Uncovering The Best House Sitting Website in Australia
Are you thinking about becoming a house sitter or looking for the best house sitting website in Australia? We have you sorted with our complete guide to house sitting and Australian house sitting websites.
House Sitting: A Travel Hack That Can Save You Thousands $$$
We are all about travel. We are also all about budget travel, but never at the expense of meaningful experiences. While traveling Australia we stumbled upon this one awesome trick, that has saved us thousands and at the same time enriched our travel experience.
House sitting is one of the most effective and rewarding ways to save money when traveling in Australia. Free, often beautiful accommodation all over the country, in return for looking after pets and homes.
We have saved thousands of dollars in accommodation costs, met interesting people and their lovely pets, and had meaningful travel experiences in parts of the country we may not have otherwise seen.
However, choosing the best house-sitting website in Australia can be difficult!
Overall Best House Sitting Website in Australia and Best Long Term House Sitting Website: Aussie House Sitters
Pros
+ The most houses and sitters available throughout Australia
+ More long term house sits available
+ The website is easy to use
+ Secure platform makes communication easy and safe
Cons
– Aussie House Sitters is comparatively expensive at $84 per year.
Aussie House Sitters is the site we trust, use and recommend to people looking for a house to sit in and people looking for a pet and/or homesitter in Australia.
A family-owned operation that has been in business for over a decade, Aussie House Sitters is a safe, reliable, and trusted website.
Aussie House Sitters has won numerous awards and is widely regarded as the best house sitting platform in Australia.
In our experience, Aussie House Sitters has the most house sitting opportunities. The house sits generally range from a few days to a few weeks. Aussie House Sitters also has a number of long-term house sits. At last look, the number of long term house sitting was 31 sits available for 2 months or more with one being for 1.5 years.
Aussie House Sitters is the most expensive house sitting website on the list at $84 per year for house sitters. However, given that it has more sits available than its competitors if it helps house sitters find just one more sit, it is still the best value house sitting website in Australia.
In terms of ease of use, the Aussie House Sitters website is extremely simple to navigate. The search function allows you to search house sits by location, date, house type, job details, sit length, pet type, and more. You can also set alerts based on your specific house sit search criteria.
Aussie House Sitters offers peace of mind to house owners. Hi-grade security, ID verification & secure messaging provide a safe setting to help build trust between potential sitters and house owners. They also offer a house sitting agreement that help can provide peace of mind to homeowners and house sitters alike.
Whether you are a long-term traveler navigating the country, looking for the occasional low-cost weekend away, or you need a house sitter to care for your pets and home, becoming a part of this amazing network is an easy decision for travelers.
Second Best House Sitting Website in Australia: Mind a Home
Pros
+ A lot of house sits and house sitters to choose from Australia wide
+ Some longer-term sits available
+ Easy to use platform
Cons
– Moderately costly at $59 per year. Can be expensive if you are just exploring the idea of house sitting
If you are looking to add a second service to your portfolio, to increase the house sitting opportunities you are exposed to, Mind a Home is another house-sitting website that offers plenty of sits, sitters and a platform with great features.
Most house sits here range between one and four weeks, but there are some sits over a month and the occasional sit over one year.
Like Aussie House Sitters, the Mind A Home website is easy to navigate and offers similar filtering abilities. Mind A Home offers the second-largest number of house sits in Australia and opportunities all over the country.
Mind a Home costs $59 annually.
Best House Sitting Website in Australia for Flexibility: Happy House Sitters
Pros
+ Flexible memberships
+ You can suspend membership when not using it
+ House sitter guarantee
Cons
– Expensive, between $55 and $77
– Fewer members than Mind a Home or Aussie House Sitters
Whether you just need a membership for one or two sits or are heading on an extended lap of Australia, with Happy House Sitters you can choose a membership to suit your situation. In business for over 15 years, Happy House Sitters offer protection and guarantees for house sitters as well as the homeowner.
Happy House Sitters offers a range of membership options. Choose from 4, 12, and 18-month membership options that range between $55 and $79.
Happy House Sitters stands behind their platform and guarantees sitters will find a house sit that is suitable during their membership (applicable for 12-18 month memberships). If you don’t find a suitable fit, they will partially refund your fees and give you an additional three months membership for free.
Happy House Sitters also allows you to suspend your membership, so you can turn a 12-month membership into a three-year membership!
Most of the house sits with Happy House Sitters are less than one month.
One downside to Happy House Sitters is that they have fewer house sits than other house-sitting websites in Australia.
