Tips for Finding A Home Sitter for the Holidays
Holidays are the perfect time to take a long trip to a winter paradise with your friends or family. You have some time on your hands to truly enjoy and relax during your winter break before you get back to work. Most travelers want to have a relatively stress-free experience and don’t want to worry about their homes during the vacation.
That’s one of the reasons why people have started to hire house sitters. These professionals stay in your home and take care of your pets and home while you’re away. Here are some tips to help you find the best and most reliable sitters for the job:
- Hire through an agency
House sitting agencies do the legwork for you and verify all prospective house sitters carefully to ensure they’re trustworthy. They check references, create contracts, and some even monitor the house sitter to ensure they don’t cause any damage to your house.
However, these agencies can be quite expensive because they charge a commission. They’re more suitable for emergencies or short-term sitting.
- Online platforms
There are several reputable and trustworthy online websites that connect homeowners to house sitters in their local area. All you need to do is register on the website and pay a small fee to post your listing.
You can browse through different sitter profiles, read reviews, and contact the most likely candidates directly. Homeowners can also post a listing on these platforms providing ample information regarding their expectations and wait for prospective sitters to contact them directly.
- Check local newspapers
Some house sitters will advertise their services in local newspapers and magazines. This is especially common in areas with colleges and universities in the vicinity. This allows you to contact and meet the prospective house sitter personally before making the decision to hire them for the job. Be sure to call and verify the prospective sitter carefully before you agree to meet them or invite them into your home.
- Word-of-mouth recommendations
One of the best ways to hire a house sitter is to ask your friends and family for recommendations. This ensures the sitter is someone you know or someone who has taken care of your friend or relative’s home. These sitters are often more trustworthy and likely to do a good job. Most local house sitters rely on this word-of-mouth advertising to get assignments.
- What to do before hiring a sitter?
- Call them and discuss sitting requirements with them thoroughly.
- Meet them in person and conduct interviews to ensure you hire the right person.
- Print out a house sitting contract and ensure you and the sitter have signed it.
- Let the home insurance company know and check to see if the sitter’s possessions will be covered by the policy as well.
If you want a beautiful custom home in a good location or advice on home management during the holidays, don’t hesitate to contact us at Landmark Custom Homes at 954 444 9875.