Establishing trust and lessen the homeowners's concerns..7 ways

For any relationship, trust is of the utmost importance. It is no different in the house sitter/homeowner bond that must be established. The trust goes both ways.

Here I list 7 ways for the house sitter to establish the bond and trust needed to land the house sit:


1. Have plenty of local references and phone numbers of satisfied house sit clients.

2. Be friendly and show enthusiasm for what you do.

3. Show love for their pets (this is the main reason for having you there).

4. Fully complete the home checklist and pet questionnaire.

5. Arrive at the home interview presentable, prepared, prompt, and professional.

6. Decide how you'll communicate to the homeowners while they're gone.

7. Provide your personal and emergency contact information.


Dive deeper into this topic via THE MERMAID'S GUIDE TO HOUSE SITTING.

Things can happen

Most house sits go quite smoothly, but once in a while something goes wrong. So you need to be ready to deal with any unforseen problems.

When I arrived at the house sit for my previous landlord I unlocked the door with the key he had given me, and squeezed myself into the home as there were large paintings leaning up against the door. Taking care not to knock the paintings over, I was instantly attacked by a huge swarm of mosquitos (remember - I live in Hawaii and his house was in a jungle environment). After careful inspection, I discovered they had been breeding in toilet water that hadn't been flushed for two weeks. It was horrid!

Once I got that situation under control, it was time to clean the house my way as it was "bachelor clean". I must admit that once it was scrubbed, dusted and tidied, the house looked beautiful. After the homeowner got home he told me the house never looked cleaner, and I had made him very happy.

Now some may see this situation as grounds for excusing yourself from the commitment you made to the homeowner. I try to see the situation as it is and how can I best cope with what has been presented to me. This was a learning experience, so one of my services now is flushing all toilets every few days.

Prior to the house sitters arrival..

Prior to my arrival for the actual house sitting gig, the homeowner and I will have established that I'll arrive at least 30-45 minutes before they leave. I'll text or call to confirm I'm on my way, as it eases the homeowner's mind that they won't be delayed in leaving for their trip.

I like to transition the pets from their owners to me, and to receive last minute details, the appropriate keys, and my fee (again, this has been established in the Client Agreement that I get all or a portion of the fee upfront). If I didn't give them a business card during the walk-through, I make sure they have one that contains my contact information and any emergency contacts.

If for some reason I'm not able to be there prior to their departure (i.e., I may be ending a house sit and coming directly into this one), I'm there as soon as possible. The homeowner and I have previously discussed the location of keys, any last minute details or changes and my fee is left on the kitchen counter.

This information is assuming this is a house sit in your neck of the woods. For international house sitting, the approximate arrival time is 2 days prior.

Six Ways for the Homeowner to Make a House Sitter Feel "At Home"

Not all the onus falls on the shoulders of the house sitter, as the homeowner needs to take responsibility for the safety, security, and comfort of their house sitter. A happy sitter means the house will be taken care of, the pets will be adored, and they will want to return for future gigs.

Six Ways for the Homeowner to Make a House Sitter feel "At Home"

1. Make sure the house is clean and ready for the sitter's stay.

2. Provide a comfortable sleeping accommodation.

3. Wi-Fi connection is great for those sitters who work online.

4. A list of markets, restaurants, parks, events, etc., in the area.

5. Permisson to use the kitchen and its gadgets at will (let them know
if there are boundaries, such as what food to eat in the fridge, freezer,
and pantry).

6. The simple words of "make yourself at home" makes all the
difference, as the house sitter will feel trusted and respected.

The sitter homeowner relationship is like any other relationship. A mutual trust needs to be in place. Beautiful and meaningful friendships are made on trust alone.

"Feel at Home" you said and that's not a priviledge I would misuse.

Get in on the house sitting trend..the Mermaid's Guide is available for you!

If you didn't get a chance to grab THE MERMAID'S GUIDE TO HOUSE SITTING as yet, now's your chance.

