Finding the Right House Sitter

A single man left on an overseas job assignment lasting one year and decided to leave his home in the care of a down on his luck friend that needed a place to stay. When he returned he discovered this “friend” had rented his place out to another family and was collecting the rent money himself. Another news article describes how a woman sublet her apartment while she was in the hospital for several months, but could not get him to leave when she was ready to come home. These are just a few examples of the house sitting mayhem that can take place if you do not find the right person.


Even with high end alarm system and security cameras the best security is still having someone live in the home. Being a close friend or relative does not instantly qualify someone to be a house sitter and lets face it do you really want someone you know nosing through your things? A sitter understands the home is not theirs and will be able to act decisively if a crisis situation arises. Finding the right sitter is key. You need someone that you can trust will act according to your wishes while you are away.


First you need to create an outline of what needs to be done or taken care of while you are away. This list might include watering the plants, collecting the mail, mowing the law, or meeting contractors and ensuring they do the required work. Essentially the sitter is managing all you homes affairs while you are away, so you will want to be able to supply them with a detailed list of your instructions and any pertinent contact information, such as the police and fire department.


The next step is to locate potential sitters. A good starting place is to check with friends and neighbors to find out who they use. A house sitting agency is also a great place and can often find someone that matches your preferences. There are also many online resources available. These days many people are using house sitting as a means to travel and have a vacation abroad without the added expense of paying for a room.


Casually interview your house sitter. Find out if they have track record of irresponsibility. A professional sitter will not take offence to your scrutiny and understands it is all part of the process. They will be able to furnish you with criminal record background checks and several references. Here is where you will go over the duties you would like done and make sure they are up for the task. If you need a lawn mowed perhaps hiring the 60 year old retiree in a wheel chair is not going to work out for you.


For added piece of mind you can install wireless security cameras inside your home. Most modern security cameras can be setup for remote access online from anywhere in the world. However, if you feel the need to install spy cameras you may have found the wrong sitter.

About the Author: Mike Ward is the owner and operator of Protection Depot, a leading online provider of wireless security cameras and spy cameras. For more information about security cameras, please visit www.security-cams.com.

Why Should You Hire a House Sitter?

If you are planning on leaving your home for an extended period of time you probably should get a responsible house sitter. If you are only going to be gone for a week or more leaving a home empty is a bad idea. Any number of things can go wrong costing you thousands of dollars. If a pipe were to burst the subsequent water damage and mold problems could make your place unlivable and that is not a discovery you want to make at the end of a vacation or overseas work assignment. Empty homes are common targets for burglaries and vandalism.


Even if you have a high quality security system equipped with dozens of state of the art security cameras you may still have other things that need to be taken care of. It is amazing how far security cameras have come in recent years. The easy installation of wireless security cameras allow you to cover any angle in your home you are concerned about. Many modern security cameras can be accessed and remotely operated while on the road, however, someone still needs to water the plants, feed the tropical fish, and keep the mail from piling up at the doorstep.


Neighbors may keep a loose eye on your place, but are unreliable to act if there is a situation needing attention. What you really need is to empower someone to take care of your affairs while you are away, a house sitter. The list of qualified house sitters does not include the neighbor’s teenage son although he is on his schools honor roll. The problem is that these people mistakenly assume they have been given temporary ownership of your residence and its contents. Even though you have clearly laid out the guidelines to be followed these people override your judgment and often underestimate their ability to maintain control of situations.


A professional sitter understands they are there to ensure the safety of property while you are away. You may not even need to pay them especially if you live in a nice home in a posh neighborhood. Most understand that the benefits of living rent free are more than compensation for the job; however there may be fees for extra duties included such as yard maintenance.


It may be hard to get a good house sitter on short notice. The best ones have booked their schedules well in advance so plan early. Even if there is a cost the piece of mind a house sitter provides is more than worth it by allowing you to fully enjoy your vacation, or focus on your work while you are away.


About the Author: Mike Ward is the owner and operator of Protection Depot, a leading online provider of wireless security cameras and spy cameras. For more information about security cameras, please visit www.security-cams.com.

Protect Your Home on Vacation

You are finally taking a well deserved vacation. While it seems like common sense with the busyness of life and a rapidly approaching departure date it is easy to forget something. Put together a checklist to be completed before you leave. All it takes is a few hours to secure your home, ensuring it is in the same condition on your return as when you left. By making your home appear lived in and using a home security system you can greatly decrease the chances burglars will target your house.

Although it would seem obvious many people forget to lock all doors and windows. Check every door and window twice, or have a spouse or your travel companion do a separate check. Place a metal or wooden bar to prevent windows from being jimmied and slid open. Unplug or turnoff your garage door opener. If there is a hidden spare key on the property put it away. Put inside lights on timers and outside lights on motion sensors. You may also consider putting the television on a timer.

A great way to deter thieves is to create the illusion that someone still lives there. Have a trusted friend of family member check on the house regularly. You can hire a house sitter for between $50 and $100 dollars per night. This is great if you have plants that need to be watered and pets that require feeding. Having this person collect your mail and newspaper is better than a calling for a stop mail/paper order, since burglars sometimes have access to this information. If you will be gone for several weeks or months it is a good idea to hire someone to mow the lawn.

A monitored home security system is a good deterrent and may even reduce your insurance rates. Wireless security cameras can be easily installed since there are no wires to run. All it takes is mounting the camera and plugging them into a transmitter. Data can be recorded at home using a digital video recorder (DVR), or you can view footage over the internet using a surveillance camera video server. This device has everything you need to access images over the internet from any web browser anywhere in the world. Simply plug the cameras into it and your ready to go. Visual verification is the best way for police to follow up on suspicious activity or a break in on your property.

One final note of importance, SHUT OFF THE WATER! This is especially important during winter months. If a water pipe springs a leak or toilet bowl cracks thousands of dollars of damage will be done to your home potentially making it unlivable. Following these simple steps will give you some piece of mind while you are away. Relax and have a great trip!


About the Author: Mike Ward is the owner and operator of Protection Depot, a leading online provider of wireless security cameras and digital video recorders. For more information, please visit The Protection Depot.