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More Articles and Experiences
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More Articles and Experiences
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Click these links to read about their house sitting experiences
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13th September 2003 - Italy
* 9th October 2003 - Australia - London, France, USA
* 4th December 2003 - Australia
* 2002 - 2004 - Australia wide
* April 2004 - 2005 - South Africa to
Scotland to USA
* 2003 - 2004 - Switzerland to Italy
* March 2005 - Australia wide - 2004 & 2005
* 2003 - 2005 -
Sydney
* February 2006 - Brisbane (from
Scotland)
* June 2006 - Australia 2005
/ 2006
* December 2007 - Colorado USA 2005 / 2006
/ 2007
* December 2007 - London to Montana USA 2007
* April 2008 -
10 Years experience - Melbourne to UK, Europe, USA, Canada
* December 2008 - Australia to USA,
Canada, Switzerland
* June 2009 - Australia
- Three years sitting around Australia
* March 2010 - Australia to
London
* June 2010 -
Extract from THE SUNDAY MAIL
June 27, 2010
* July 2010 - Australia
and Denver USA
* December 2010 - West
Australia - From Sitters and Owners
* 2007 to 2010 -
UK to West Australia - From
Owner
* January 2011 - The Irish Times
- Saturday, January 29, 2011
* October 2011 -
Argentina / Australia - reflection on Housesitting
* October 2011 -
New Zealand to Perth Australia - Housesitting over 4 years
* November 2011 -
New Zealand to Sydney Australia
* June 2012 - Australia in 2012 - From sitter
* May 2012 -
Canada to France - From Sitter
* October 2012 -
New Zealand to
Australia
* February 2013 -
Canada to France & Italy
* January 2014 -
Australia - Diary
of a
house sitter 2003 to 2014
* January 2014 -
California USA, report from Owner
* January 2014 -
UK to West Australia - from repeat sitter
and from Owner
* August 2014 -
8 years house sitting around
Australia
* August 2014 -
16 years repeat house sitting Australia, Colorado, USA,
Ireland, Scotland, France, Canada, England, Switzerland ....
* September 2015 - 10 years
around Australia
* 2015 - Around Australia and Worldwide
Other feedback testimonials here
Handy hints here
For those who missed our few moments of fame on TV - Video Here
9th October 2003
House sitting Australia - London, France, USA
Hi Danny Thanks for the reply..........the sit we are about to do here in Brisbane was advertised under 'sitter wanted' and we also picked up a fill in at Sunbury from the 'sitter wanted'. We get lots and lots of requests but there are not enough months in a year.........so obviously lots and lots of people use your data base. Now of course we are being referred by our past house hosts and we now have options of sitting in London, France and USA .........maybe this will be our goal for 2005. Thanks again. Cheers Thelma and Alan
4th December 2003
House sitters Australia
To respect their privacy, we have agreed to use the nom de plume "Greenacres"
Hi Housesitworld,
"Attn Danny Raynel"
We have just received your reminder that it is getting to that time of year to renew our subscription to your wonderful service.
We have had a very enjoyable and industrious past 12 months thanks to your service!
Within hours of placing our original advertisement with you the offers started to come in!, In our view this was truly remarkable! Unfortunately there were a lot that didn't really suit our needs so we had to turn these people away. The positions/needs that we were asked to sit to, or for, were unbelievable! BUT! A word of caution to prospective/new sitters. Some of the people that requested our services really needed/wanted a free repair / maintenance service rather than a housesitter. And their expectations were truly "a bit over the top"
Prospective sitters should remember that "YOU are in the box seat!"
There are a lot of people out there that require, need, want, & appreciate the services that we provide! (It has recently cost a friend of ours $210.00 just to leave a couple of cats in a cat motel for a week in Brisbane! )
We have been very fortunate in the fact that the 1st couple that we "sat for" were off to the U.K. for approx 9 weeks. We were able to park our caravan on their property and just use the bathroom facilities in the self-contained flat attached to their heritage listed home. A near new ride-on mower was provided to help us maintain the lawns along with a list of phone numbers for various local tradesmen who were available to rectify any problems that may have popped up. As they were leaving a Freezer and other electrical things on in the house we agreed to halving the power bill between us. (This is only a matter of reading the meters on the power board at the commencement and end of the house-sit)
We used the agreement form that is supplied on your site. (the owners had their legal rep go over it and they were quite happy with it!)
We are currently "sitting" a property in southern Tasmania for several months and then will be heading back up to Queensland for the winter months.
Oh dear what a hard life! It sure beats sitting around doing nothing and we feel we are suppling a service that is not only required but appreciated as well (providing you make an honest effort to do things as the owner has asked! That is I feel the most important part of the whole deal, "HONESTY!" by both parties!)
Thank you for the service that you have supplied us with over the last year. Our cheque for subscription renewal will be sent to you in the next few days.