ON SALE NOW for the next 4 days. October 18 - 21 It's easy! Just click on the book cover or head to Amazon and thanks beforehand for purchasing. If you enjoy reading the book, that would be awesome if you would leave a review on Amazon, letting other readers know it is worthy. I would love to know your feedback for further reference. Thank you.

Before I discovered House Sitting

Before I discovered house sitting, I began transforming a life that wasn't serving me. I set the intention asking for a complete change in my life beyond my wildest imagination. I wrote in my journal exactly what it was I wanted in my life then closed the journal. When I told a friend I just wanted to 'be', she said it sounded like I wanted to die. She didn't understand and that's okay. I didn't really understand it myself.

I began selling all my stuff and dividing cherished items between my three daughters. They wanted me to get a storage. Noooo! I just didn't want it anymore or have to pay money for it. Besides, it was nothing I couldn't replace later on. My kids were wondering and worried about mom. The word 'intervention' came up. I gave notice on my apartment, without a thought to where I was going next and the cool thing was I wasn't worried or afraid. I just kept going.

As I look back, I believe that once I sold my stuff that was holding me back and keeping me down, and trusted I would be okay, my world began to be supported. My neighbour asked if I wanted to stay in her home for the three weeks she traveled to the Phillipines. Seriously! Okay! We both thought it would it would give me a chance to consider my next move. So I moved my few boxes I had left next door to her house.

During the three weeks, something wonderful happened. I realized how much I enjoyed caring for her home, watering her plants and just knowing I was being trusted to watch over things while she was gone. She didn't have any pets. I thought to myself, "this must be what house sitting is all about." I began to google 'house sitting' and discovered a whole community of house sitters traveling around the world taking care of people's pets and home. I was free to create, relax, wonder, and dream about my life. I get this same feeling everytime I house sit now.

I began studying a new conscious way of living 2 years before this. I pulled out my journal (this photo is the actual journal entry) and was so tickled to realize I created and manifested everything up to that point. Everything on my bucket list were things I could accomplish through house sitting.

I studied profiles from some of the house sitting websites and designed a Craigslist ad promoting myself as an island house sitter. I would start small and branch out internationally once I got some experience. I was thinking 6 months and I would be ready.

As it has happened, it's been three years now and it's been flowing with back to back house sitting on Kauai. I am in love with it still. Now I'm ready to explore the world. That's my story but I have heard the same story many times over.

Oh, by the way..my kids think it is awesome and cool and they are proud of me. I am sure there is a lesson for them in there.

At the end of the path, there is a dusty, old road to the left. Take it everytime!

Room with a View

I'm now calling my housesits, Playcations! Because really it's like going to a retreat or to a spa. It could be for a short stint, two weeks or a month long sit. I just know I always look forward to my time away even if it is in my own neck of the woods. You wouldn't believe some of the pads I am basking in.

I feel so lucky and grateful for this time in my life. It is not all play with me. When I'm house sitting, it is my job and I take it very seriously. I have responsibilities, such as pet care, watering gardens (just discovered the delicious gardenias), caretaking the house and landscaping, and acting as watch dog. Sometimes it's less work if it is a large property. Pool guys, yard guys, pond guys, are all on schedule during my stay. Mainly it's the pets safety homeowners are most concerned with.

So back to the glorious playcation I'm tending now. This photo is the view from my room. When you wake up to this, it literally sets the intent for the day. I love love working out and it is something I do almost everyday. There is a full on gym here. I also swim everyday in the ocean. There is a salt water pool. I meditate and play in nature everyday. I have two acres of pure nature, lots of big trees, with ocean and mountain views. Two big labs (my play pals), a lovey kitty, and 4 laying hens are keeping me company. When I say a retreat, I just have no reason to leave. Maybe for food like I did today. So I will love on the animals and enjoy my time(homeowner's words), do my best work and expect nothing less of my next playcation. Aloha and Expect the Best from your life. Thank you!