of creating (and uploading!) videos in different spots each week. It would be an hour of outtakes!!
You guys are killing it on camera! Excellent video! Keep um coming..
💓
You’re both great motivational speakers. By far the best videos I’ve seen on house/pet sitting. You make my hubby and feel positive about our upcoming new venture.
I’ve been with TrustedHousesitters for years as a pet/house owner and I love it and always use and recommend them. My membership was up for renewal in April and I didn’t renew because our travels were cancelled due to Covid. We always go away to Europe for the Summer (family there) and travel 2-3 more times a year. I sure wish all my sitters had been as great as you sound...most have been 😉. I just saw your replies to all my previous comments. Thank you! Will get to you eventually!
Great video and good realistic information! I get my pet fix everyday so I was more interested in the homeowner side of things but learning the other side is good. I just retired and was trying to figure out how to make my retirement dreams come true without worrying about the house and animals! Hopefully I can connect with people like you guys when it’s time to go! Thank you!
House sitting is the answer to your challenge! Do your travels, knowing a house sitter is taking care of things at home.
Great content. This is very valuable information that provides a realistic view of house sitting. I think that house sitting is definitely a vaulable tool to have in one's nomadic lifestyle tool box. It is something for us to consider maybe after we get our feet wet in our slow travel lifestyle. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
For some, house sitting is a full-time pursuit. For others, it's a nice tool. It will be interesting to see where we shake out over the next few years. Thanks for watching!
Totally agree with being sad in saying good bye to these loving pets😭🙏💞
Very interesting to hear this from the perspective of a housesitter. It’s also kind of interesting to realize that my pets are probably better behaved than most, because they actually sleep through the night. I have birds, rabbits, dogs, fish and they all sleep through the night and are very quiet. It’s interesting to hear that some people might have just one or two pets that might wake you up at night. I need to go and hug my pets, LOL
I believe what they're saying is that the change and unfamiliarity of having someone else sleeping in the house instead of the owner is what some pets are reacting to, and causing the animals to wake up in the night. So, sure, your pets sleep through the night when you are there, but they might not when strangers are in the house while you are gone!
@@BlissfulDee Well...I was in Costa Rica for 15 days over the holidays and my Poodle cried/barked relentlessly until the sitter came by. (The web cam footage was soooo sad) After week 1, they felt so bad for him that they started sleeping over! His anxiety of being alone was new to us!
My house is super clean but I like the idea of it being cleaner
House keepers aren’t free cleaning services. 😂 Repeat sitters are wonderful since they know your pets and home. If they receive a home that needs cleaning when they arrive, most wouldn’t do it again. And, they might do an honest review which will scare off other sitters. Sounds like your home is super clean but want to make sure owners know it’s important that the home is in great shape. 😀
@@GoWithLess I used this service last week! It was excellent!! The lady was great with my dogs and my house!
She left here yesterday to go to Philly for another week at another house w another dog! - she wanted to see the states and now she can!
Excellent service so far! Going away in Nov! Can’t wait to meet that sitter weve been chatting she sounds amazing
I am thankful for this video. I am not sure why you do this at all. There is no time for you to go out and have fun and look around the corner. I don't want to go to Europe for animals. All that cleaning and pet sitting is not my idea of a vacation. Thanks for opening my eyes to what this all actually involves.
I was thinking exactly the same thing, It's not worth it for me since you must be available practically 24/7 at the house just in case. If its just interacting with diffrent animals, Many People will PAY YOU to pet sit. I'll pay for my own lodging for a real get away/vacation...
Love this idea... Would love to get in touch with you guys and start off under YOUR guidance...
Come stay at my house in Ct!
Very informative! Learned alot. I think I would house sit for the turtle!😂Pets disturb your sleep. I can see that. Sometimes our pup does too. Living like a local sounds cool! And of course the economics.Thanks for sharing your video again this week. Stay well. Be safe. ❤
We have yet to see a turtle sit! 😆
OMG... you guys are so cute!!! My husband and I are thinking about doing this. Thanks for the video and info!
Same for me 🤗💆
THANK YOU! I am DEFINITELY reconsidering house-sitting!
Thankyou for great site. Do you have a utube with baby steps and checklist as well as cleaning demos for 1st and last day of housesit?