We hope that you and all your staff have a happy, safe and loving Christmas and wish you all well for the coming New Year.
Kindest regards
If you need/want to use this letter for advertising purposes please respect our privacy and use the nom de plume "Greenacres"
2002 - 2004
House sitting
Australia wide
John & Joy Stallard
In two and a half years we have been West to east for the cost of our fuel.
Leaving Perth we headed for some place we had never heard of, Briagolong, Victoria.
Having found the sit on the net we made contact with the homeowners and soon had all arrangements in place for a three month sit, our first. We were there in snow time and it really was an experience at the age of 62. I was used to temperatures more Mediterranean in keeping with Western Australia. The parents of the couple we were sitting for lived not far away and they made sure we missed out on nothing, taking us to all the best spots and made our stay most enjoyable. We still keep in touch.
The house was very country and had a family feel about it. There was about two hectares of mostly grass as it had been used for horse agistment. This was fun for me as I got to keep the grass down with a ride on mower, walk the dingo, yes she was a dingo, a very loving and playful animal.
The other thing to do was to cuddle the cat and enjoy watching the "Roulettes" fly above in practice. The Air Force base was only 30 odd Klm's away at Sale.
Keeping our eye on the net we found a sit to follow this one in Southport Qld with only a months break, great we can stay with Joy's sister for a week or two in Coffs harbour.
Arriving on the Gold Coast we made ourselves known to Peter and Lyn our new hosts. It was September and the weather was just great. It was a lovely home with swimming pool, cat and dog. Lyn had such a feeling for the dog as it had saved her from a life restricted to the house and so she bought an Echo car solely to take the dog to the park some 10klm's away. Twice a day around the park got me in trim again. We were there to see the Indy 300 and to see all the wonders of the area, great stay! We had my daughter and friend fly in from Perth for a week and Joy's brother and his wife come for a week and then Joy's sister and partner from Coffs come for a week. With the owners consent of course. We still make regular contact with Peter and Lyn and will call in again to say Hi on our way through to another Qld sit this Xmas.
We found another sit from the World wide House-sitting site on the net that took us on to Pt Lincoln in South Australia with only a week to spare, small world, it turned out that John Mc: worked my brother Ivan at Woomera. We had the best time of our lives at Lincoln and made some lifetime friends not only with our hosts but also with the members of the Salvation Army where we are soldiers. Although well out of the way it is a very beautiful spot for site seeing and fishing. As we are both nurses we worked as volunteers at the Flinders Nursing home for the aged. We have been back to Lincoln since just for a holiday.
Back to the West where we had a sit at Gidgegannup for three weeks while the folks there went on holidays to New Zealand. They left us their car and so we picked them up and dropped them at the airport. Gidgegannup is a picturesque spot set in the hills overlooking the coastal plains some 20 klm's East of Midland. A double storied house with a magnificent panorama. Our next sit wasn't far away on a horse stud at Bullsbrook, by far the most fun I have ever had without spending money. The Quarter horse is not just a horse but the most inquisitive animal I have ever come across and a delight to be with. The owners Bob & Kitty who run Dakota Stud are nearly as good as their horses and we have grown to love them like family. No time to become lax, we are off to Duncraig, a suburb of Perth for five months to sit house for a single lady who is off on her own to travel almost all the way around Australia on her own.
This suited us fine as it was easy travelling on the freeway to our daughters place not far from the other end of the Farmer Tunnel or to our son's place in Doubleview along the ocean front. Patsy is still among our list of newly acquired friends. A very lovely lady.
Bob & Kitty set up our next sit, they had friends in Claremont, a suburb between Perth and Fremantle, who were off to South Africa for a long, hard earned holiday. They were from South Africa and had friends and relatives to catch up with. We were somewhat dumbfounded when we saw the house. A beautiful double storied place with everything at your fingertips. We had landed in heaven and thankfully our hosts are still those we count among treasured friends.
My wife Joy worked at the Rockingham Hospital South of Perth before we started travelling and it was while we were at Claremont one of her colleagues from work asked if we could do a sit in Mandurah next and so we have come full circle but by no means finished. We leave this sit in another four weeks to go to Karratha in the states north to see or son and his family for a week before returning for a further three weeks to Dakota Stud.
Next we will return to Pt Lincoln to pick up our camper trailer that we left behind and then on to Wodonga for a three month sit followed by another three months just out of Brisbane in a bush setting that looks delightful and has an outside spa.
A word of wisdom to the newbie's - have a federal police clearance not more than three months old and a couple of good checkable references. We paid 50 dollars only for our web ad which is a once off payment. Feel free to contact me on my e-mail johnstallard@dodo.com.au Hope to see you on the road.
Joy's View.
The home we are now sitting is our eighth and I have learnt a few things along the way.
