Thanks to the growing popularity of services like Airbnb, the idea of vacationing in someone else’s home or apartment isn’t as unusual to us as it once was. But what about the idea of living for a short time in someone else’s home as a sort of temporary caretaker – maybe with some pet care thrown into the mix? It’s called housesitting, and for some retirees it has become a means to stretch both their housing budget and their travel funds.

Could housesitting be right for you? To explore that question, we offer this recent article from US News in which reporter Maryalene LaPonsie lays out the pros and cons of this growing practice. As she notes, housesitting can offer retirees a chance to travel and enjoy free accommodation in exchange for caring for someone’s home (and often their pets). Some even housesit full time.  But before you take that step, you need to ask yourself some important questions.  Let’s take a closer look.

A “Vacation in Paradise” That Costs You Nothing?

LaPonsie begins her article with this dreamy vision: “Imagine being able to spend a few weeks on an island in the Caribbean, passing your days sightseeing or sitting by the pool. Now imagine that the house you stayed in didn’t cost you a dime.”

That, she says, is the promise of housesitting. It’s the opportunity to “enjoy free accommodations in potentially exotic locales.” If you are a retiree with nothing tying you to any one place—like a job, for instance—then this can seem like an attractive and relatively inexpensive way to see the country, or even the world.

“It’s definitely manageable and a great opportunity,” says Nicole Ellis, a certified professional dog trainer and pet lifestyle expert for pet-sitter-app Rover.

Housesitting Sounds Appealing but It’s Not for Everyone

“Housesitting and pet-sitting involve staying at someone else’s home while they are away for vacation, work or another reason,” LaPonsie explains. “Despite the two terms, most housesitting jobs involve pet-sitting as well.”

While serial housesitting (moving from one gig to another) might initially sound like a golden opportunity for seniors to reduce housing costs, LaPonsie warns that it’s important to be realistic about the ability to get back-to-back jobs. “What’s more,” she adds, “housesitting and pet-sitting aren’t for everyone.”

It’s important to note that most housesitting jobs are also unpaid. Sam Saenz, a travel blogger, explains it this way: “I’m getting a free place to stay, and they are getting free help.”

Housesitting Often Doesn’t Cover Transportation, Food Costs

Housesitting arrangements vary in their details, but there are some general things to expect. For one thing, sitters typically need to arrange their own transportation to the house, and also must pay for their own food while living there. Certain things are usually provided, such as linens, kitchenware, and other household essentials. But hosts may or may not offer the use of their car.

Kari LeMay, a travel blogger at Achieve Your Bucket List, notes that housesitting jobs can be found internationally, and some sitters become full-time nomads. They move from location to location, and may stay in Airbnbs or visit family members between sitting jobs.

However, Ellis warns, retirees would be well-advised to test out this lifestyle before committing, especially if you’re planning to sell your house and take to the road. “Maybe when you’re starting out, you want to stay closer to home,” she says.

Several Well-Known Websites List Housesitting Jobs

Several websites specialize in connecting housesitters to homeowners. TrustedHousesitters is arguably the largest site in this realm, with housesitting opportunities throughout the globe. Nomador is also a global site, but most of its listings are in Europe.

Expect to pay for a membership to apply for housesitting positions on these platforms. Prices range from $29 per year at MindMyHouse to $259 per year for a premium plan at TrustedHousesitters. Depending on the website, that fee may provide users with access to support services and liability insurance.

Rover is the outlier on the list above. There is no fee to join the site, and sitters through Rover are paid for their work. The website then collects a service fee of up to 25 percent on the earnings of sitters.

There are also country-specific sites such as House Sitters America and Kiwi House Sitters.

Success Depends on Client Reviews and Experience

“With the exception of Rover, users can browse listings for housesitting jobs and apply online,” LaPonsie writes. “On Rover, users create a profile listing their services. Then homeowners search for profiles of potential sitters and contact them directly.”

Success in the gig economy largely hinges on good reviews and gaining client trust with a proven track record, and housesitting is no exception. Ellis says that this means you may need to start out sitting during more busy seasons—like summer or over holidays—and build up a clientele to sustain year-round work.

Obvious Benefits and a Few Less-Obvious Drawbacks

The benefits of housesitting are pretty obvious: free housing, and maybe even a little money (if you use a service that pays sitters). Travel becomes a much less cost-prohibitive venture if accommodations are taken care of. You may even be able to rent out your own home as a vacation rental to make additional income while you’re away.

Once you become very confident as a sitter, you might want to consider selling your primary residence. Experienced sitters can schedule jobs with relatively little downtime in between.

“Of course, that means moving regularly,” LaPonsie reminds us. “Housesitting and pet-sitting gigs may last only a few days to a few weeks. Some retirees may enjoy that change of scenery, while others may quickly tire of having to pack and travel every week or two.”

Along with this, traveling to other countries may have visa requirements and restrictions to be aware of. “Even if you aren’t being paid, telling an immigration official that you are there to housesit could get you denied entry if you don’t have a work visa,” LaPonsie warns.

Dirty House, Unruly Pets, Cranky Clients

It’s not all roses, of course. Saenz tells a cautionary tale about a housesitting job she took in the Bahamas.

LaPonsie writes, “[Saenz] arrived to find the house dirty and the large dogs unruly. They broke an exterior door, and then a storm came through, which knocked out the power and resulted in no water being available for four days. There was a delay in getting assistance from family members on the island, and Saenz had access to only a bike.”

Saenz herself adds, “It was just really stressful.”

Not only that, but when she arrived home, she received unhappy messages from the homeowner, telling her that they expected more photos of their dogs and were disappointed that she had left a vacuum out. “For the free housesitting service she provided, Saenz felt as if the homeowner had unrealistic expectations,” LaPonsie writes.

Follow These Tips for Housesitting Success

There are ways to set yourself up for a pleasant housesitting experience. Here are some tips that the experts suggest. (We’ve included these verbatim from LaPonsie’s article.)

Ask questions. Successful housesitters understand the importance of good communication. “They’ve learned to ask a million questions,” LeMay says. Those can include everything from whether a car will be provided to what tasks are required to what the neighborhood is like. Saenz declined one pet-sitting job when she learned the homeowner had a camera in the living space to check whether she was sitting with the dog.

Set expectations. If you are being paid through a site such as Rover, you may have more responsibilities than someone housesitting for free. Still, make sure everyone is on the same page as far as what duties will be performed during the stay. Retirees who plan to be out sightseeing or exploring during the day should also make sure owners know how many hours they expect to be home with pets each day.

Trust your gut. Most housesitting jobs include a video call between the sitter and homeowner. During this call, ask the homeowner to walk around the house and provide a tour. While photos may be listed online, they could be old or staged. Ask to see the pets and outdoor areas as well. If anything feels off or doesn’t seem like a good fit for you, trust your gut and decline the sit, LeMay advises.

LaPonsie concludes with the hopeful message that while serial housesitting isn’t for everyone, it can be a great fit for people with more flexible schedules, a love for pets, and a desire to see the world at a reduced cost. Just one more option for a freer and more fulfilling retirement.  

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(originally reported at https://money.usnews.com)