House sitting and pet sitting can be challenging. But the values of having a sitter are numerous. You have someone to watch out for the security of your house, manage and pay your workers such as housekeeper and gardener, and alert you to any problems that may happen such as pipe leaks, water problems, and more, and care for your pets in your home resulting in less stress to your pet. How do you find the right person or couple for you and your pet? Over the past 22 years living in Mexico I have found pet/house sitters from various sources. Although I’ve had someone just sit the house, most often it includes my dog. There are benefits to the sitter for staying at your home, they get to see different parts of Mexico and many house sits are extended stay so they can get a good idea of what it is like to live in the area.

One source of house sitters is your friends. I’ve had friends who rented a modest apartment and were happy to stay in my large house with a beautiful garden. With other friends, we have traded house sitting for each other, especially if there is a couple to split up and watch both houses. Most friends are already familiar with your house so that’s a head start. The down side of this arrangement is if your friend does not take care of your home or your pet properly, then you have a friendship at jeopardy.

Another source I’ve used is to pay people in the area who charge for house/pet sitting. Most of them are experienced and are members of the community. They have experience sitting and they usually have references. The main problem with this source is that it can get expensive if your stay is for a prolonged time. I have had some negative experiences here where my home was left a mess and a few minor things missing or things left behind. When a sitter lives locally, I have also questioned how much time they actually spend with my pet.

And my favorite source for house sitters is HouseSitMexico.com. I have been a member about two years now and this has been the source of the best house/pet sitters in my experience. Most of the people have extensive experience house sitting and have references on the website that you can read. They are willing to chat with you. You can get a good feel for the person and in fact talk to several candidates prior to making a commitment. Here I have found the sitters who know what questions to ask and have treated my house and dog with respect as well as do what is expected of them. They have done frequent check-ins with me via WhatsApp, email, or phone. They have always sent me photos of my dog, which is reassuring. And in all cases I met with the sitter before I left to go over the instructions on how to feed my dog, operate the house and pay my house keeper and gardener. But the key to having a successful house-sit is for you to leave adequate written instructions.

Detailed information can make or break a house sit so that the person doesn’t need to contact you frequently and ask, “how do I do this?” The best way to get a lot of responses to your listing at HouseSitMexico is to write a good description, making the assignment sound like as much fun as possible and include lots of good photos.

House sitters like to see lots of photos of your pet, inside the house, the bedroom and bathroom they will occupy, and your yard if you have one. Have a catchy first title for your house sit such as “Labrador Lover Wanted”. This makes it clear that the primary responsibility will be taking care of your pet. Describe your area in detail, what will be expected of the sitter and who pays for what. I always leave money for the workers and some for emergencies, and yes there are emergencies. You need to be clear if you expect them to pay for anything out of their pocket or if you will leave sufficient funds to cover expenses.

I leave a list of things to see and do in my area, as well as a map of the immediate area. One item that is often negotiable if you don’t live in an area where the sitter can walk to stores is to offer the use of your car. I ask for proof of a valid driver’s license and let the sitter use my “older” model car.

Whichever method you choose to find a house sitter, the way to a good outcome is to have lots of communication before and during the house sit. And leave lots of information for the sitter to manage their responsibilities. I always leave breakfast items for their first day and ask if they drink tea, coffee, or other and that way they are able to stay home that first morning and get started reading all that information you left them.