Urban sprawl and increasing social mobility are making it more practical to use a house sitter when you must be away from home. Time was when communities were close-knit, families lived not far away and neighbors looked after each other. Sociological developments, however, have changed all that. If the time comes when you have to leave your home to go on a holiday, attend to some business far from home or just be away for a while, you might not be able to find someone to look after your home for you.
Simply locking up your home is not always practical, especially if you have a pet which needs looking after, or plants which need tending. Pets are a special concern because the alternative is to put the pet in a kennel, which can be an expensive proposition. Asking neighbors to look in once a while may prove to be an imposition and is not an option you can always rely on. Leaving a home unattended always exposes you to the risk of fires or other natural disasters which might strike while you are away. Your home insurance policy may also be invalidated if the home is left unattended for a long period of time. The more practical alternative is to use a house sitter.
You can easily find a house sitter by visiting the online site of a company that provides house sitting services. The site has questionnaires where you specify the preferred age of a house sitter, what previous experience he or she has had especially with pet care, the length of time you need and other requirements you might have. The house sitting site will also provide you with references, including police checks. Once you have picked out a house sitter that fits your requirements, the online site will help you and the house sitter get in touch so you can get to know each other and agree on the terms of the contract.
House sitting is an activity that’s becoming more and more popular, especially with retirees who have left the traditional work force. Self-employed individuals or those who are in between traditional 8 to 5 jobs find house sitting an attractive way to keep themselves busy and productive. This means that someone looking for a house sitter has access to a large labor pool of mature, responsible and educated individuals who can be entrusted with the proper care of a home, pets and furnishings.
Making use of a house sitter can also be a major cost saver. No kennel fees is just one area of saving. House sitters offer to take care of a home in exchange for decent and comfortable lodgings. Some do it for the chance to live in another part of the country, or simply for a change of scenery. With a little patience in choosing a house sitter, and some smart bargaining skills, you can use a house sitter at very little expense and still be guaranteed of honest, dependable service.