My first priority is to make myself at home wherever I am. I have my sewing machine for quilting etc. Books to read, my water colours & something to crochet so when we are not out & about checking out the new surroundings I have plenty to do.
Because we are soldiers in the Salvation Army we have an immediate family wherever we are. I miss my children at Xmas & birthdays but when we return to Perth we make up for it.
We have mini holidays between house sits and just meander along the highways & byways. One of the most wonderful things when travelling is the great people you meet along the way. To phrase a quote, "no stranger just friends to meet".
My advice to anyone contemplating house sitting is just give it a go, our lives have been enriched by the experience. Travel light, you don't need a lot of clothes, just good quality non iron, since you move to different places no one knows what you wore last week. You may get tired of them but that's no big deal. Op-shops are a great place to drop off your old clothes and maybe pick up something for yourself. We keep in touch by post cards, the internet and by way of a CDMA phone. Some hate that because it reminds them of where that would like to be.
I usually make arrangements to use the host's condiments and then I leave sugar, flour etc to compensate. No need to carry too much. We leave the day they arrive back and prepare a meal for them. I usually make a cake and a lasagne so they can settle back in without having to worry about cooking that first night.
John & Joy Stallard
April 2004
April 2004 onwards
House sitters South Africa to Scotland to USA
Janetta and EddyThis house-sitting is great. The first response to our first ad was for five months in the Highlands of Scotland, with six weeks off in the middle to go touring.
Our hosts own a private resort with twelve self-catering units in this very remote, rural setting close to Loch Ness; they have gone sailing in the Mediterranean. We are responsible for the large four bed roomed house and the care of two cats and about fifty houseplants. It is stunning beautiful around here with a conservation village at the end of our drive, different places to walk each day and the whole of the north of Scotland and islands to explore. We are surrounded by mountains, rivers, forests, ancient castles and beautiful scenery. We enjoy photography and have already taken hundreds of photos already.
Our hosts made us extremely welcome and now we feel very much at home: we have regular contact with their staff that run the resort, and have made friends with some of our neighbours. We would recommend house-sitting for everyone, what a clever concept.
Janetta and Eddy Reitsma, May 2004
And, November 2004 . . .
Hi Danny, Well we are well into our second amazing house-sit, this time in Connecticut, New England, USA, looking after a lovely old house, two cats, and wild birds. The "fall colours" were amazing and we have had an early snow. We have made so many friends and have a great social life here. We are here until end February and then have a month in Florida and Las Vegas "on holiday", although it all feels like being on holiday!
Next stop is New Zealand, so please can you put up the ad for us.
Thanks for running such a great business, we are having the time of our lives!Best Regards
Janetta and Eddy Reitsma, Nov 2004
www.geocities.com/eddy_reitsma
Home exchange and house sitting.
Hi Danny, Thanks for putting our details back on the site. We actually do more house exchanges than house sitting, but did two of the latter in 2003. Three weeks in Tuscany in August (HOT!) house, cat, dog and garden sitting worked out very well. We were just 10 minutes from the sea, which was great. It convinced us we would like to really learn to speak Italian so we took on a 5-month house-sitting job in Umbria, about 40 kms from Perugia. That worked out well from the Italian-learning point of view: we took two months of full-time courses at the Università per Stranieri and two months of private courses twice a week with a local teacher. And the opportunity to visit some fantastic places out-of-season was good too - Perugia, Assissi, Gubbio, Città di Castello, Urbino, Todi, Cortona - the list is endless and all within day-trip distance. And the food was fantastic and the local trattorias full of Italians. Not too many tourists in sight between November and March! BUT, this experience also convinced us never to spend another winter in an old (although well renovated) farmhouse. We froze! The temperatures averaged around 0°C for 3 months and it snowed 5 times! We had agreed to pay the heating costs which the owner said were 750 Euro for the 5 months - and thank God we got that in writing! We only heated 1/4 of the house, couldn't get the temperature above 18°C and the gas bill amounted to 2,500 Euros. The bedroom temperature hovered around 6-10° all winter. And the owner also conveniently forgot to mention the dog problem in the village. There were more dogs than people and they barked day and night. All this to say that housesitting is a great idea - but get all the facts before you go - and get the costs you will be expected to pay in writing!Kind regards, Carol Collins, May 2004.
House sitting Australia, March 2005 ( All 2004 & 2005)
Hello Danny
Time to wish you a happy Easter - almost!! Having a fab time on the little farm here in Tassie - lots to do but very enjoyable. Will be back in Canberra around the end of June and will be doing a sit for friends until late August. Can you please update my details again. It must soon be time for your fee again?
Find the people I meet through housesitting often ask about the site so of course I can rave on about my success!! Always mention that I actually met you and can assure them you ain't some character in a penthouse in Sydney!!
