The House Sitter's Roadmap
Become a sought-after housesitter for the sits you actually want.
From your first sit to your fiftieth, learn how to build a profile homeowners trust, find great opportunities, and use housesitting to travel further, stay longer and spend less.
Get The Roadmap — $97One-time payment · Lifetime access
A second visit
We'd been to Yogyakarta once before, years earlier, when we were younger and far tighter on budget. Three rushed days in a forgettable guesthouse. The only criteria that mattered was cheap.
This time we had sixteen days, housesitting a two-story villa tucked inside an upmarket gated community, with a garden, pool and space entirely our own.
We were still the same independent, adventurous travelers. Out exploring Prambanan and Borobudur, taking in the crowds and the color of a city that's become one of Indonesia's most visited destinations.
What changed was what came after. Instead of a cramped room in the middle of it all, we came home to gates, a garden, a pool nobody else could use, and Ricky the cat waiting for us.
The kind of place we'd never have paid for ourselves in a city this popular.
In exchange, the home wasn't empty and Ricky had company while the owners were away. That's the whole trade. A home to retreat to, instead of a room to sleep in.
Accommodation is usually the single biggest cost in any travel budget. Even with a private driver added, and staying five times as long, our average daily cost was actually lower than it had been on those three rushed days the first time around.
And it wasn't just about the room. Here's what that sit actually gave us.
- Coffee and breakfast in the garden, and a home-cooked meal on the nights we wanted a break from eating out
- Space to set up my laptop and actually make progress on the book I was writing
- Cupboard space to actually unpack our backpacks, instead of living out of them
- The whole place to ourselves, with slow mornings by the pool and nobody else around
- Local tips straight from the owners meant we could skip the touts and inflated prices, without missing out on the tourist hubs and highlights we still wanted to see
- Laundry facilities on hand, a genuine plus when you're on the road full time
Explore all day, or adapt around bad weather, weekend crowds, or a day when what we wanted to see was closed anyway, no pressure, nothing wasted.
Cook a proper meal, or do nothing at all. We had that choice. So can you.
The exploring didn't change.
What we came home to did.
For us, housesitting has changed the travel equation: better places to live, more space, more budget for the experiences that matter, longer stays, and often a lower daily cost than our old rock-bottom-budget days.
Meet Tim and Sharyn
We're Tim and Sharyn Nilsen, two independent, budget-conscious Australian travelers who've spent more than 20 years figuring out how to travel further, stay longer and spend our money where it matters.
But it wasn't those numbers that shaped everything we now teach. It was one specific sit, very early on.
It was our second ever sit. A remote farmhouse in rural England. Lumpy pull-out sofa. Blocked chimney. Coffee cups growing their own ecosystems. Getting groceries meant a three-hour round trip on a bus that ran twice a day. No real way to explore the area, and no time to either, not with everything we'd agreed to do for the owners.
We said yes... because they offered it. At the time, being chosen felt like enough.
We hadn't yet learned that being offered a sit and it being right for us are completely different things.
That mistake, and everything we learned from it, is what eventually became The House Sitter's Roadmap.
One-time payment. Lifetime access.
Here's what much of the housesitting advice out there focuses on.
- Building a profile
- Writing the perfect application
- Getting homeowners to pick you
- Landing that first sit
Don't get me wrong, those things are absolutely important.
We teach them too.
But here's the question that often gets overlooked...
Is this sit actually worth saying yes to?
Is it right for us? And are we right for it?
If you've looked into housesitting at all, you've probably come across the horror stories: filthy homes, overwhelming responsibilities, being treated like hired help instead of a trusted guest.
Here's the part those stories don't always talk about, though.
You have a choice too.
- Where you go
- How long you stay
- Which pets and responsibilities feel like an equitable exchange
- Whether the homeowner feels like someone you'd actually trust
Those choices can be the difference between housesitting simply finding you a place to stay, and housesitting genuinely improving the way you travel.
