Best Website for Sitters and Owners: Powerful Benefits

Before we discuss the best house sitting website for sitters and owners, let me give you a bit of background on how we have used them.

House sitting is an interesting concept. It means to live in someone’s home, taking care of it (and pets) for a fixed time while they are away. Finding the best house sitting website for sitters and owners is challenging, especially for new-time users.

My husband and I used to travel for six months of the year. For the other six months, we would house sit. Now, we live mostly in Mexico and look for house sits in different areas.

We first heard about house sitting while in Costa Rica. We met several couples who told us they were house sitters and could go anywhere in the world if they wanted to. This sounded interesting to us, and upon our return to Canada, we immediately registered with a popular house-sitting service.

We are well into our 12th year, with several house sits to our credit; many are repeat clients.

This article will provide insights on the best website for sitters and owners, what house sitting means, how it works, the pros and cons, and what to look for when choosing a service.

As house sitters ourselves, my husband and I are affiliated with more than one house-sitting service and are extremely happy with them.

1) Trusted House Sitters

HIGHLIGHTS

This company was launched in 2010 by co-founders Rachael and Andy, when Andy saw a need. He was helping a friend, caring for his two cats and three dogs in Galicia, Spain, when he realized that many people would prefer to leave their pets home in familiar surroundings rather than board them out.

It is one of, if not the largest, companies offering a website for sitters and owners. They have a strong presence in Australia, the U.S., Canada, and the UK, but their house sitters and owners are worldwide.

Even their staff is encouraged to do hands-on training. They house sit to understand a client’s needs.

Since there is huge competition, one of the things recommended for new members is to provide a top-notch profile and to include private house sits; this is how we started with over 10 years of house sits for family and friends.

The nice thing is that you can choose what animals you wish to sit with. While we are willing to look after most animals (including chickens), we draw the line at snakes and other large reptiles. Not all house sits include animals; sometimes the owners want to ensure their property is looked after while away. When looking at a website for sitters and owners, do they provide a section where you can specify the pets you are interested in?

HIGHLIGHTS

House Carers started before Trusted House Sitters. The company was founded by its owner, Ian White, in 2000. Although based in Australia, their operations are global, with faithful homeowners returning year after year.

It is free to homeowners; however, a $25 fee gives a Premium Membership, which ensures some extras such as being able to add private notes to sitters’ profiles, participate in the referral reward program, and receive a bonus six-month membership.

There is a free trial for house sitters but options are limited. For example, a sitter won’t be able to contact homeowners.

A paid membership allows a sitter to respond to messages from homeowners or apply for any house sits, place contact phone numbers on a profile visible to logged-in homeowners (not seen by the public), appear as a featured house sitter (in rotation with other sitters), upload up to 14 photos with captions, appear in unpaid limited members in search results, and include a link from a website if the sitter has one.

I believe $25 is a low price for a website for sitters and owners.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

House Sitters America has been uniting homeowners and sitters in the U.S. since 2007. They provide a safe and convenient website for sitters and owners, making it easy.

Some of their features include in-site messaging, ID verification, and a review and rating system for owners and sitters.

Registration is very affordable at only $49 per year. You can also browse the website for house-sitting opportunities until you buy a membership.

Another great feature is that homeowners can register and contact prospective sitters for free!

While other house-sitting services encourage you to sit for free, House Sitters America leaves that up to the sitters.