I would suggest that its pretty dry down here - no serious rain since I arrived 21st Feb.. Most beautiful spot here high on a hill and at the top of the hill Bass Strait can be seen. Cycling down is a bit tricky so you can guess about cycling up!! Once down though good cycling beside the Forth River. About 11k to Devonport and Ulverstone with good shopping. Prefer Ulverstone as its easy and safer to cycle there.
Plenty of cultural activities and had a good fix at the Star of the Sea church Burnie last Monday night. Cologne Chamber Orchestra - wonderful concert all for $27!!!
I'm rapt in life down here where you can still buy houses under $200,000 close to beaches!!
Hope life goes well for you.
Cheers, Keith.
House sitting Australia February 2006
Dear Sir / Madam,
Reference for Mr and Mrs Jens Steffen
I contacted the Steffen's via your website, and after couple of phone calls we decided that they sounded like the perfect people to look after our cats and our home.
We invited them to pop round before we went on holiday, so we could show them where everything was, and of course, to introduce them to the cats. The cats love company, and one could tell the Stiffens were used to cats, so we were immediately reassured that the cats would be cared for.
We left a couple of days later and had a wonderful holiday, knowing that our house was secure, and our cats taken care of.
Jens Steffen offered to collect us from the airport upon our return, which we gladly accepted, and when we arrived back home, it was to a house that was cleaner than we had left it (I am embarrassed to say), and the cats hadn't missed us at all. The fridge was full of goodies, so I didn't even have to go shopping the next day. The lawn was mowed, the plants were watered - amazing, it was as if we'd never left...
All in all, the Steffen's were very reliable, trustworthy and extremely generous. We were very lucky to have found them, especially as it was the first time we had ever used house sitters.
The website is very good too, and we were very appreciative of the tips you give. We didn't feel the need to go as far as a contract, though admittedly, it would help prevent misunderstandings.
We will definitely use your website again, perhaps even to advertise as house sitters ourselves! Perhaps you should look into house swaps as an option...
Best regards,
Richard and Julie, Brisbane, Feb '06
The Irish Times - Saturday, January 29, 2011
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/travel/2011/0129/1224288488585.htmlHoliday on the house
House-sitting is not simply an easy way to get a cheap holiday as it requires vigilance. But it can be a lot of fun for those willing to make the effort, writes JASPER WINN
I’m on a terrace in Andalusia as I write this, in the remote but comfortable house of a well-known author. The sun is shining. I’ve made myself a cup of coffee and I’m settling in nicely. Two dogs and several cats are lounging around. I’ve already looked through a well-stocked storeroom to decide on ingredients for supper: pata negra jamon, fresh vegetables from the garden, local olives. And a bottle of the Rioja? Chris’s collection of CDs is uncannily close to mine, which makes me feel even more at home. I know that he and his wife won’t be be back for five days. I relax even more.
Taking over a famous writer’s home whilst he is away makes me what, exactly? Creepy celebrity stalker? Weird house-breaker? No, I’m actually welcome here, as a house-sitter.
So, the pets have been introduced to me, and there are precise notes on caring for a small flock of sheep and a fluttering cote of doves, and irrigating the vegetable plots.
In return for these few light tasks, I’ve got as much as I can eat, and time to read and write in peace. In other words, the opportunity to holiday in comfort in someone else’s house for free.
A properly arranged house-sitting relationship benefits both parties. On many properties, in Ireland and abroad, insurance, as well as security, is compromised if the house is left unoccupied for any length of time, while the cost of putting a single cat into a cattery in Europe might be €10 or €12 a day.
If someone has three cats and a dog and are going away for a week, not only will the animals be happier in their own home but there will be a saving of several hundred euros with a house-sitter living in. And having someone on the premises who can also take phone calls, deal with minor maintenance and call in help for major disasters such as burst pipes is more than enough to make the cost of their food, any small expenses and several bottles of good wine a bargain.
Semi-professional sitters have impeccable references and often police or military backgrounds to give confidence to the householder.
Most, at least when starting off, register with one or more agencies (see box) and improve their desirability by offering maintenance skills and committing to longer periods.
Good places are available through agencies and websites to those willing to offer their services. Glancing through some on offer, I find opportunities to sit a seaside house in Wexford, a vineyard in France, a cottage in a village in Italy and a villa in Greece with its own swimming pool.
For occasional holiday-length sitting jobs, agency positions are often too random and restrictive. Contracts can stipulate that you not leave the property unattended for more than a hour at a time, perform daily fixed tasks for little or no financial reward and put a deposit down against damage.
House-sitting in Ireland, for properties at home and abroad, tends to be a word-of-mouth activity, with friends and friends-of-friends marrying up houses with sitters for shorter periods.
That way there is the element of personal contact that allows both parties to see what they are getting into. Because taking over someone else’s life for a week or two can work out badly.
Many years ago my sister – house-sitting runs in the family – was asked to look after a grand country house attached to a busy stud for a fortnight.