I take care of two different friends' dogs when they go somewhere. I'm lucky that once they calm down with their happiness that I'm there, they just want to cuddle.
Thank you! I watched several UA-cam videos about housesitting before I came across yours and yours is the best! I’m signing up!
Awesome!!! Thank you.
thanks for the video. i am looking into trusted housesitters for my upcoming trips. this helps a lot!
WOW, great information! Although, I may not necessarily do the actual pet sitting, but would probably sign up for someone to come and take care of my 15-year-old kitty. Thank you for taking the time and informing those with a need to know. 😊
Great points. Thanks! New subscriber
The main problem is that there are not enough places in good location to sit. There are too many sitters so the owner takes it too far. Many time offer bad place dirty not wel maintenance, interviews sitter like he is doing the sitter a favor.
House sitting is an exchange of service. It works both ways. We figure it out from the listing when that may be an issue and we don’t apply to those. We’ve been house sitting for 8 years and it’s never been an issue on a sit.
@@GoWithLess I think there is not a good feedback system there. First there is no way to rate the sit by category as it is done about the sitter, but only general 1-5 stars. Second, there is no way to rate the place without the owner know who rated it (as on airBnB). The sitter gets to know the owner and doesn't feel comfortable to leave honest review. Therefor it is too hard for the sitter to have clear view about how the place really is.
@@MyGodTube I agree!
@@GoWithLess There is no real sense of a balanced exchange deal in the system, but more of a feeling that the sitter is the only one who needs to prove its worth. Even the name of the platform refers only to one party's competence.
Great video! I was always leery of the idea of strangers house sitting, but I would be quite comfortable with you pair 😁 especially if you do some nice cleaning 🤣 I might just give the site a check over and see what it about 👍
I house/pet sit regularly and always clean any area I use and I make it a point to do a few things extra for the homeowner. It’s really a box of chocolates - I’ve been in really dirty homes and that’s difficult. But it’s none of my business so I adapt.
It comes with great responsibility,one which you take seriously. This would not suit those of us who just go away a few times a year to have a vacation for a short break.
YES! I say this house sitting should not be used in the way you mention. To each their own, but for people who want a "cheap vacation" this is a recipe for everyone to be disappointed and the pets to get left behind. Though, if one's idea of a vacation is to stay home and work on their book, or something similar, then perhaps a great idea.
GoWithLess yeah
Great video. Answered a lot of my questions about how can people vacation and take care of people dogs so thanks for clarifying this and that this is not for people who just wants a free place to stay and not take the responsibilities of taking care of peoples dogs seriously.
Each sit is unique but none of our sits were just a free place to stay. There might be caretaking sits that don’t have pets but they might have gardens to water.
Great information! Thank you.
You all are so cute. I'm excited to start being a sitter!
My fear would be that I would break something by accident. I know we rented a house for a week at Gatlinburg and we broke a beautiful decoration on the coffee table entirely by accident.
That’s an excellent point!!
Amy, if you are no longer a home owner what kind of insurance do you have or that would apply? For most home owners it is home owners insurance that offer such protections - kind of like general liability insurance. If you hit someone at the store with a shopping cart causing an injury or property damage, home owners insurance provides coverage. I would hate for your nest egg to be compromised. Luckily most other countries besides the US are not as litigious.
Just learning about this and exploring it as both an owner and a sitter. We have two homes. One in a desert location that looks like no one is using the service. The other is in the PNW WA state and it says: "Sits in B*&#^%@$, WA, US not currently accepting applications" What does that mean? Does it mean there are many homeowners seeking sits, but no one available so they are not taking any more applications? Also, it doesn't look like you can list both homes on your page. Do you have to buy two memberships to be able to list both homes?
Hi! Since each home has its profile with details about the space, kitchen, yard, location, WIF, transportation, etc., you wouldn't put 2 homes on one profile. I would reach out to THS to understand if they might offer a discount for 2. When a sit shows it's not accepting applications, it means they have 5 in their queue and are working on those. If they haven't found a sitter in those 5 and they remove any from their inbox, they open up to more applications again.
LOVE IT! THANKS
Great video. thank you.
Wonderful!
Good tips
Tim and Amy are super-duper blessed by God Almighty in heaven!
Staying at a housesit is NOT free, it's just not paid in money. - You are working for it by using your time. If that is fine for both parties, it's a great opportunity !
