I got a postcard from an old Army friend of mine and he and his wife are preparing to go to New Zealand. Not on vacation mind you. Well…not really. No, he and his wife are flying across the big pond and will be employed as caretakers for a huge…I’m talking HUGE estate. They’ll take care of every little thing while the owner and his family jet off to Europe or somewhere for several months. They will live rent free…will get paid a salary…and will have several months of learning what it’s like living in New Zealand.
Be a caretaker? Live rent-free? Earn a salary? Sign me up!
Little did I know that my old buddy and hundreds of other like-mined individuals travel the world — often from contract to contract. Keeping an eye on properties ranging from campsites to castles…RV parks to nature reserves.
According to the CareTaker Gazette (www.caretaker.org), the property caretaking field is growing and retirees are in demand as caretakers and house-sitters. Why? Because many people now own multiple homes and properties throughout the world and they often require the services of a house-sitter or caretaker to look after their properties.
The site www.gonomad.com points out that caretaking opportunities can range from short-term or seasonal positions to long-term positions that last for years. In some cases, being a caretaker can mean nothing more than house-sitting, while in others, the caretaker may be required to do anything from construction or gardening work to child or animal care.
Caretaking positions are available all over the world, from villas on tropical islands to ranches in New Mexico. Some are certainly glamorous properties in exotic locations, while others are remote and rustic.
I have to tell you – this caretaking gig sounds quite exciting. In fact, the site www.caretakerjobs.com allows you to sign up for a free trial membership just to see if caretaking is the type of thing that interests you. What I liked about this particular free membership is that there are no strings attached. None of this – “it’s-free-but-we-want-your-credit-card-number.” I’m not saying I’m going to run off to Belize with my wife and daughter in tow. But hey, if a cool offer comes down the pike for this summer and it involves me watching someone’s estate for a few months then why the heck not?
You may be wondering why would someone want a complete stranger to live in their house. The main reason is security. Leaving a house empty with nobody around to check up on it worries a lot of property owners. By letting you stay in the house rent free, they in turn have someone watching out for their property. Many homeowners also prefer not to rent since people who rent often leave the house in much worse shape than when they arrived. In addition, the homeowners don’t have to pack since they will likely leave all their possessions in the house. This relieves them from storage expenses they would incur if they rented. They also don’t have to hire professional help to do basic upkeep since that is usually part of your responsibility as a house sitter.
A caretaking/house-sitting venture seems ideal for anyone who is retired, but in the time since I heard from my friend and have since done some research, I can see that caretaking appeals to a wide variety of men and women. Caretaking can provide the right individuals with the opportunity to experience life in a different geographic locale and save money by living rent-free. And while I’ve gathered that there are numerous positions available throughout the United States, I’ve come to learn that there are just as many opportunities abroad. A very cool site to check out is www.housesitworld.com and they have a very comprehensive listing of properties that need caretakers in Europe. There is a fee to sign up, so check it out and decide for yourself.
I discovered another great caretakers resource and that is the e-zine called The Working Traveler (www.payaway.co.uk). This magazine offers regular information on how you can live and work abroad. In fact, in the latest issue, there are articles including funding your travels through your own website, teaching English in Germany and tips for living, working and traveling in Cusco, Peru. And don’t forget — lots of leads on caretaking jobs.
There are a lot of varieties to caretaking and one of them may be suitable for you! In the meantime, I plan of keeping in touch with my friend – I’m curious how he and his wife will adapt to their new, temporary home…in New Zealand!