Only after she arrived was she told that as it was the “quiet time of the year” all the stud staff but for a lad and an elderly man had been given their annual holidays and she was expected to fill in for the four absent grooms when it came to hefting bales of hay for 40 horses, doing late-night rounds and mucking out. It was not so much a relaxing, luxury break as a horse boot-camp.
But most well-planned experiences of house-sitting are good. Mary, from outside Limerick, has looked after houses in England and Ireland over the years. One of her best experiences was the run of a country mansion and being given the keys to an executive car. Rather than the usual fridge full of basic foods to pick her way through, there were regular deliveries of ready-made gourmet meals, because as the wealthy owners said, it was easier for her “to eat them than to cancel the order”.
I’ve regularly sat in country and town houses in Ireland, England and Spain. Nearly always I’ve been invited to stay primarily so I could look after animals in their own home or to provide security. I’ve dealt with run-away dogs, being snowed-in for several days while busily unfreezing pipes, and faced-down a gang of teenagers who, thinking the property was empty, had come round for a cider party in the outhouses.
Before relaxing on this terrace in Spain, I’ve been sitting another house in Andalusia. While Ireland had this winter’s cold and snow, the Iberian peninsula had the equivalent in torrential rain. I’d been woken during the second night of non-stop downpour to find that the back yard drain had blocked and water was flooding the house. It took an hour, soaked through as I poked with brushes and hooks, to clear the drain, and many hours more to mop and dry the house.
Without someone in the house the owners would have arrived back to find their home had become an indoor swimming pool. It was the third time I had looked after the house, and I knew the idiosyncrasies of the drains, where the mops were kept and the man in the village who could get me extra firewood to keep the stove running until everything was dried out. David, the owner, in gratitude suggested that next time I take the house over in the spring or summer when I would have “a real holiday”.
Return trips are the key to successful house-sitting. It’s familiar for both parties, there’s trust between them, and the incoming person knows where everything is and how things work.
Every year for the past four years I’ve pencilled a summer week or two into my diary and headed to a rural paradise just outside Oxford. The dog comes racing out to greet me, the family leave behind a fridge stuffed with my favourite foods, and I sink into the pleasures of long walks, swimming in the nearby Thames and peaceful writing. In return the house is secure, I deal with any small problems and look after the dog and cats. The owners can contact me any time for reassurance. Everybody is happy.
The most rewarding house-sitting relationships benefit both sitter and sittee and are ongoing. Earn the trust put in you and year after year, for a week or two or longer, you can return to “your” mansion in the country, villa in Spain or capital city apartment, and find a bottle of wine to welcome you and dogs or cats thrilled to see you. It’s like coming back to your own luxurious holiday home, but with the advantage that it doesn’t come with all the worries and expense of actual home-ownership.
Discretion about the people you sit for and their homes is key. Agents insist on it so some names here have been changed and locations left inexact.
House-sitters: what they say
* “House-sitting suits someone looking for a quiet holiday with a chance to read, walk and relax. Best suited to singles. Occasionally couples. Never families.”
* “Put the word out that you’re looking for house sitting; the more people you tell the more chance you have.”
* “Find out exactly what’s expected of you before taking on a job, and agree tasks and responsibilities, preferably in writing, when taking over the property.”
* “The ability to do minor maintenance, and especially genuine experience in looking after animals ups your value as a sitter tenfold. Knowing how to care for horses and big stock puts you into the gold card category.”
* “Expect to come over the day before the owners leave to learn the running of the property and pet care, and ideally plan to depart the day they arrive back.”
* “Accept the limitations – either contractual or agreed – in house-sitting. House-sitters should not leave the property for more than a few hours at a time and never at night, which isn’t some people’s idea of a holiday.”
* “It’s impossible to replace a deceased hamster, or even a goldfish, with an exact replica from the nearest pet shop. Hapless house-sitters have tried, but the owner always knows. Confess. Apologise. Blame the cat.”
House sitting Argentina / Australia - reflection on Housesitting - October 2011
Hi Danny,
I thought this could be of interest to you . . .I started writing this Memoir during a three and half month House Sitting assignment at MacMasters Beach on the Central Coast of New South Wales. I had been spending my time, since retiring, between Buenos Aires in Argentina and different centres of Australia.
There was a comfortable apartment at Malabia 1451, Palermo Veijo in Buenos Aires and, after living in various parts of Australia, I had enjoyed the experience of living in an entirely different city. Situated between an Up Market Shopping area and more traditional houses, this proved to be an absorbing environment. I walked a couple of blocks most mornings to get the Buenos Aires Herald, the only newspaper in English, and in the process enjoyed an ever-changing streetscape. Gentrification was the order of the day and there was an explosion of renovation and new development everywhere.
