As previously mentioned, we are enjoying our first caretaking (or house sitting, if you prefer) job here in rural Western North Carolina. We signed up for a two-month stint, which is ending October 2. We found this opportunity via the Internet in a listing posted on Caretaker Gazette. If you’re interested in house/pet sitting or caretaking, this site has published since 1983 and provides a great place to get started.
The variety of opportunities are pretty amazing. Some are as short as a week or two, making for a nice mini-vacation, while others provide long-term placement. Positions are available both domestically and internationally.
We are amazed when we hear back from advertisers about how many responses they receive, which just tells us that many people are interested in this somewhat esoteric but growing lifestyle.
For this position, we went through a series of get-to-know-you emails, a Skype call, providing references, and finally a personal visit with the owners to see if it was a good fit. While the latter is not always possible, we both felt better having taken that last step.
We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. It is unlikely that we would have ever spent an extended stay in rural North Carolina without becoming caretakers. We have wanted to explore North Carolina for quite some time and this opportunity to do so has been priceless.