Intro to House Sitting Platforms
Photo by: @EthanAbitz - Monteverde, Costa Rica
As a preferably slow traveler, I’ve found such a brilliant and under-utilized traveling hack.
As someone who’s been navigating this type of traveling style for about a year, and since I’m oh so sweet, I will let you in on this well-hidden secret… House sitting.
We’ve all done it before. For our parents, neighbors and friends- we’ve fed the cat, taken the dog on walks, picked up the mail, watered the flowers... so, why not do it for strangers? And in exchange for free accommodation and sometimes free accommodation AND monetary compensation to your favorite destinations and getaways across the globe. Pretty cool, right? Follow me into the light as I navigate you through my most used platforms and some other options I’ve come across.
There’s a house sitting website out there for everyone and it could be hard to navigate in the beginning. I’ll be breaking down my favorites, most used, and the ones I’ve heard about but haven’t tried out yet. I hope learning about these at least peaks your interest in exploring the world via house sitting. This short read will provide you information as a sitter only.
I do want to preface before I explain any further that I am not affiliated, sponsored or working for any sites in which I’m about to provide links for. HOWEVER, you can support me by clicking any of my links.
For Trustedhousesitter.com, I pay my own yearly membership to be a part of the community. If you click this link - for every one new subscription to the platform using my 25% discount code, I do receive 2 free months of membership. And, you will too, once you sign up and provide your community your discount code.
For Rover, I paid my background check fee. Rover offers all members a discount code. If you click this link to sign up and complete your first walk or sit, you will receive $20 towards your first service and I will receive $50.
And, for Wag! I also paid for my background check. Wag! offers all members discount codes. If you are a pet parent looking for a sitter, this link is for you. You will receive $5 off your first service and I’ll receive $20. As a pet sitter, this link is for you, in which we both will receive $50.
TRUSTEDHOUSESITTERS.COM
I found TrustedHousesitters.com through my extremely well-traveled girl-friend Cheyenne, whom I met while living in Tulum, Mexico. She had been using the site for years and one day while out for lunch, she sent me the same 25% off code and I immediately signed up. The Premium Membership tier costs $259/year, which is typically the cost of 3-6 nights accommodation anywhere in the world. It only makes so much sense.
TrustedHousesitters is free accommodation, world-wide, and includes a background check and 5 other safety checks. Some membership tiers even provide trip insurance and airport lounge passes. This out of all three is the most travel-based and perked.
ROVER.com
Rover has become my bread and butter this past year. As a sitter, you can set your own rates and get paid while enjoying the accommodation for free. During the holidays, I make about $100/night or more! Like TrustedHousesitters, Rover is also background checked and verified. Rover tends to be geared more to local communities which is perfect for slow traveling, but it does make it harder for weekend warriors. USA, Canada, UK and other parts of Europe only, the app also supports dog walking and drop-ins so you can pick up some extra cash on the side while taking your daily stroll in the neighborhood you’re visiting.
WAGWALKING.com
I honestly don’t use Wag! much because it limits the amount of which you can set your rates. I would honestly rather find sits on Rover and get paid, or find sits on TrustedHouseitters for free to be able to stack up reviews which makes international travel easier. However, there are always an abundance of sits available and so many day-of opportunities, which makes this the easiest to find accommodation, walks and drop-ins. It’s the app I use when I’m house sitting for someone already and I’ve got a free hour to make $13.
OTHER SITES :
HousesittersAmerica.com
Membership is $49usd/year for a sitter. I haven’t used House Sitters America yet, solely due to the fact that I’m currently based in Nashville and there haven’t been any postings in my area for the past 4 months that I’ve been a member. That’s not to say there aren't plenty of other cities with options. Perks of this site, there are paid opportunities as well as free stays.
I do have a referral code, UTXQ87, which gets you $5 off and kicks back $5 towards my membership. I will make sure to keep you updated if I ever take a sit job and give a proper review of it :)
Nomador.com
From what I’ve explored, they have a free option that gives you limited use of their site, otherwise the site costs $99usd/year. Because there is a free option, I’ve seen bare profiles and underwhelming descriptions and photos on posts. This is something I make an effort to veer away from, the more descriptive a profile -the better. It’s a world-wide site that looks to lean toward longer weeks/months stays vs just a couple of days, which is a bonus. But, after spending some time on this site (free version only), I will keep my profile active and probably only use it in dire-need situations.
Please let me know if you use Nomador and your thoughts on it. Also, share with me your referral code if you have one so YOU receive the benefits!
MindMyHouse.com
For only $20usd/year, Mind My House is another option I’ve yet to explore. From what I’ve gathered in my research, there are a lot less accommodations to choose from, and it’s also world-wide with the majority of its user base in the US and Europe. The site is simple to navigate and seems to have full profiles with lots of information and photos per post compared to Nomador. I probably won’t sign up for this one, but I’ll keep an eye on any really cool properties that may emerge in the future.
I would love to hear from you about any of these platforms and others, whether you’ve tried them or interested in knowing more. I’m transparent and would love create more conversations about house sitting!
Overall, these are just a few options for someone starting out. There are so many more to explore and I’ll be right alongside you as it’s an ever-evolving industry. As for more house sitting content, I’m currently working on an Ebook about it all. I hope to have all of the Q&As, tips and tricks, Dos and Don’ts and some personal learning experiences all in one document for easy access and to create a small passive income for myself. As always, I appreciate any and all support when it comes to my life and the traveling I get to take you along on the ride for.
Sipping a Corona by the pool with some hostal mates in Lake Atitlán, Guatemala,
WT
