Dolly's Perfect Sitter
The vacation is booked you’re looking forward to getting away from it all, now for the most important part of ensuring absolute travel peace of mind choosing your perfect pet and house sitter. I'm a home owner and engaged many sitters over the years with 100% success in 2013 for seven months, 2014 even longer. How else could we travel this much?
Here are my five tops tips follow these and you'll wonder how you ever managed without your very own Angela and John!!
Prepare and post your listing ....
www.trustedhousesitters.com is the largest house sitting organisation with over 6000 registered sitters around the world. Include all relevant information in your listing, be clear with your expectations and your pets needs and care requirements this will ensure the right sitters will reply. Include photographs, especially of pets, do include one of your home and even yourselves, everyone likes to put a face to the name.
Read and Reply to All E Mails ...
Evaluate and remember it's not always about having oodles of house sitting experience either my last sitters had none but they were home owners, had held positions of trust throughout their working lives, and had a compelling reason for choosing our assignment. Their e mail, profile and excellent references told me all I needed to know, I felt absolutely comfortable in my choice .... the very best piece of advice!
Draw up a short list ...
Answer and advise all applicants of the status of your listing this is so easy with the multi messaging app as a sitter knowing whether or not you're being considered is very important we plan our house sits often months in advance. Worth checking at this point if chosen applicants need to satisfy any visa requirements if coming from overseas.
Evaluate and remember it's not always about having oodles of house sitting experience either my last sitters had none but they were home owners, had held positions of trust throughout their working lives, and had a compelling reason for choosing our assignment. Their e mail, profile and excellent references told me all I needed to know, I felt absolutely comfortable in my choice .... the very best piece of advice!
Draw up a short list ...
Answer and advise all applicants of the status of your listing this is so easy with the multi messaging app as a sitter knowing whether or not you're being considered is very important we plan our house sits often months in advance. Worth checking at this point if chosen applicants need to satisfy any visa requirements if coming from overseas.
Make Your OWN Short Favourites List
Check references and communicate ...
Contact referees directly and verify information then set up Skype chats with the sitters. It's an excellent way to meet everyone involved including the furry family members. Great for giving guided tours of your home and seeing your sitters home, if they're “in residence” Make a list of topics to discuss, this is the time for asking questions and for sitters to do the same. Use the resources on the “My Account” page the Home Owners Guidelines, Pet Profile Form and Home Owner Agreement Form
Contact referees directly and verify information then set up Skype chats with the sitters. It's an excellent way to meet everyone involved including the furry family members. Great for giving guided tours of your home and seeing your sitters home, if they're “in residence” Make a list of topics to discuss, this is the time for asking questions and for sitters to do the same. Use the resources on the “My Account” page the Home Owners Guidelines, Pet Profile Form and Home Owner Agreement Form
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Use your intuition ...
I promise the most difficult part of the whole process will be choosing one sitter from the many excellent ones who apply but after taking all the steps and doing your due diligence rely on your intuition. When you feel 100% comfortable with your choice you've found that very special Trusted House Sitter and you'll never leave home again without one!
I promise the most difficult part of the whole process will be choosing one sitter from the many excellent ones who apply but after taking all the steps and doing your due diligence rely on your intuition. When you feel 100% comfortable with your choice you've found that very special Trusted House Sitter and you'll never leave home again without one!
