If you think that house-sitting jobs will just appear, unfortunately, you’re dreaming. You need to put in the effort and create a great profile, send in house sit applications and then follow them up.
If you are new to house sitting or just wondering how to keep landing dream house sitting jobs time and time again, we have you covered. Finding great house-sitting jobs is all about the effort you put in.
There is a lot of competition in for the best house sits so you need to stand out from the crowd. We have been house sitting for almost 5 years! Over that time we have learned a few tricks of the trade to land EVERY house sit we apply for.
Here are a few of our best tips and strategies that help us secure house-sitting jobs again and again in all of the locations we desire!
Work on Your House Sitting Profile.
Make sure you update your profile. Add in you any new references, pictures or videos, skills you have picked and the services you offer.
We recommended giving your profile a review every few months, you never know what skills or experience might just help you land that next sit!
Also updating your profile may help you move up on the different platforms for recommended sitters.
See how to update your house sitting profile here.
Join a Few House Sitting Sites
When you’re looking for house sitting jobs you want to widen your net as much as possible. Not only do you want to make it easy for potential homeowners to find you, but you also want to be able to find all the available house sits.
It might seem expensive to be a part of all the house-sitting platforms. However, if you think about it, the cost of joining a house-sitting website for a year would be less than an Airbnb for one night in any city!
So really, it’s just an investment in this lifestyle which will repay over and over and over!
If anything, it is an outlay in your freedom to travel the world for practically nothing (except transportation costs).
Not House Sitting Full-Time?
It doesn’t matter if you are not a full-time pet sitter or house sitter. Just a few weeks’ holiday here and there during the year costs thousands in accommodation.
So, when weighing up the costs to benefits, you realise that being signed up to a few sites and getting the best picks is worth it, even if you are only using it a few weeks a year!
Create an Online Presence
Our website the Travelling House Sitters is a hub for both homeowners and house sitters. On our site, we have a page that lists all our previous sits, references as well as all our experience and skills.
It is a great place to collate all our information in one place, it is where we usually refer homeowners to when applying for house sits. We have heard from homeowners that there like this professional approach and gives us good credibility.
Consider a Social Media Presence
Similar to creating a website, posting on a social media platform might not be for you.
owever, we have found this a popular way to attract potential homeowners as well as give us a platform to meet other house sitters.
Don’t worry if you don’t have the skills to create your own personal site, a Facebook page can be just as effective. We will discuss social media in our next section
Having these different points of online presence can help reassure homeowners that we take assignments very seriously and that we are professional.
Join Some House-Sitting Communities
As you build your network will find that some house-sitting assignments come to you via referrals.
The best way to build your network is to meet others in the house-sitting community.
You will find that some of the most unique or best house sits don’t get advertised but are referred.
We have an active house-sitting community, that acts in this manner and we all help and support each other through this wonderful lifestyle. You can apply to join our Facebook community here.
Always Be Checking for House Sitting Jobs
One of the keys to landing house-sitting jobs is to simply be the first to apply.
So, once you have signed up to your chosen platforms, ensure you check them regularly. Some will even allow you to set up alerts for particular locations.
Remember, ALWAYS be checking the house-sitting sites! We often check several times a day in some locations we really want a sit in!
Due to house-sittings fabulous benefits, they are always new house sitters to compete with.
We have spoken to homeowners who have received over 20 applications within the first day. More often than not the homeowners get overwhelmed and stop reading new applications after day 1!
But never let that stop you!
If the location and dates you have been looking for pop up APPLY! You might be the house sitters the homeowners are waiting for! They might have a particular breed of dog you are familiar with or provided care for in the past or maybe you have a skill such as pool maintenance that no one before you has.
Our steps for applying and landing the pet sits you want.
Don’t Sweat the Location
If you want to land a house sit, sometimes you need to be a little flexible. You might want to be right in the middle of the action in a certain city.
However, sometimes it is nice to be amongst a small community and learn about the local culture rather than battle all the tourists.
Always Follow Up on Your House-Sitting Applications
This is key! We always send a reminder email or message to the homeowner if we don’t hear from them in 5 days.
Sometimes just putting yourself in their email box again can bring you to the top of their list. However, if you don’t hear from them, don’t worry! They may be taking time to make a decision or they have found someone suitable.
There is no need to stress just keep applying and following up and you will land the house-sitting jobs you want!
Want to Live or Travel for Free?
There are thousands of opportunities to housesit in any country and live for free!
We have been house-sitting for four years and saved over 100k!
We can show you how to get free rent in exchange for house sitting today!
Make Your Application Personalized
One of the keys to successful application is personalization.
Make sure you demonstrate you read the advert and let them know why you would be suitable.
If they mention that they have a certain breed of dog and you have previous experience with that breed, let them know.
Give the homeowner a link to our reference (this is where your website can come in handy) as well as access to police checks. Also, offer to organise a voice/voice/ in-person chat at their convenience, this contact can also help catch the house sit.
Something like that might be a clincher for you over 15 other applications. Also, make sure you answer any questions the homeowner asks.
Use Your References in All Application for House Sitting Jobs
So, what happens when you’re starting and your references are on another platform?
Don’t worry there are a few options! You can mention this in your initial application.
Take a screenshot of all our references and put them in a PDF and send it with your application. Create your own website and direct the homeowners to see all your references in one place.
How to Quickly Assess if the House-Sitting Assignment is Suitable
Make sure you create a document of what is important to you, that way you can quickly filter out unsuitable sits.
Maybe you need the internet, or you only look after a certain type of animal. Make sure you always filter for the dates you are looking for; you don’t want to apply for house sits where the dates don’t work for you.
Looking for Red Flags
Sometimes a house sitting assignment isn’t quite what you expected. So, we have a list of things that we have identified as potential red flags
- Any homes that don’t list any pictures at all.
- Any mentions of paying rent.
- Looking after adults or children.
- The homeowner doesn’t want to answer any of your questions.
- Looking after too many animals, we once looked after 9 cats. Pet care can be demanding, we enjoyed it but found that the entire day was spent cleaning and feeding the cats
So here are our top 10 tips for finding house-sitting jobs in 2023!
If you want to find more about what platforms to sign up to much sure you have a read of our comparison of the best house sitting websites.
If you want all our application templates and resources to landing ANY house sit see our in-depth how to become a professional house sitter course.
Author: Britt
I am Britt. I have been house-sitting and pet-sitting for the past seven years. I have cared for 25 dogs, 35 cats, one turtle, and one rabbit over 80+ houses in 15 countries.
The opportunity to experience different homes, cultures, and communities has been extraordinary.
I’ve connected with homeowners seeking reliable sitters through house-sitting platforms like Aussie House Sitters and Trusted House Sitters. This unique way of living has allowed me to save money on accommodation, explore new cultures, and meet new people.
Being a member of these platforms has broadened my horizons and opened doors to short- and long-term house-sitting jobs. I’ve found joy in providing excellent pet care and ensuring the home is well-maintained.
I get many questions about how to start as a housesitter, so please reach out if you have any questions! I want everyone to enjoy this incredible lifestyle as well!
You can read more about Jay and me here!
Or connect with me on Facebook or in our house-sitting community on Facebook.
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