Freedom image Amy Palko

** This post was written by Leigh Haugseth. Find out more about Leigh below. **

House sitting and home exchanges are becoming more and more popular these days – and for good reason. They are a cheap way to explore a new destination, you have the creature comforts of a home and you get to live someone else’s life for a while. What’s not to love?

I’m signed up on a couple of house sitting sites and it is such a thrill to get an e-mail like this first thing in the morning:

‘House sitter needed for 1 month in Tuscany’. Clicking further reveals a picture of a gorgeous cottage in the hills of Tuscany. The owner writes, ‘Need someone to look after my house and cat while I leave for a short visit abroad. No other duties!’

Of course my first thought was: “Is this for real?”

It was. It’s straight off Mind My House, one of a handful of reputable house sitting web sites for those who want to travel the world yet live rent free.

So what’s the catch? There isn’t one really – although about 70% of the assignments from this particular site ask that you take care of a pet or plants while they are away. But that’s it!

How it Works

You register on line, pay a small annual fee and put up your profile. Select your preferred dates and countries and have weekly or daily assignments delivered to your in box. Simple!

Some homeowners will ask that you pay utilities during your stay. Also, some house sits require your own transportation although I’ve seen a few that will allow you to use their car, bike or are near public transportation.

The length ranges from a couple of days to a year but not all house sitting assignments are easy to get. In fact, it can be quite competitive depending on the locations. However, if you have a thorough profile up and are open to different locations, there’s a pretty good chance of you finding something.

In fact, a year ago I was browsing MindMyHouse in my cube and spotted an incredible house sit near Zurich, Switzerland. Cubicle boredom propelled me to inquire on a whim. They immediately responded and said they were interested in having me come and house sit and proceeded to begin discussing references, etc. I came so close to quitting my job and just going for it but reason kicked in after realizing it wasn’t quite the right time for me yet.

A Permanent Solution?

There are many people that house sit full time. It’s a lifestyle for them and they jump from one location to another for years. There are also those that just need a break from reality and want an extended vacation somewhere remote where they can get some peace and quiet.

Whatever the reason, house sitting is a very cheap way to explore a destination without fully committing to it. And while a lot of these assignments are in more remote areas, there are also plenty in medium- to larger-sized cities.

For those wanting to be location independent and start a business that can be run anywhere in the world, house sitting is an inexpensive option, especially when starting out.

Having a rent free place to live while working takes some stress out of starting/running your business by reducing your costs even more and it can let you experiment with the lifestyle to see if it works for you.

And for all you travel writers out there, house sitting is a great way to get to know a place while writing about it without breaking the bank. You can relax a little and explore your chosen location better while living there than just visiting, giving you plenty of material to write about.

Reputable House sitting Sites

MindMyHouse.com (my favorite)

Housecarers.com

Caretaker.org

Sabbaticalhomes.com (home exchanges, rentals, house sitting for those in the academic community)

Housesittersamerica.com (only in the US)

Have you ever done a house sitting assignment before? What was your experience?

About the Author: Leigh Haugseth’s passion for travel is propelling her transition from cubicle dweller to Location Independent Professional. You can find her at Fresh New Life.