5 Qualities of Superb House Sitters
You’re on vacation. You’re anxiously watching the news for information about the storm that you missed back home. As you listen to the report of strong winds, the televisions shows several damaged houses, and trees that have fallen. You panic. You wonder how your home is. You wonder if the house sitter is okay.
Your mind races, you scramble to your phone. The phone rings… and rings… and your house sitter answers.
Fortunately, you have a great house sitter and they took the necessary precautions the night before the storm. You’re relieved! Although you couldn’t reach them the day before due to the damage to the mobile phone network, your house sitter was experienced. She took the necessary steps to secure the windows and furniture during the storm. She reports that other than a screen door, nothing was damaged.
Sound like the kind of sitter you want watching your home? Absolutely! In this article, we’ll take a look at five qualities of really great house sitters!
1. Goal Oriented
Want to avoid a degenerate house sitter? Believe it or not, a sitter who is focused on their own goals and is responsible may be a good fit. A goal oriented sitter, like a writer or mature college student, may provide addition security during an extended trip or vacation. It is a win for both parties, you get a responsible house sitter, and they can concentrate on their work while caring for your home.
2. Preparedness
When you interview potential candidates, consider asking them hypothetical questions. Ask them what they would do in certain situations. A prepared sitter will ask you for a list of emergency contacts and procedures in the event of a disaster. An experienced sitter will have their own list of ideas and suggestions to assure they’re prepared for any emergency.
3. Experience
An experienced house sitter will work with you to create a list of daily responsibilities, tasks and rules to adhere to while you’re away. The bottom line — They will know what to do! House sitting experience would be nice, but real world experience is equally valuable. Does the person have stability? A house sitter’s work history may speak on their personality. Most importantly, an experienced house sitter will provide references.
4. References and Criminal Background
Most house sitters are great but there are some bad apples out there. There are horror stories where house sitters have abused their position and people who have employed them return to find items stolen or things damaged in their household. Something as serious as your home should demand thorough references and a criminal background check.
Contact the sitter’s last few employers and ensure that they are decent people, get a sense of their personality and character. An authenticated criminal background check will help you avoid individuals who have an unlawful history.
5. Marketing
Great house sitters know how to get found. They know how to market themselves and their services. You can find some of the best house sitters in North America listed in our community of sitters on HouseSitter.com. Our service is simple: we help match people looking for great house sitting with great house sitters. Looking for a house sitter? Start your house sitter search now or post your opportunity so sitters can come to you. Looking for a house sitting job? Start you house sitter job search or post your free house sitter profile.
An experienced house sitter will possess these five qualities and more. When you’re away on vacation, you’ll be able to relax and have confidence in the person who you’ve hired.
