The House Sitters How-to Handbook



Full-time house sitters Rick and Colleen Ray’s  The House Sitters How-to Handbook tells you everything you need to know to become a successful house sitter.  Learn how to create impressive profiles and references, find the best house sits internationally, successfully interview with a homeowner, and house sit like a professional. Rick and Colleen's insights will help give you the competitive edge for the hundreds of opportunities that exist worldwide.  Web resources, checklists and a step-by-step planning timeline for those considering a full-time life on the road are included.   Live your travel dreams house sitting!

Available in all e-reader formats and in print.

Order a print copy or for Kindle reader at  Amazon

Order for all other e-readers at  Smashwords Edition



The House Sitters How-to Handbook   shows you how to

  • Prepare for success with any length and type of house sit – with a special step-by-step action plan and timeline for those undertaking house sitting as a full time lifestyle.
  • Make the most of the on-line house sitting resources with a comparison of the top sites, including how they determine which profiles are presented to homeowners first.
  • Create an attention getting profile and an impressive reference letter collection even if you’ve never done a house sit before.
  • Plan for international house sits and research their unique requirements.
  • Successfully interview with a homeowner to get the assignment you want and how to set yourself up to be invited back time and time again.
Forms for organizing your house sitting contacts, collecting pet information, and arrival and departure checklists are included.



The House Sitters How-to Handbook's  chapters are organized to walk you through the process from total inexperience to the completion of your first house sit.  Chapter by chapter, you’ll learn how to:

  • Make the most of the benefits and opportunities that exist for house sitting worldwide.
  • Determine which is right for you - house sitting or caretaking - and the duties and compensations of each.
  • Select the right house sit and avoid the unsuitable house sit.
  • Find the perfect house sit with reviews of the best house sitting websites, their services and costs.
  • Create a profile that gets results with example profiles, guidelines for making the most of the photos you post and using social media.
  • Get the assignment you want – a step-by-step guide through the selection and interview process and all the things you need to consider before you make a commitment.
  • Prepare for short and long-term assignments with tips on what you’ll need for your house sit, travel security, and a special section and timeline for those considering a full-time life on the road.
  • Conduct your house sits like a professional with suggestions for preventing and resolving problems.
  • Prepare for the homeowner’s return with a checklist of the steps to take before you leave to ensure that you are invited back again.

The House Sitters How-to Handbook provides all the information you’ll need to become an expert house sitter so you too can begin exploring the world one house at a time – affordably!

Available in all e-reader formats and in print.

Order a print copy or for Kindle reader at  Amazon

Order for all other e-readers at   Smashwords Edition






About the authors:

Rick and Colleen retired early with the dream of traveling the world.  Their adventures have taken them to 6 continents and 50 countries.  They’ve found living out of two suitcases each to be liberating, think house sitting is a well-kept secret, and plan to continue traveling the world one house at a time indefinitely.


4 comments:

  1. Hello dear Rick and Colleen, It so great to see your smiling faces and to remember the great times we have had together. I have been entranced with the website and what you guys are doing. You look well and enjoying the good life. Joyce and I depart for Colorado and then Iowa on Sunday and will be gone for about 5 weeks. Will try to write more when we return home. Your photos, Colleen, are simply Gorgeous! Your photography has come so very far and it encourages me to carry on with my own humble efforts. It is wonderful to see you two are still loving life as are we. We talk of getting to California to see you but it seems life keeps getting in the way. Don't give up on us yet though. Stay well and we send all our love ... Tom and Joyce

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  2. I've never heard about house sitting! I'm glad I found your blog and I look forward to reading more of your adventures.

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  3. Thank you for your fantastic website! I found your information / ad in the International Living Magazine and my husband and I dream to one day soon start to 'house sit' to travel inexpensively!!

    Keep up the great work! Nancy

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  4. Wow, this is fascinating reading. I am glad I found this and got to read it. Great job on this content. I liked it a lot. Thanks for the great and unique info. cheap electrician

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