Hi 👋 from Pennsylvania.. what are the advantages of house sitting?? Do you like it??
The only reason it would difficult for me, is the adjustment to living in someone else's space. How long does it take to feel comfortable?
Do you stay over at the house typically?
I've been petsitting in my local area for 24 years. What's a good way to transition to a national or international level? Great video!
Who pay for the vet, if an appliance stop to work, there is s leaking in the bathroom and such? Is there an assurance provided by the website THS or the homeowner and the sitter agree to thing before hand on a contract?
You ask the HO to set up a vet account or they can leave a debit card 💳 or some emergency cash either way a local friend.
Thanks, do you get paid? Do you pay for your travel to the house?
No, we don’t get paid nor do we pay to house sit. We do pay our own way to get to sits. We save so much on our accommodations, it’s still our biggest travel hack. You might like this video - ua-cam.com/video/n6-jePEtSm0/v-deo.html
How much shld you charge for house sit as a business in or outside if your city or country as a personal business?
We do not charge anything to house sit. It’s an exchange…we get a home in a spot we want to be and provide our services for it. If you are house sitting internationally, there would be extra considerations if you charge (like a work visa).
I was looking for tips on local house sitting (like as a side hustle, not travel so much) but I just had to say that this guy has a really kind and oddly familiar face haha, just seems like the kinda guy you wanna hang out with at the BBQ 😂
Yassss! as long as he doesn't bring the potato salad! 🤗
Thank you for the adive 😊
Have you had any effect from the corona virus interrupting travel? Maybe a video subject.
This was last week's subject! It's so easy to get delayed on UA-cam responses...sorry!
Do you pay your travel costs to get to the house that you are sitting for?
Yes!
Kathy and I try if possible to get together with the pets and owners before they leave. One time we stayed the night before the owners left. In the morning when the dog saw that I was still there he started crying with excitement. Yep, me and my buddy for the next week.
Have you ever done the house swap thing when you owned a house?
We didn't. When we learned about it, we were in a 2-bedroom townhouse 45 minutes from Denver and too far from ski slopes. I thought no one would want to swap. Because there was an annual fee for the house swap sites, we figured we'd stick with house sitting.
thank you so much for the informative video... so it seems you are able to house sit as a couple... is that right? how many listings (like 1/3 or 1/2 or...) does it seem to be listings for couples?? THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT VIDEO
While we sit as a couple, we know solo men and women who are also frequent house sitters. Some sits want 1 person, some want 2, others don’t have a preference.
@@GoWithLess thank you very much!
Do you have feedback for a single person wanting to join Trusted Houesitters as far as safety or preference by owners/sitters?
Many owners prefer single sitters. Maybe they are solo and have a home more suitable for one person. More often, their pet is jittery around men.
Hey Linda! I'd say Go for it!!! On THS site there's all kinds of ppl who do it as couples and or take thier kids. If you joint the website or even just browse it you'll see that it says "Family friendly" homes as well. Meaning you can usually bring your spouse/partner or up to 1 or 2 family members. (Ask for clarity 1st of course) I'd also suggest you bring a friend or a family member to tag along with you if you are too afraid to do it alone. It's usually safer in other countries, most ppl won't believe tht. But it's true. I dnt believe you'll have much to worry abt! Most folks are very kind. Good luck!
Excellent video, you two! I second everything you said - this is a great resource for those who are considering house & pet sitting but haven’t jumped in yet. I might mention the due diligence aspect of choosing a sit - this can and must be a key component in the process and if one is not willing to put in th time with the possibility of a no, either from themselves or the HO, probably not a go. Must be willing to engage with the HO to find out if it is a good fit. Thanks again, great job!
We agree! Thank you for adding that!
Hi , my question is ..... we have 2 , 20 lb dogs of our own . Have you seen it possible that we could bring them along to house and or pet sit ( in the continental US )?
We live in ID and are retired . Our children & grandkids live in SO CA . We'd love to spend more time down there but would like to house sit so we'd have our own space while there . Would we be able to have family or friends over to visit ? Maybe a grand child spend the night ? Bring our 2, 20 lb dogs with us ?
Any new updates since this aired?? 🧐
hi can you help me finding a home sitting in
kopenhagen on August?