In my first three years away there was one marriage and three births of my first grandchildren and I had managed to be around for most of them. However, this was becoming unmanageable and expensive. The solution came with some long-term housesits in Ballarat; Exeter (twice); Upper Lansdowne (twice); Hannam Vale and four short-term opportunities in Geelong where my son Campbell and Jodi and Audrey and Eve live.
It was great to be able to live close by in the same city without being under their feet. The House Owner was so obliging that other members of the family were able to visit at the time of childbirth. Although I will have to make some long-term decision, this recent opportunity has given me the chance to experience various options without making a specific commitment. Reasonable access to family and a comfortable climate will help to make the final decision when one needs to be made. . . .Best regards, Eric M.
House sitting New Zealand to Perth - October 2011
We joined several house-sitting websites, and have been house-sitting around Perth and Mandurah on and off for the last 4 years. Housesitworld.com has been especially gracious and generous to us, if we compare it with the other websites. How? Through Housesitworld.com, we have been offered the most attractive house-sits in some of the most attractive locations in Perth, like Mosman Park (6-month long house-sit, utility bills all paid!), Rossmoyne (2 and a half months, likewise!), Alfred Cove (6-month long house-sit, with some minor out of pocket expenses!) We have unfortunately had some major earthquake damage to our own (rented-out) house in Christchurch--- so whatever money we have been able to save has been very much appreciated!
Yes, we have actually been very lucky, and owe Housesitworld.com ‘A BIG THANKYOU’.
May the luck continue for all of us.
M and L, NZ to Perth Australia
House sitters New Zealand to Sydney, Australia - November 2011
Hello Danny,
Again we Thank you & Housesitworld and would now like to give you some "feed-back" of our latest house-sit in Sydney.
The house is in Croydon, a lovely older federation style, re-modernized but lovingly retaining the period of the build. Our responsibilities included caring of 3 goldfish in an outside pond and a delightful garden. Once again, at the beginning of negotiations, our son Rob was able to visit on our behalf to make personal contact for both parties benefit. Rob drove us to their home, introduced us where the welcome was very warm & friendly. Bob & I enjoyed 2 nights with the Housesit owners, Lynne & Bob, before their departure and during that short period a true friendship had begun. Also during our stay we developed a friendship with the neighbours next door. Rob & his family are just a 15min. walk away, making family contact easily accessible, allowing us more "Hands On" with helping and caring for our grandchildren during the busy working hours.
Again, all was in readiness upon owners return, this time it was a supper, sleep, breakfast and delicious lunch to complete the Return Handover by us to them. Bob & I have been asked to do a Re-sit in 2012, dates yet to be finalized.
We also enjoyed a day visit to our previous house-sit in Kilarney Heights. Diana inviting us to lunch and drive to and around the Palm Beach area. A truly lovely day with a lovely lady.
Our dates on our profile with Housesitworld remain the same and I will arrange with you to re-enlist in your wonderful service early February 2012.
Danny, Lynne & Bob have emailed us a super reference . . . Maybe you might like to read it. Thank you.
Kind Regards, Coral & Bob, Nov 2011
Christchurch New Zealand to Sydney AustraliaReference: Bob and Coral P***
Date: 7th November 2011
Bob and Coral have recently completed a house-sitting period at our home in Croydon, Sydney. This was the first time we had engaged house-sitters and we were a little unsure of the outcome. On reading Bob and Coral’s profile, we were immediately impressed by their apparent genuine regard for someone’s home and the trust they acknowledged would be extended by giving them the opportunity to house-sit one’s home. We were also pleased to see that they were avid gardeners as we needed someone to take care of our garden while we were away for two months. As it happened, Bob and Coral have family who live fairly close by, so the house-sit was a convenient arrangement.
As we waved them goodbye from the taxi, we felt totally at ease with leaving our home in the care of two people we had only met a day and a half beforehand. We felt confident that they had the same sort of standards in home care as we had, and that they were genuinely lovely people. We kept in contact with them via emails while we were away, and everything went exceptionally smoothly during our absence.
On our return, we were met with hugs, smiles and a welcome-home supper. Lunch was made for the next day, the house was absolutely immaculate and the garden had been tended with meticulous care. Our neighbours had made new friends and were looking forward to the next time when Bob and Coral could house-sit for us.
We feel we were particularly fortunate in finding such wonderful carers for our home and have already lined them up for our next holiday in 2012. We have also made two new friends which is an added bonus to a first time house-sitting arrangement.
I would not hesitate to recommend Bob and Coral P*** as exceptional, reliable and responsible home carers. Lynne *** and Bob ***
House sitting Australia 2012
... Thanks Danny, I had a particularly great housesit at Kilcoy Qld.
I travelled up with a friend [whole trip over 5.000 ks] taking our leisurely
time, and visiting new places on the way.
