Free accommodations, truly feeling like a local: How house-sitting works

Jeannine Orr has traveled to Portland – both in Maine and Oregon – as well as Redondo Beach and San Diego in California in the past six months. On all these trips, Orr didn't pay a cent for her accommodations.

That’s because she was house-sitting through TrustedHousesitters, a popular house-sitting platform in the U.S. that connects pet owners with travelers who look after their homes and pets while they’re away.

Orr joined the site after having lost her dog a few years ago in an "unexpected and traumatic" process that left her yearning for furry company.

"It feeds my soul," Orr told USA TODAY. "It gives you the opportunity to live like a local versus staying in a hotel, sometimes Airbnbs don't always feel as comfortable. I love really embedding myself in a community and just living like a local, and it's fun because you've got an adventure buddy, too."

House sitting allows travelers to explore destinations on a budget and immerse themselves in the communities they visit. "It is slow travel," said Angela Laws, head of public relations and charity partnerships at TrustedHousesitters. "You can connect with a community if you're in a place long enough."

Between 2023 and 2024, TrustedHousesitters saw a 14% increase in worldwide members to 240,307. Retirees, digital nomads, and female solo travelers are some of the platform's fastest-growing demographics.

Here's what travelers need to know about house sitting.

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How does house-sitting work?

"It’s very easy to tell the story about free travel and free accommodations, but there are some responsibilities that come with that freedom," said Laws. "It's a mutually beneficial exchange."

Neither pet owners or sitters make money, although both parties pay TrustedHousesitters a membership fee that includes property insurance plus customer service and vet support. The annual cost for membership is $169 a year for sitters and $269 for owners. Every sitter and owner are vetted by the platform, which includes a background and identification check plus three references.

"Our sitters don't charge; they do this out of love, not money," said Laws.

TrustedHousesitters covers not just dogs but cats, birds, and other animals. Stays are available globally, from England to Indonesia and throughout the U.S. Sitters can browse opportunities based on their desired destination or available dates. Once they apply, sitters and owners set up a video call via the platform to chat about expectations and get to know each other better.

Owners often contact past sitters to ask them to return, sometimes up to a year in advance.

Based in Baja, Karen Schuppert has used TrustedHousesitters to watch her 17-year-old dog, Ellie. The savings on boarding her dog really "add up. It's so much money on top of your travel budget."

Some sitters have come from as far as Europe. "They’ve already developed a beautiful bond, so that’s been great," she said. "There’s so much criteria to consider when you’re entrusting someone with the care of your beloved."

Other house sitting platforms like MindMyHouse – which has 23,000 members – follow a similar payment structure, only without the pet aspect. House Sitters America is another site that's free for owners.

What are the benefits of house-sitting?

During house-sitting, sitters have access to a real home, often including a kitchen and laundry. "You get the full house. You can live the way you want to," Laws said.

As a solo traveler, Orr said she feels more comfortable in her homestays. "Every single one has felt this way. Often, there are established friends who are neighbors of the pet owners, so you feel a different sense of security and safety, at least for me," she said.

She likes taking the dogs on hikes or to the beach because it helps her get to know a place on a local level. It's as if she's "at home, just been plucked up and down somewhere else."

Now retired and looking to travel more, Schuppert has been a sitter herself, having stayed in a chateau in France to watch over a dog, two cats, a duck, two pigs, chickens and a donkey. "(The owner) had it down to a science," she said. "It took maybe a half an hour twice a day to take care of all the animals. Then we went out and did some touring and some sightseeing, and it was absolutely amazing."

Tips for first-time house sitters

• Start locally. Laws suggests travelers do a short stay close to home. "See if the lifestyle is for you," she said. "It's not for everybody."

• Read the instructions carefully. Orr recommends that travelers not get caught up in a site's exciting destination and ensure they see what's involved in taking care of the pet. "By reading the responsibilities carefully, you can avoid applying for something that ends up not being a fit, and wasting your and the pet owner's time."

• Don't be afraid to communicate. Given that your responsibility is watching over someone's pet and home ask as many questions as you need to get a full understanding of what's expected. "You just want to make sure communication is vital. I cannot emphasize that enough," said Schuppert. "It has got to be on both sides."

• Do your research. Some countries consider house sitting as work, meaning a regular tourist visa won't allow entry when at border control. In a few instances, sitters were denied entry into a country for their stays. It's important to do your research on the visa and immigration policies ahead of time.

(This story was updated to include new information.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: House-sitting offers more than just free accommodations to travelers