Best House Sitting Australia Website for Privacy and Peace of Mind: The House Sitters Australia
Pros
+ Offers increased privacy and security
+ House sitting agreements
+ More affordable at $50 per year
Cons
– More difficult to communicate directly with owners and sitters
– Fewer members on the website, means fewer house sits or sitters to choose from
Don’t like to share your information with the entire world? The House Sitters is the perfect house-sitting website for you.
Unlike conventional house sitting websites, The House Sitters keep your information private unless YOU want to share it. No public profiles, no random house sit requests.
Upon registration, you provide the areas where you are interested in house sitting. When a house sit becomes available in your area, an email is sent to all of the house sitters who selected that area in their profile. Potential sitters can then message the homeowner directly.
The House Sitters also includes a standard house sitter agreement that you may be asked to sign at the request of the homeowner which adds another level of protection for both sitters and owners.
The House Sitters is the most affordable of all of the paid options at $50 per year.
Best International House Sitting Website: Trusted House Sitters
Pros
+ International network, great for those traveling abroad
+ Premium options available
Cons
– Expensive, between $109 and $279
If you have plans to travel overseas and house sit then Trusted House Sitters might be perfect for you.
One membership fee gives you access to house sitting opportunities in more than 130 countries around the world.
From farm stays in Australia to high rises in Tokyo, dogs in Dubai to cats in New York, there is bound to be a house sit that is perfect for your next local or international adventure.
Trusted House Sitters has three membership packages available to suit your needs. Unlike the other websites, fees are paid by both homeowners and housesitters.
Packages begin at $109 for both owners and house sitters and range up to a $279 premium package offering vet assistance, cancellation insurance, and even international airport lounge access!
Best Low-Cost International House Sitting Website: HouseCarers
Pros
+ Offers numerous long-term house sits (greater than 3 months)
+ More affordable at $50 per year
+ Less competition for house sits
Cons
– Fewer members on the website, means fewer house sits or sitters to choose from
If you are just testing the waters or looking for a more affordable house sitting membership then consider signing up for Housecarers. Housecarers which started in Australia, was the first World-Wide House Sitting Membership Site (click here to check out the old site) dating back to October 2000.
Housecarers is the most affordable option for international travelers with registration for house sitters of only $50 for the year. As a house sitter you can set up your profile to indicate when you are available and the areas where you would like to sit and homeowners can contact you directly.
One disadvantage of Housecarers is that there are fewer house sitting opportunities on the website, but the upside is that there are also fewer house-sitters which mean less competition to snag the house sits you are interested in.
Housecarers also has a great list of frequently asked questions which is useful regardless of which house sitting website you choose.
Best Free House Sitting Website in Australia: Nomador
Pros
+ Free registration and house sits for sitters
+ International network
Cons
– Small Australian network right now
Nomador is another international house-sitting agency. It holds the distinction of being one of the only house sitting sites in Australia offering free registration and limited free sits.
Although Nomador is not yet well well established in Australia it has an international network with members all over the world. You will find a hundred sits and sitters in the US and Europe where Nomador is established, as well as a handful of sits scattered across the globe including in Australia.
Importantly for sitters, Nomador has an option for free registration which provides access to three sits per year.
In addition to house sits, they also have something called stopovers where homeowners invite people to apply to stay with them for a night or two, with a view to meet them and potentially invite them to do a sit in the future.
Alternative Free House Sitting Websites in Australia: Local Facebook House Sitting Groups
Another way to try house-sitting out without forking over the membership fee is to join local Facebook groups. House Sitting Australia is a private group with regular postings on house sits throughout Australia.
Local communities may have their own housesitting group try searching Facebook for house sit + the region or city you would like to visit.
How to Become a House Sitter in Australia
There are two ways to become a house sitter in Australia.
The first and the easiest way is to join one of the house-sitting websites listed above. Sign up via the websites above by registering your email. Next, make an awesome profile, search the listings and start sending messages to homeowners you would like to sit for. Becoming a part of one of these networks and beginning to develop your online reputation is the best way to become a house sitter. For advice on applying for house sits online see tips and tricks below.
The other way to become a house sitter is the old-school method. Talk to locals in your community and let them know you are available to home sit. Advertise your services by pinning an ad to community noticeboards or at the local library. Post on community Facebook groups and community forums and websites and begin to develop a reputation via word of mouth.
What Is Expected of a House Sitter in Australia
A house sitter’s job is to look after a home and pets while the homeowner is away. In return, the house sitter can stay at the property, usually in the home.
Being a house sitter is easy but it should also be treated with a certain amount of reverence. Someone is entrusting you with what is likely their most valuable financial assets and perhaps more importantly their family pets. As with all things, treat their property and pets with the same care and respect with which you would treat your own.