A delightful young couple, [yet to meet owners that are not!] on a property
at Sandy Creek, getting into the mountains. An old house, but cosy and
comfortable, wood fire and the most glorious views from the verandah.
Be it the heavy fogs blanketing us completely, to stunning sunsets.
Best day out was spent in the Jimna area, felt like we were on top of the
world...
... Now it is time to decide where I will go this year!!! I will see what
kind of offers come my way.
I am still redirecting people to your website, and all have been happy with
the sitters.
Regards Gwen, Adelaide to Qld, March 2012
and...
Hi Danny
I have now returned from a house-pet sit inland from Bodalla NSW - another
amazing place, tucked up in the mountains and valleys. Cosy at night in the
mud brick house, with the "firebox" for lovely warmth, and one aged Labrador
cuddled up to me on the lounge, satellite TV. Delightful sunny days, with
stunning views surrounded by forest, delightfully remote!! They supplied me
with a car to explore the area. Such a lovely couple, who went out of their
way to make sure I would be happy in their home. More satisfied customers!!
Sigh!! What a life I live -
Regards Gwen, Australia. June 2012
House sitter Canada to France 2012
I registered with Housesit World on March 9th thinking.... is this really
possible.. .sounds too good to be true!
Well...it is possible......... on April 2nd I was contacted by a family in Vence, France and now... I am off to France for 1 year!!!!!
Thank you...Thank you...Thank you!
Please remove my name from your list.
I Will check back in a year. Au revoir pour maintenant!
Mary, Canada to France, May 2012
House sitters UK to Australia 2007 to 2010
Both Lainey and Paul
provided house-sitting services for my family while on vacations from Years
2007/8, 2008/9 and 2009/10. For varying lengths of time from 4 – 8 weeks.
Both Lainey and Paul were the perfect house-sitters.
They looked after our dogs, walked them twice a day, swam with them, loved and
treated them so well even taught them manners and became our family friends. We
met Paul’s children and grand children and have remained friends.
They helped us out in 2010 giving them just 3 weeks’ notice to change their own
plans and to help us out when we moved house & things went slightly wrong
delaying the move.
They maintained our pool, kept our home looking nice, clean and tidy and our
dogs loved them - perhaps preferring them to us.
We have now relocated and unable to have a vacation right now but would not have
any hesitation in asking Lainey and Paul back to help us out.
I hope you find this information helpful.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need anymore information.
Paul Jones. Perth, West Australia ....
House sitters New Zealand To Australia 2011 / 12 / 13
...Regarding your offer for us to "nursemaid your zoo" --- Thank you
so very much for the offer, but!! we are sooo sorry, we have to decline.
Reasons, The couple whom we have been sitting for this past twice have asked us
to sit again in March/April 2013 which we also declined, as we need to be at
home during the month of March, so they are now looking at a later date.
We have developed a lovely friendship with them & their extended family, who are
also vying for us to sit. Plus their super neighbors would like for us to sit
their house next Aug/Sept whilst they visit Italy (their home country) We
have also had to decline a re-sit at the very first homesit we did last year.
We cannot get over how wonderful this has all been, should have done it years
ago and travelled the world!!!!!!
I fully believe though, " Give Respect to Earn Respect"
Our housesits have resulted in continued friendships via emails & phone calls,
and we have been invited to visit & holiday anytime. How good is that!!!
Coral, Christchurch.
Australia, Diary of a house sitter 2003 to 2014
Diary of a Housesitter!!
When I retired in 2002 I decided to look for new options and while searching the internet came across Danny's site - little did I realise just how this would change my life.
I think it was around May 2003 that I registered and created a basic profile. It was suggested it may take several weeks to get a response however I was amazed that within 48 hours I received my first offer of a sit near Lithgow near Sydney so I launched myself into the unknown!! Then began the learning curve as well.
The offers continued and I spent time in Wamuran near Caboolture and this gave me an appetite for life in Queensland. Meanwhile I had a great time in Tasmania on a small farm near Forth. My instructions were to just drive off the Princess and take a few turns and I would be there!! This proved to be correct all too easy! Tassie was a great state for an extended time and allowed me to see much of the state. The people had a nice veggie garden which I carefully tended but alas a few days before their return the billy goat discovered how to climb the fence along with his extras and I found the broccoli reduced to stems!! The very same goat would somehow climb the fences and spend days with the wayward female goat next door!
Tasmanians are very special people - always helpful and friendly. They don't really see themselves as part of Australia so speak of travelling to Australia!!
I had always wanted to experience life on a big property so readily accepted a long term sit at Hamilton Park near Nebo in Queensland. 11000 acres to roam mostly in a faithful old yellow Toyota. The big social event here was to drive to Mackay and do some shopping every few weeks - maybe stay overnight. Luckily I wasn't required to count the steers but always enjoyed driving around to check all bores and troughs. Many very happy and rewarding times but this all ended when the lease of the property finished about 6 months later. The people then bought a property at Mulgildie so I became involved in the big move for them!! Nigel and Jane have remained wonderful friends ever since that time and I don't need much encouragement to stay with them occasionally. I also met many of their family and friends and keep in touch.
