How to get started with house sitting
We would all love to live in huge modern houses that look like they belong in an architecture magazine. However, the truth is that taking care of these properties is not an easy task. Naturally, the situation only gets worse if house owners love to travel, or are forced to spend a lot of time away from home due to work. The homeowners are then forced to find someone who would take over the chores while they’re gone.
These chores usually include watering the plants, taking care of pets, collecting and sending mail and more. House sitting may involve visiting the house several times a day, or even sleeping on the premises, while the owners are away. By doing that, the possibility of a break-in is practically eliminated.
So, if you are interested to turn this into your secondary source of income, or you’re looking to learn more details about the industry, check out the article we have in store for you today.
What are some of the main advantages of the house sitting business?
Well, for one, if you are already a remote worker, or if you’re on the hunt for a job, this should slide in perfectly in your schedule. Because this line of work demands nothing more than some of your free time, it is also an ideal gig for college students.
In fact, if you are a digital nomad, you can bring your laptop and other working equipment to the house in question and set up your office space then and there. Naturally, you will have to take care of the mail, perhaps pet the dog for a little bit and water the plants when necessary, but other than that, you’re golden.
Many people don’t even have to change their life habits in order to perform house sitting duties, but they get paid like the rest of us nonetheless. Now, as far as the pay goes, you can expect to get anywhere from $15 to even $50 a day, depending on your place of residence and the good will of the hosts. Naturally, while this may prove to be a lucrative passive income stream, it will hardly transform into a full-time gig. Still, if the opportunity is there for the taking, why say no to some easy money?
What to do in order to get started?
First of all, in order to get even one potential client, you first have to prove your legitimacy. Nowadays, everything is done online, and so is this. In order to get started, you first need to register your services at one of the popular websites for house sitters.
Describe yourself in detail, and try to be sincere, while focusing on the needs of your potential clients at all times. Try to come up with a reason that would make you stand out from other house sitters, such as your expertise in gardening or your love of spring cleaning. Whatever it is, make sure not to go overboard, because it’s easy to spot when someone is trying a bit too hard. That can even make you seem untrustworthy.
In case that you have some references and recommendations from people who are willing to vouch for your honesty and character, you have to include that part as well. It can be the thing that will help you score your first gig.
Always keep one eye open and try to remain flexible
House sitting for your neighbor next door would be an ideal, but sometimes you have to be willing to travel half way across the city to reach your destination. Good opportunities happen to those who are ready to take them, so besides being flexible, it is important to monitor the market at any time of day and react by sending your offer at a moment’s notice.
You can sign up for one of those email alerts, just to make sure that you’re always informed of the best deals. Always make sure that your application is polite, well written and grammatically correct, as making a great first impression is half the battle. Either way, we wish you the best of luck in finding your next house sitting project!
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