People publich bad places for very short term, think they doing the sitter a favor that he stays there. The owner forget that hassle cost and time it takes from the sitter to get there, maintain the house and pet and leave. I think the owners are too cheap
Oh my so true
I just feel like id grow too attached to the animals and it would kill me haha
So if house sitting is really pet sitting… why is it called house sitting?
Exactly
What did you miss? I’m curious if you get paid for this.
“Leave no trace” camping
Is having your baby with you allowed for some house-sitting jobs?
Yes, it is, at least on the Trusted Housesitters platform. That is, if the homeowners' listing says "Family Friendly" under the "Home and Location" heading.
Retirement, in my view, is 'freedom', regardless of your age. The ability to do whatever you want, when you want it. Of course, there are degrees.
So, you are NOT retired, IMHO.
I don’t agree. My definition of retirement means we don’t work for income. By your definition, a person isn’t retired if they do volunteer work or have children.
@@GoWithLess Not exactly. 'Volunteer' means that you do something because you want to do it: "a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task."
Same with children, they don't just happen.
I do agree that lots of useless material possessions diminish one's freedom because they become burdens if kept when not needed but I believe that certain 'things' are freedom enhancers: one's own land vehicle, boat, airplane grant owner mobility and freedom of movement and that is an essential ingredient of my freedom formula. A home base can be a great stress reducer, simply because it's 'there'.
Actually house sitting is them doing what they want, when they want - sounds like retirement to me.
There are many ways to “ retire”. We earn passive income now from rental property, but it still requires us to deal with tenants. Anyone who has assets or investments, will have to do some work managing it. House sitting requires some work / responsibility on their part, but they are bartering this for a place to stay so it is not “ work” as in earning an income with the usual expectations of an employee. Retired or not , very few of us can have complete freedom from all responsibilities. Not If we have family( parents, children, spouses) or are involved in a church or any short of community work.
@@nesadcruz7840 The nomadic retirement method seems to be quite a stressful one - they describe what happens when things get cancelled and they find themselves with 2 backpacks and no place to stay.
And then consider that they seem to be in their 50's now. Will they be able to do the nomadic thing while in their 70's? 80's? 90's? I don't know, I am just asking. I suspect they have a plan but was it shared with the FIRE community?
What if you’re a dog owner who wants to become a pet sitter? Can I bring my beagle?
Sometimes. Maybe ½ the time.
@@BWater-yq3jx we decided against it.
Why don't they pay you for the service? Seems odd you get nothing. Hell $40/day is better than a shelter that will just transmit disease....
I'm not into pets, unfortunately. I've had cats and love them but don't want the responsibility of others beloved pets.
So does house sitter’s get paid to stay at their home?😉
Nope. We house sit in exchange for staying in their home. No one pays on either side.
@@GoWithLess so you don’t get paid at all!??
@@loboandy367 Nope. In exchange for a place to stay, we care for the home and pets.
Why would you be mowing the lawn? That seems a bit much tbh
When we house sit, we act pretty close to how a home owner acts when they are home. If we’re in a spot for a month, the grass needs to be mowed.
hmm,, is it possible that your UA-cam VIDS are hurting you and after looking a few some people cancel on you because of this, do you think your UA-cam Channel is hurting you? i personally like yall,,,, you can Apt Sit my efficiency anytime.. LOL
Actually for myself as a youtuber, and a house sitter. Its a real advantage having a video with the potential house sitter in it, its a great way to introduce the home owner to what their potential house sitter's personality is like.
I read instructional videos are best, with back ground music is a helpful way to introduce the home owner to their potential house sitter.
If the person in the video is showing how to create something it shows how knowledgeable that person is, and it helps to create a level of trust.
It seems unikely, given our relationships with the owners and the reasons they've provided, but anything is possible. They can Google us and we're easy to find. The home owner/house sitter exchange is built on trust so we would only want to sit for people that want us to sit for them. Our 5 fabulous years and off-the-hook reviews from past home owners seem to land us pretty great situations. Our house sitting intro video is on a UA-cam account alone so it's not connected to our GoWithLess channel at all. You bring up an interesting point, though!
@@GoWithLess I enjoy watching your journey,, keep up the good work....
@@ronwhiteleo3352 Thank you so much!
Be honest. Most of you are here because of Man vs Bee 🐝
The previews look hilarious!