So the Roadmap doesn't start with your profile. It starts with a much simpler question: what do you actually want from housesitting?
Because a brilliant application for the wrong sit doesn't protect you from it. It just gets you there faster.
If your only priority is getting chosen for as many sits as possible, piling up reviews, and picking up free accommodation, the Roadmap probably isn't for you. It's for travellers who want to choose well, be chosen for sits that genuinely suit them, and make housesitting work with the way they travel.
How do I compete against 50 five-star reviews?
Fair question, and one almost every new sitter has asked themselves.
Sure, a stack of five-star reviews is an advantage. We're not going to pretend otherwise. But it's not the only evidence a homeowner has to go on.
Every experienced sitter started with zero reviews.
First-time sitters do get chosen. What matters is what else you can show a homeowner: that you're responsible, trustworthy, adaptable, and capable of looking after their home and pets.
We can't tell you exactly what will make a particular homeowner choose you. But we can help you focus on what is in your control. First, find sits that genuinely fit your circumstances, your wishlist, and what you're actually looking for.
Once you've found the right fit
Move quickly. Show the right evidence for that specific homeowner, not a generic version of yourself. And show you can adapt to whatever comes up.
How do we know this works? We started with zero housesitting reviews too. What we had was a lifetime of evidence: homes we'd owned and maintained, places we'd looked after for friends, a track record of leaving things better than we found them.
The challenge was showing it the way that particular homeowner needed to see it, while demonstrating we could adapt to whatever else came along.
That's exactly what the Roadmap helps with: putting you in the best position to get the sits you actually want.
Because we've seen what happens when getting chosen becomes the goal in itself. When you're new, getting that first yes can feel like a huge win.
Whoo-hoo! We got chosen!
But that excitement can make you overlook the things that ultimately determine whether the sit will be a good experience.
Remember what we said earlier? Being offered a sit and being right for a sit are completely different things.
Getting chosen is only half of it. The question from before still applies: is this actually the right sit for you?
And when the match is right, both sides benefit. Here's what that looks like in practice.
"We have now had 4 different couples come to housesit for 5 trips ranging from 1 week to 7 weeks. One couple have become good friends and we would welcome any of them back anytime. We've saved thousands of dollars in kennel fees, and the peace of mind in knowing your pets and house are being well looked after is priceless. Thanks for talking us into taking on housesitters!"
Carmel, Australia (homeowner)
"For the quality of the houses we stayed in, we would be looking at around £25,000 saved over a 9-month period. Our second sit was absolutely wonderful and we made some lasting friends. 150%, we always recommend it."
Adam & Laura, UK
One-time payment. Lifetime access.
Decide what you actually want
Your why, your ideal sit, the criteria you'll use to say yes or no.
Position yourself for the sits you want
A profile and application built specifically for what you're looking for, not a generic application sent to everything listed.
Find the right opportunities
Where to look, when to look, and how to find opportunities that match what you're actually looking for.
Screen before you commit
Location, pets, responsibilities, homeowner communication, logistics and red flags. All before you've said yes.
Make the right call
The video call. The questions. What the answers actually tell you. Making sure the sit is right for you before you commit.
Execute well
Arrival, handover, and settling into someone else's home and pets.
Build choice
Reviews, relationships, track record. Done well, each sit can add to the choices open to you next.
Inside the Roadmap
What's Inside The House Sitter's Roadmap
The Basics
Understand how housesitting actually works, what you can realistically expect from it, and the real upsides and downsides before you apply for your first sit.
All About You
Work out what you want from housesitting, then turn your own experience into a profile and visual presence that shows homeowners why you'd be a good fit, with the documents you need to actually use them.
Finding the Right Opportunities
Explore the different ways to find housesits, from word of mouth, local groups and notice boards to Facebook groups and the major platforms. Then work out which approach, or combination of approaches, makes the most sense for your situation.
