Clearly, our lifestyle is not for everyone and does take a fair bit of planning and organization to get prepared. After traveling extensively and downsizing significantly we can look back today and say, this has been the best decision we could have made.

Often while traveling to new locations we are asked a series of similar questions from people we meet along the way.

Where is home?

Interesting lifestyle – followed by a long pause.

Don’t you miss having a home?

How did we get started with house sitting?

How do you find assignments and are you paid?

Wish I could do what you’re doing.

We try to describe our home situation by saying we are location independent. It sounds better than homeless! Home is where we are at any time. Every house and location is unique, and our assignments so far have felt like “home away from home”. Home owners were welcoming and genuinely wanted us to enjoy our time in their homes and region.

You could say we started by chance. After selling our home in 2014, we had no clear idea on where to settle next. We liked to travel and decided to combine this with house sitting.

We can visit different parts of the world and balance the economics of travel and day to day living costs. Generally, house sitters are not paid, but in exchange live free of charge in the home.  In addition, we receive the opportunity to explore new and perhaps unfamiliar parts of the world. This allows us enough time to become a part of a community, meet a few neighbors and blend in with the locals. We look after the home and usually the owners’ pets or garden.

We found several websites that registered homeowners and house sitters can join. The prices range from around $20 and $120 a year for membership, which gives you access to the listings. Homeowners post descriptions and photos of their homes and pets, as well as dates they need a sitter, which range from a few days to several months. Sitters provide a profile, experience, contact information and references. More experienced sitters have websites and video introductions.

Perusing through the listings is like planning a dream vacation. Do I want three months in a house with a pool and garden in southern France, or a month in Mexico or some short stays in Australia? Some people house sit on an occasional basis, usually close to home. Others, like us,  are full time and will travel the world.

Does it feel odd living in a stranger’s house?

By the time we are arriving to the house sit we feel like old friends. We’ve had several email exchanges and perhaps a few Skype calls. We were chosen to care for the homeowner’s property and pets. They’ve invited us into their home and made to feel like old friends or special guests. Homeowners want you to feel comfortable and both parties gain from this relationship.

House sitting requires someone to be flexible and adapt to new situations and circumstances with ease. Keeping the normal day-to-day routine in their absence is important for the pets. Adapting to another lifestyle, which may be different from the way you live, is not easy for some people.

House sitting requires a mutual trust

Some homeowners, especially those who will be away for an extended time period, just want their houses occupied as a security measure. However, pets are the reason for over 80 percent of the house sit arrangements. Homeowners can avoid costly kennel fees for weeks on end, and be reassured their home will be occupied while they are away.

The strengths and pitfalls of house sitting are built on the foundation of trust amongst strangers. Due diligence is necessary by both parties for this relationship to succeed.  Asking detailed questions during the initial interview will ensure you understand the owners’ expectations and come away feeling confident you could see yourself living in their shoes.  The websites don’t make any matches or vouch for the accuracy of the listings. It’s up to the sitters and owners to vet one another. After several email exchanges, talking by Skype or telephone and, if you live nearby, meeting in person. The sites provide sample agreements spelling out the responsibilities of both parties. However, in many instances no formal agreement is put in place. It is just a matter of trust and a simple list of agreed instructions and duties.

Once all parties agree, the home owner will receive some of the best service in return – trustworthy and responsible house sitters to care and maintain their property, pets, and whatever else requires attention during their absence.

We’ve heard stories from both sides of the table. Homeowners who have canceled at the last minute, leaving sitters with travel expenses and in search of another sit to fill the dates. Sitters arriving and finding that the two dogs they were expecting to look after had increased to four. Not always are these deal breakers and any deviations from the original discussed arrangements should be communicated early on and if possible, before the home owner’s departure.

Now that we’ve unleashed ourselves from the responsibilities of home ownership we are already booked for the next six months. The house sitting community is growing each year and not only have we made friends with homeowners but stay connected with other like-minded house sitters we’ve met along the way. House sitting has been the perfect match for us.