Every single homeowner we have sat for has been more concerned with their animals than their home. In the words of one owner, everything here is just stuff, I can replace stuff, but I can’t replace my dog.
Owners want to know that their animals are not just being fed but are being kept happy and loved as well. Photo or video updates of their pets happy and healthy (and doing funny things) are always appreciated and go a long way toward helping house owners feel comfortable when they are away from home.
When it comes to house care, aside from any jobs you have agreed to do for the owners like watering plants or mowing the grass, it is also your responsibility to hand back the house in better condition than when you arrived.
A house sit is not a hotel stay. You are not paying someone to tidy up after you, wash your sheets, and do your dishes. Be the house sitter you would like to have in your home. Clean up after yourself and make sure owners are coming back to a clean, orderly house after a trip away. Oh, and don’t miss bin day!
Tips and Tricks for House Sitting
House Sitters
- Make sure your profile is engaging, well written, and shows off your awesome house-sitting skills. People want to know you are responsible, good with animals, and not a weirdo. Demonstrate your responsibility by including your job in your profile. Tell owners a little a bit about your experience with owning and loving pets. Include some information about your interests and hobbies. Including a police check will help put some owners at ease, while including contact numbers or emails of references can go a long way as well.
- When applying for a house sit, tailor your application to the listing. If the sit mentions looking after two large active dogs, let the owner know that you would be up for long walks or runs with their dogs or taking them to the park. If the owner requires someone to look after a cat that’s always escaping tell them a story about your dealings with escaping pets in the past. If the owner has an animal that’s a bit flighty around new people, reassure them that you have won over shy or nervous animals before.
- When possible always offer to meet the owner before a sit, or at the very least have a phone call before they leave to make sure everyone, including any animals you will be sitting, is comfortable.
- Ask questions, the owner may forget something crucial, good questions to ask, include:
- Do your pets take medication, have any allergies, injuries or any other special requirements?
- Do you need any plants watered?
- Do you have a preferred vet?
- Are your pets good with other animals / people?
- Have you mentioned to the neighbours you are leaving?
- Which parts of the house would you like us to use / not use?
- What day is bin day?
- Can the pets be left alone?
Home Owners
- Fit the sitter to the sit. Got super active pets? Tailor your ad to active people that are likely to take the pups on long walks. Got a dog that isn’t great around other animal or children, make sure you mention that in your ad. Does your dog need constant attention? Will the lawn need mowing? Provide sitters with all the information so they can assess whether they can adequately meet your needs.
- Make your sit attractive. You want the best sitter possible to look after your home and pets. To find the best sitter, you need lots of applications. To get lots of applications, you need to market your home as a place lots of people would love to stay. Mention the local attractions, as well as facilities like wifi, and Netflix. Introduce the world to your lovely pets, let people know how much fun your animals are, people will be excited to meet them.
- Remember that sitters, though benefitting from the arrangement too, are providing a service by looking after the home. We have received offers to sit for people who seem to think sitting involved some sort of indentured servitude arrangement. One such invitation stated that they required people to help them with a building project and would allow sitters to leave the property for essential errands like medical appointments by prior arrangement only (they led with this in their ad!) Guess what, we did not apply.
- Be upfront about what you need. There is no point beating around the bush. If, for example, you have a dog that craps everywhere and you need someone to clean up after them, put it in the add or mention it to potential sitters before confirming the sit. If you fail to disclose something you need done beforehand and the sitter feels they were deceived or not briefed properly you may return to find things not done in the manner you would have preferred.
- Similarly, specify what you expect from a sitter. If you want hourly updates, let them know. If you’d prefer to be left alone on your holiday, tell them that. If you have some left over items in the fridge you don’t mind them using, tell you sitter. If there are rooms or items you would like them to leave alone, let them know. Clear communication will lead to a happy sit.
- Leave detailed written instuctions. People are forgetful, and what is an ordinary routine for you is brand new for them. Leave instructions on how much food and medicine your pets need, exactly which plants you wanted watered and how often, what time the light gets turned off in the fish tank, everything. If you are feeling extra generous, leave instructions on how to use your appliances and television.
- Leave contact numbers for yourself, a nearby friend or relative if possible and your vet.
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Hopefully, you found the Australian house sitting website to suit your needs. If you have a question about house sitting, house sit websites or finding houses to sit in, or house sitters in Australia please let us know in the comments below. Equally, if you have used these services before as a homeowner or house and pet sitter, share your experiences with us!
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Looking for more great Australia travel tips?
- 7 Awesome Tips for Living on the Road Full Time in Australia
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- 7 Simple Road Trip Tips You Need to Know
- The Best Road Trips From Brisbane: The Ultimate List
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