The Application Process
Set up the alerts and notifications that help the right opportunities reach you, then learn how to assess a new listing quickly and apply before someone else gets there. Use ready-to-go templates to tailor each application with the information that matters for that particular sit, and know how to follow up.
Pre-Acceptance
Know what to do when a homeowner responds, whether you're declined, offered the sit without a call, or asked to have one. Learn how to prepare for the video call and the questions that help you decide whether the sit is right for you.
Post-Acceptance
Know what to confirm before you travel, transport, timing, visas and other logistics, then build your itinerary around the sit and close any skills gaps before you arrive.
During the Sit
From arrival through departure, with checklists for the day-to-day, pre-departure and final handover, plus guidance for handling the unexpected along the way.
Building Your Track Record
Learn how to ask for a review, whether there's a platform review system or not, save the feedback you receive, and keep your profile working for you between sits.
The Workbook
Every lesson comes with templates, not just theory.
A companion workbook that turns the lessons into things you can actually use, templates, checklists, questions, and working documents that help you build your profile, apply for sits, evaluate opportunities, and prepare for the sit itself. We use the same approach ourselves, including when setting up on a brand-new platform.
And four bonuses
Perfect Timing
The seasonal patterns behind when sits open up in different destinations, school holidays in expat hubs, major religious and public holidays, and the local rhythms that matter for the places you actually want to go.
Housesitting for Less
Discounts across the major platforms worth up to $230 USD or more, depending on which tiers and how many platforms you use.
The Housesitters Hub
Over 100 curated housesitting groups on Facebook, organized and ready to explore. We did the research so you don't have to.
Pro Tips & Risk Management
How to spot and prevent common problems, handle things when they don't go to plan, and think through the risks before you commit.
"One of the sits we got was in Thailand, an amazing experience and exactly the kind of sit we'd hoped to find. We got on so well with the owner that we're still in contact and have become friends. She's since asked us to housesit for her again in France. The course gave me confidence to apply for the sits we really wanted. The templates made applying feel much easier, and I felt much better prepared for video calls, knowing what questions to ask and what to look out for."
Paula S., Austria
One-time payment. Includes the workbook, all four bonuses, and lifetime access.
A second opinion when you need one
You don't have to work through every situation on your own.
Every purchase includes lifetime access to The Sitting Room, our private community for Roadmap members.
The Sitting Room
A place to get a second opinion, not another general housesitting forum.
- Private community for Roadmap members
- Access included automatically at purchase
- Not tied to any one housesitting platform
It's the place you go when you're weighing up a decision: whether to apply for a specific sit, how to interpret a video call, or whether something in a listing is a red flag you're not quite sure about.
Whether you're preparing for your first application or video call, partway through a sit, or an experienced sitter looking for a second opinion, it's there for you. Tim and I are actively present too.
A course can't anticipate every situation you'll run into.
The Sitting Room is where you bring the ones it didn't cover: "Here's what I'm seeing. What do you think?" And get another perspective.
That's the Sitting Room.
What about people already sitting? Can the Roadmap help them? Here's what Suzanne, who's completed dozens of sits, had to say.
"I thought I knew it all, but the Roadmap changed a few ways I approach sitting and taught me different approaches I'd never considered. The bonuses helped me find new paths and resources I needed. Well done from one sitter to another, thank you for broadening my opportunities and horizons."
Suzanne, Aussie World Traveler & Housesitter
The 30-day guarantee
If the Roadmap doesn't give you the clarity and practical tools to evaluate opportunities and make the right call, we'll refund your $97 USD.
See the FAQ below for exactly what qualifies and how to claim it.
One-time payment. Lifetime access. Backed by our 30-day guarantee.
A final word
We stopped compromising on where we stayed.
Across more than 100 sits, we estimate the places we've stayed would be worth more than $300,000.
Of course, we'd never have spent that kind of money on a place to stay. To stick to our budget, we'd find the cheapest acceptable room or hotel we could live with, then spend whatever was left over on the things we wanted to do and see. In more expensive destinations, that definitely limited our experience.
