| Caretaking and Housesitting By Susan Farmer Home Caretaking and Housesitting are two jobs that can be very rewarding. Owners of homes both here in the Unites States and Internationally often do not want to leave their homes unattended. So that makes the possibilities for house sitters and caretakers just about endless. This is not the job for people who have large families. If you are single or a couple without children, this could be a time of great adventure. If you just want local jobs, then that is fine too. Well, you might ask, how do I go about finding jobs for housesitting in my area? First you will need to advertise. One of the most effective ways is to put advertisements on your town's local bulletin boards, such as at your local grocery stores. After you have your first assignment and you do well, ask for a letter of recommendation. That way you won't have to always be calling them up asking them to vouch for you as a reference. Now the key to this business is references and establishing a reputation for honesty and integrity. Once you do this there will be no end to jobs because the demand for good people to help out and watch over property is great. Now if you want to travel, you can find assignments all over the world. The best source for finding caretaking jobs around the world is The Caretaker Gazette. The Gazette has been publishing since 1983 and has gained a worldwide following. Listed in the Gazette are jobs at mansions, farms, retreat centers, vacation homes, ranches, lodges, estates, private islands and other types of properties Here is the link for the Caretaker Gazette: http://www.caretaker.org Also see their latest blog. It takes you on a great adventure of one young lady who found a position in Alaska. She takes care of nine Siberian Huskies. Read about her adventures here: http://caretakergazette.blogspot.com/ Another site that may be of interest to you is Caretaker-jobs. Here is the link for this site: http://www.caretaker-jobs.com/. The caretaker-jobs site writes, "Caretaking brings unique rewards. Eg: Living a simple rural life; enjoying an independent lifestyle; managing your own time; living rent-free; experience a lifestyle change away from the rat race. We also cater for estate managers, ranch hands, game wardens and gamekeepers, couples, horse industry workers, and related positions. Opportunities for caretaking are available around the world. They include: nature retreats, farms, ranches, homesteads, estates, ecological preserves, camps, state forests, parks, horse stables, hostels, boarding kennels, lodges, bed & breakfast accommodations, resorts, plantations, historic homes, schools, and others. In other words, any live-in jobs (that provide accommodation" If you like to travel, then this could be a great opportunity for you. See the world and get paid! Yes, for housesitting and caretaking you usually get to live rent free and also get paid. Hope this article was helpful. Warm Wishes, Jessica Sterling |