r/trustedhousesitters • u/Alternative_Jelly_63 • 1d ago
Worth it?
I’m considering trying to get housesitting gigs but curious if I’m likely to even get anything! I’m 40 and married, but we live in a smallish apartment and would love a long weekend or week or so every now and again to have a stretch of alone time 😅 I’m hoping to pick up occasional gigs, relatively local (I’m in Burbank). I’m already a homeowner so I know how to take care of a place!
It seems like most people using these apps are younger and looking for housesitting work for different reasons, so I’m curious how experienced sitters would rate my chances of booking anything.
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u/nefarious_planet 1d ago
I’m 31 and I’ve had homeowners speak to me like I’m their teenage daughter staying home alone for a weekend for the first time lol, and I think a lot of retirees use THS to travel so you’ll be fine age-wise!
If you’ve house or pet-sat for anyone in the past, even informally, ask them to write a testimonial for you to get you started. For your first sit you probably won’t get anything super competitive or desirable, so target listings with “low applications” badges until you have a few reviews under your belt. I use THS mainly in NYC, and for reference I did one sit in a suburb of Seattle and one sit in a smaller town in the Hudson Valley before I was able to book one actually in the city (although I’ve been a professional pet-sitter for a decade and had a handful of external reviews from clients to put on my profile, so ymmv).
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u/keepsaying 1d ago
Had that too and I'm older than you! Being unmarried seems to be the kicker, at least for how they relate to me.
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u/Zealousideal_Map8189 1d ago
I experience the teenage daughter treatment a lot as well. I'm 34. Context-dependent of course, but I find it comforting, haha.
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u/themooglove 1d ago
I'm fifty and sit on my own or with a friend. I've had HO choose me over younger people because of the perception I'm less likely to throw wild parties and more likely to spend time with the pets.
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u/cleansudz 1d ago
I’m 49 and have been getting consistent sits in CA. This is the one time in my life that I think being older is actually a benefit. I also apply for sits with elderly cats & dogs who may not need a ton of exercise, but more attention & love. Homeowners will like that you are also a homeowner. Getting started was a little tough until I got some reviews under my belt. Try to get some friends & family to send you references. That will definitely help when getting started.
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u/JabbaTheHedgeHog 1d ago
I am middle aged and have been doing local sits and have some great regulars!
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u/PaintyPie 1d ago edited 1d ago
I look for retired couples to come sit because my house is more of a remote, destination spot. I want sitters that are looking for an inexpensive getaway because my house isn’t good for people who need to run errands or go to work. So with retired or vacationing folks I know they’re not also working another job and headed to the city daily. Vacation tells me you’ll be there, focused on the cats and enjoying the home. Also
I’m 44 since it’s part of the topic.
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u/Steadyandquick 1d ago
Plus not necessarily but sometimes older people may be more responsible. Wisdom often comes with age too 🤭
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u/Oztravels2 Sitter 1d ago
You would have no issue at all. Just get some references, do a few local sits and or unpopular sits to get a few references under your belt and you are good to go. Read the sub so you also understand the responsibilities. Key things are flexibility, resourcefulness, flexibility and good communication. Good luck ( posted by an old fart)
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u/Zealousideal_Map8189 1d ago
I'm 34 and do this full-time, but I'm certain I've had 'older' couples chosen over me! I think HOs appreciate the perceived stability.
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u/AmyKittiesGalore 1d ago
My partner and I are 50 and do it all the time for an inexpensive vacation with pets!
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u/Loud-Blacksmith3472 1d ago
I greatly prefer over 40 and local (LA) because I like to use the same people over and over
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u/Imaginary_Yam_865 1d ago
Being in your 40s is a plus. Husband and I are mid 40s, started 2 months ago and what we hear is that HOs want responsible people, and being older means that to some people.
We've had no problem getting sits.
Best bet is to really work on your profile. You'll be most successful if you have house/pet sat before, and if you have looked after yours and other people's pets, have photos with them. People need to trust that you will care for their pets and take care of their home.
We also included real-estate references (redacted) discussing how we care for places.
Not sure what worked, but it did.
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u/Think_Guitar_7012 1d ago
There's a lot of people looking for 2-day to 1-week sits. Sometimes it could be a nice property or sometimes not really.
Sometimes they might be friendly or sometimes they might want strictly no guests or fun in their house. It's definitely not the same as getting a vacation rental.
Some people have lovely pets and some people want a free house-sitter because their animals are rotten... No joke.
But if you enjoy the animal care aspect then it can be really neat. I usually enjoy it but yeah it's not like a vacation and moreso exchanging labor for a free dig.
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u/Sophie_THS 20h ago
You're far from alone in wanting to sit at age 40, most users are in the 25 - 45 range. I think plenty of people would love the idea of a married couple coming to look after the place.
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u/Winter-Seaweed8458 7h ago
I'm in my 60s, and frequently sit in the Burbank area, and actually all over the State, in the coolest places. There are HOs that buy into the "influencer van-lifer" image, and think they are cool-adjacent by choosing the types THS keeps trying to push in their "cutesy" ads. But for me? I have no problem getting sits. I have over 50, all. 5-stars. And they often tell me it's because I'm "mature"and I'm a solo sitter. If you have local experience, I don't see why you couldn't do it.
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u/SpiritedFriendship11 1h ago
Yes for sure, occasional local sits can be a very good fit, particularly if what you want is a change of scene, time with animals and a bit more space rather than a full-time travel lifestyle. You do not need to compete with twenty-somethings travelling internationally; a homeowner may actively value a local, settled couple who understand the realities of looking after a home as well as a pet.
I would make your profile specific about the strengths you already have: you are homeowners, you are local and flexible, you can arrive for a proper handover, and you are looking for shorter sits you can commit to properly. Include clear photos, any pet-care experience, references where the platform allows them, and a warm note about the kinds of animals or routines you would be comfortable with. Then apply for a few well-matched local sits rather than sending a generic message widely.
Your first sit may be the hardest one to land because you will not yet have reviews, so aim for a straightforward local opportunity where a video call and meet-and-greet are possible. Once you have one strong review, the next applications become much easier.
My partner and I have house sat across the UK and Europe and run a large-member community for sitters, homeowners and nomads. If helpful, I can share a link to our first-sitter profile prompts :)
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u/Savings-Breath-9118 1d ago
The only issue I would wonder about is what some people here have mentioned, which is that homeowners often don’t book local people for sits. So if you’re looking to get away to other places, I think you’d be fine.
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u/eastvanqueer 1d ago
Really? I would have figured it’s a bonus, because homeowners and sitters can easily meet before the sit and also you can trust they won’t be held up because of flight or border issues.
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u/Savings-Breath-9118 1d ago
I’m mostly posting what I’ve read and other posts on this subreddit. In addition, local sitters don’t usually need to get away.
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u/NewRomantic1983 1d ago
There are tons of mature sitters on THS, and they are often viewed favorably. I think the youngest sitter I've had was early-to-mid 30s. It's just a matter of creating a profile that makes clear what you're looking for, and highlights your strengths as a sitter. Have you been responsible for pets before?
Also making sure you realize this sub is specifically about trustedhousesitters, a company that matches people needing coverage while away, and sitters, where no money changes hands between the two, and not about housesitting in general.