Housesitting flipped that equation. We're now staying in far nicer places, often in unique homes you couldn't rent no matter how much money you had, while still having more of our travel budget left for everything else.
A five-bedroom, 17th-century thatched cottage, for example, isn't exactly something you're going to find on Airbnb.
For less than one night in a mediocre hotel, you can flip your story too.
$97 USD. One payment. Lifetime access.
Get The House Sitter's Roadmap — $97 USD →Still have questions?
What am I actually agreeing to when I housesit?
Housesitting isn't free accommodation with no strings. It's an exchange. You get a home to live in; the homeowner gets someone they trust to look after it. Depending on the sit, that might mean caring for pets, maintaining a garden, or simply being a responsible presence in the home. The Roadmap helps you work out which responsibilities you're comfortable with before you apply for anything, so you can make sure the exchange works for both sides.
What if I'm not even sure housesitting is for me?
You don't need to know yet. The Roadmap gives you the tools to work out whether housesitting genuinely suits you, along with practical tips that make those first few sits a whole lot easier.
I've never done a housesit before. Will homeowners really choose me?
Not all homeowners are focused on the number of sits you've done. They're choosing someone they feel they can trust with their most valued possessions, their home and their pets. If you can show you're responsible, caring and trustworthy through your overall life experience, that counts for a lot. The Roadmap shows you how to present that experience in a way that gives homeowners genuine reasons to trust you.
Why do I need a course? Can't I find this information free?
Sure, let's face it, there's a ton of it out there. But it's scattered, inconsistent, and not always true. We've already done the work to pull what actually works into a clear, easy-to-follow process, based on our own extensive experience, and built in the tools and support to help you along the way. We give you what you need to make good judgement calls, plus somewhere to go for a second opinion when you need one.
What if I end up in a sit that isn't right for me?
We can't promise that won't happen. But we give you tools to reduce the chances of it happening, from defining your ideal sit criteria up front, to knowing how to screen a listing and what to listen for on the video call, so you can say no before you've committed.
How long before I get my first sit?
It depends on what you want and how targeted you are about it. It could be as soon as you get your profile out there, or longer if you're holding out for something specific in a particular time slot. The Roadmap gives you the process to give yourself the best possible chance, and the judgment to make sure the sits you get are ones you actually want.
What if something goes wrong during a sit?
Things occasionally go wrong, that's life. What matters is prevention, knowing what to do in the moment, and having a plan B ready if you need it. The Pro Tips & Risk Management bonus covers all three, so you're not figuring it out for the first time when it actually happens.
What about visas and work rules for international sits?
Just like you'd check the pet care, the transport and the dates before committing to a sit, check whether the arrangement fits the visa and immigration rules that apply to you. Those rules vary by country and by your own nationality and circumstances. We're experienced travellers, not immigration lawyers, so we won't tell you it's fine everywhere, and we won't tell you it isn't. We'll show you how we approach this ourselves in the Risk Management bonus. The decision, and the responsibility, is always yours.
What exactly do I need to do to qualify for the refund?
Work through the Roadmap for up to 30 days from your purchase date. If you've genuinely given it a go and still don't feel it's given you the clarity and practical tools to evaluate opportunities and make the right call, just email us and ask. No forms, no interrogation. We'll refund the full $97 USD.
What is The Sitting Room?
The Sitting Room is our private community for Roadmap members. It's a place to get an informed second opinion when you're about to make a decision. Tim and I are actively present, alongside other sitters working through the same process. Included with every purchase, for life.
Do I need to love animals to be a housesitter?
Not all sits involve pets. Many homeowners simply need someone responsible to care for their home. Many sits do involve animals, and a genuine warmth toward them comes through in your profile and video call, but you don't need to own pets or have extensive pet experience to start.
One-time payment. Lifetime access. 30-day guarantee.