Home » Being a House & Pet Sitter | Happy House Sitters » How to Become a House Sitter in Australia: Pros & Cons

House sitting in Australia can be a perfect way to get free accommodation. In most cases you’re asked to look after the home and any pets that are there. Many homeowners will have a list of requirements for what they’ll need you to do while staying there. But this is a small price to pay for a free short holiday in a new location. If you are looking for a break from the everyday, perhaps being a house sitter is what you need.

HOUSE SITTER AUSTRALIA

Australia is a huge country, and if you’re travelling finding cheap accommodation can be difficult. But, when you are house sitting it can become much cheaper, in many cases it is free! While it may not be something you can rely on. As a house sitter in Australia the time you have in any home can vary from a couple of days to several months. You can find a place that fits your travels on websites such as Happy House Sitters.

PROS AND CONS OF HOUSE SITTING

When you’re house sitting there are many pros and very few cons. The pros of house sitting are:

  • Free accommodation for travelling
  • A variety of homes and locations to choose from
  • Meeting new people and living in interesting areas
  • Looking after animals (being a pet auntie or uncle is great!)
  • Volunteering to help others

A few of the cons with house sitting include:

  • Learning to live in a new environment
  • Entertaining and feeding animals
  • Looking after a property that isn’t your own

As you can see the pros far outweigh the cons. Although house sitting isn’t for everyone, it’s a great way to enjoy a new experience. All you need to do is find the home and the conditions that suit your lifestyle and put in an application. There are many benefits for house sitting, so why not give it a go, you have nothing to lose!

HOW DO YOU BECOME A HOUSE SITTER?

The easiest way to become a house sitter in Australia is through websites and online adverts. By choosing a reputable website (one that has been operating for many years) you can be certain that the homes on offer are genuine. You can rely on their experience in the house-sitting game and know you’ll be offered excellent properties.

When you look at an online advert for house sitting, check to see if it ticks all your boxes. Are you able to look after the pets? Is it an area you’d like to visit? Is it close to your home or your other accommodation? If you have answered yes to these then put in an application and see if you can meet the homeowners. After your meeting the homeowners will decide if you’re right for the job, and then once everything is decided you can move in on the specified date and help them look after the home!

DO YOU GET PAID FOR HOUSE SITTING?

In most cases you won’t get paid for house sitting. But you can consider the savings on accommodation as a part of your payment. House sitting is more of a redirection of funds. You get a free place to stay temporarily and the homeowners save on pet housing fees. It’s not unheard of for a homeowner to ‘tip’ their house sitter, but this is not something you should rely on. House sitting is an excellent way for any traveller to save money on accommodation, but generally it’s not a source of income.

Well, what are you waiting for? Find a house to house-sit today!