My friends at Hervey Bay ask me to sit for them and it was here that I learned to take their 2 cats for a daily walk around the garden on leads!!
Around the time that I finished at Hamilton Park I was very happy to accept an extended sit at Pimpama near Coomera. The owners had the small acreage for sale for redevelopment but I spent most of 2 years there as they travelled overseas and locally for pleasure and business. There were plenty of opportunities for cycling and voluntary work in the area. The most enjoyable work was as a helper at the Gold Coast Philharmonic Orchestra which helped fulfil my passion for classical music. Then there was SCISCO which was a group who worked with older students at risk from dropping out of school. That was a real challenge and I ended up mentoring Nathan but unfortunately my days at Pimpama had finished so I hope Nathan is doing well somewhere.
As the years passed I found I liked longer sits as you can become involved in the local Community. Gympie was a great place even though I had been warned there were lots of murders in the area!! The best voluntary work I did there was helping at ESL classes at the local TAFE which also gave me the chance to meet with migrants in the area. The house there was atop a hill and very old but filled with lovely old treasures from a couple of generations. The neighbours there were Joyce and Irv and I spent plenty of time having morning or afternoon tea with them. Irv had an amazing history of work in the mining industry.
Chapel Hill in Brisbane has also been a favourite - mostly to look after Jake the elderly cat. Lovely older home originally built by a European architect complete with swimming pool. As I am here for extended periods I do driving for Community mostly taking people to medical related appointments. These mostly elderly people have a great story to tell and know so much about the history of their area. You become quite attached to a lot of them so it was always good to be driving the same people again. One man at age 97 was still going to his Greek Club in South Brisbane!!!
Then there was Jack the red kelpie at Ransome in Brisbane and of course the house chooks and ducks!! Jack could have been the dog from the movie!!
More recently the townhouses at Wynnum Waters which was quite a challenge but not too many dramas.
Through a friend who also works at the Brisbane International I did a sit at Clontarf - mostly to care for Sophie a deaf and blind dog. She was still very healthy and managed to find her way around - bit like caring for a dear old lady!!
It was during a sit on Bribie Island I discovered the wonders and the possibilities of buying a small unit. This has proven to be a great decision for me and after letting the unit for 12 months I moved in on 1st August 2013. My family were quite relieved that I finally had a base as realistically you cant keep roaming like a gypsy although I do thoroughly recommend the lifestyle!!
I could write a book if I went into the details of every sit - fortunately there have been very few hiccups - amazing experiences people and places. Little did I realise how my life would change when I first contacted Danny in 2003. He has been a great friend and has always looked after my interests for a mere $50 a year!! I cant put a value on the life experiences I have had. I guess I should say I am now in another stage of my life as I settle into life on Bribie Island and become involved in local voluntary work. Cycling is so easy on Bribie and I can do most of my shopping cycling!!
What I can say that adequately
conveys my thanks to Danny also all the wonderful kind people I have had the
opportunity to meet.
Keith, Bribie Island, Qld 2014.
Home Owner California USA
I recently returned from a trip where I found a house and pet sitter through
your organization. His name was Lee Stanley and he was terrific. He took
care of my dog and cat, left the house clean, and was a very nice person (I
spent a little time with him before and after the trip). Lots of people had
responded to my ad--maybe 15--and I picked him almost arbitrarily. Most
people seemed very well qualified....
Anyway, I'm really grateful to you for offering this service. If I can be of
help in any way, please let me know.
Barbara, Eureka, California, USA. January 2014.
Repeat sitting UK to West Australia 2013 / 2014 - From owners and from repeat sitters
We have a marvellous offer
to sit from the 4th Jan to the 14th Jan 2014, Mandurah way... We had a
brilliant house sit last year Dec/Jan 2012 / 13...
We are about to consider this sit and change our flight dates to fit...
Lainey and Paul, England to West Australia, Aug 2013
... and...
We've had a great house sit this year.
Spending a few days now in Freeo then home.
Happy New Year to you and family...
Lainey & Paul, UK to Australia January 2014
and from the owners ...
We feel very lucky to have met Lainey and Paul, two wonderful people that
looked after our two dogs and cat December 2013 / January 2014.
They looked
after our home like it was their own too. Our dogs absolutely loved them.
They took them to the beach every day, played with them and even took them
out for morning coffee. Most surprising was our cat. She is slow to trust
people and is generally quite fussy, they quickly won her trust and she too
was smitten by them. We received regular photos and updates which was
comforting and reassuring when you are on the other side of the world from
your pets ....
Dee, Mandurah WA, January 2014