1) Trusted House Sitters

PROS:

• The largest company in the world, therefore, has lots of choices
• Two verification levels are available for house sitters
• Annual membership (no hidden costs)
• Homeowners & Sitters basic cost $129; combined basic cost $189
• Free 24/7 Vet Advice Line
• Insurance-backed guarantee for homeowner
• Easy-to-use website, including a place to load up to 14 photos
• Great messaging system
• Resources are available for both owners and sitters
• A welcome guide prepared by the owner is available to the house sitter
• Reviews are available upon completion of sits
• App for iPhones and Androids
• Has excellent client reviews

CONS:

• The price might be considered steep by some, although if you compare that to finding living accommodations or boarding your pet, it becomes quite reasonable
• Since the company is so large, the competition is hefty; therefore, having a profile that shines is necessary

2) House Carers

PROS:

• Well-established company
• Great resources and a large FAQ section for both owners and sitters
• Affordable membership for sitters: $50 US
• Homeowners have free membership; premium membership is $25 US
• No automatic renewals (reverts to free/guest)
• House sitting agreement
• Referral program for both owners and sitters
• Has excellent reviews

CONS:

• It can only be reached through their contact page; sometimes it takes at least 24 hours before you hear back.
• The house sitter trial is limited; for instance, you can’t upload photos or contact homeowners

3) House Sitters America

PROS:

• Well-established company (since 2007)
• Affordable memberships for sitters
• Free for homeowners
• Option to be a FREE  or PAID sitter
• Easy-to-navigate website
• Extensive FAQs section
• Review and rating section for both owners and sitters
• Great reviews and testimonials
• In-site messaging
• ID verification
• No auto-renewals

CONS

• There is a concern homeowners may cancel at any moment since they don’t have to pay a membership fee
• No app

Why House Sit

 

It isn’t all for the owner’s benefit; it also fills a need for the sitter. People house sit for a variety of reasons.

• An opportunity to travel
• Free
• Accommodations
• Save money
• Genuine love of animals
• A way of life—they don’t want to be tied to a mortgage, house rental, etc.
• Experience the culture in other areas/countries

What does it Mean to House Sit

Members of a house-sitting service will usually pay an annual fee which owners and sitters can connect.

To house sit means to look after someone’s home, often but not always with pets included (we did a 4-month house sit in Ottawa with no pets), assuming some responsibilities, such as light housekeeping, watering plants, yard or pool maintenance, or administering medication to pets if needed. These sits can be just a short weekend, a couple of weeks, several months, and sometimes even a year.

A house owner needs to know his property and pets are in good hands and that the sitter can provide peace of mind, knowing that all is safe and secure, and they (the owners) can travel worry-free.

You better love animals! We have looked after cats, dogs, chickens, fish, and even pet geckos. The above photo is of us and two beautiful golden retrievers. We were privileged to house sit for them twice.

When Choosing a House Sitting Website or Service

When my husband and I first thought about house sitting we didn’t know the first steps. Friends recommended Trusted House Sitters. Two years later, with several house sits completed, we know we made the right decision. We have joined other sites but because Trusted House Sitters is so large, we never lacked houses to sit in. I remember that when we started, we had four house sits back to back! I guess maybe we have a good profile.

Regardless, when you are first starting as the sitter or the homeowner, you want to find a service that provides certain criteria to make your house sit an enjoyable experience for everyone. I suggest you look into the information on the three house-sitting companies mentioned.

House Owners and House Sitters

• Does the company have a good reputation?
• How long have they been in business?
• Do they provide an insurance-backed guarantee (for homeowners)?
• What is the cost of joining?
• What is the renewal procedure?
• What areas do they cover? Is it global?
• Do they provide a review section (for house sitters and homeowners)<
• Do they ask for security verification (for sitters)?
• Is there an easy messaging system to communicate with each other?
• Can photos easily be added?
• Do they provide an incentive or referral program?
• Is customer service easily reached?

Final Thoughts

House sitting can be a rewarding and fun experience for everyone concerned. For the sitter, it’s an awesome opportunity to feed your imagination and quench your thirst for travel, meet new people, learn about their cultures, and look after some furry new friends.

For homeowners, it is a chance for you to meet new friends and travel in peace with the assurance that your home and ‘family’ are in good hands while you are away.

We hope we have guided you in picking the perfect house-sitting website for sitters and owners.

Are you a house sitter? Have you used a website for sitters or owners before? Please share your experiences in the comment section below.