It is one thing to visit an area and do all the "touristy" things, stay at the nice hotel, eat at the tourist trap restaurants (usually recommended by the staff at the nice hotel) and see the tourist sites. However, when you immerse yourself in the culture of the area, stay in a real home and hit the hot spots that the local frequent, you can have a completely different experience. The latter is less commercialized and more real as you "do as the Romans do." It is this type of travel experience that being a
house sitter can give you.
House sitting is not new, but it is becoming more and more popular as families are realizing its economic benefits. A family holiday can be quite pricey with high hotel rates and eating every meal in restaurants. However, when a house sitting gig is combined with a family vacation, costs can be cut considerably. There are no lodging costs because you are staying in a house, a house that you are watching for someone. In other words - FREE. You also have the ability to dramatically cut meal costs by preparing and cooking at least some of your meals.
For the home owner, selecting a house sitter is a great alternative to property management. The price is right and you have someone actually living in your home while you are away. This is a much better deterrent to break ins, burglaries and vandalism than just having someone stop in once a day to pick up your paper, check your mail and water your plants. Because you have someone living in your home, it is more secure and you can feel more at peace while you are away. This leaves you better able to focus on your business or enjoy your holiday.
As a house sitter, you get a pretty sweet deal as well. You can check out a new area, travel the world if you like and always have a place to hang your hat (and it won't be in an expensive hotel). Your accommodations are free and you can cut your travel costs substantially. If you choose to travel a circuit throughout the year, you can get some "regulars" and just go from home to home, sort of like a modern day gypsy.
House sitting jobs in Australia are not that difficult to come by, especially with house sitter/home owner sites like housesittersaustralia.com.au out there making it very easy to connect. If you are a house sitter looking for house sitting jobs, you can create your listing and wait to be contacted by home owners or seek out interesting home owners and contact them. If you are a home owner, you can create your listing and find a house sitter to tend your property while you are away. You can even do a
home exchange with someone. You house sit for them and they house sit for you. It can't get much easier. House sitting is well on its way to becoming an ultra economical option in world travel.
