|
|
|||||||
| Home Page |
|||||||
Is it Wise to Travel When your House is Empty? Never!Did you know that potential break-in artists could be waiting to burglarize your home while you are on holidays? And who is going to mow the lawn while you're away? Who will watch for fires or leaks in the hot-water heating system? An empty house can be a recipe for disaster! Yards with untrimmed hedges and unwatered lawns More than a day's worth of newspapers inside the screen door Windows that reveal no change in lighting during the night An absent vehicle in the garage or driveway Full garbage bins that are not set out on collection day Mail carriers skipping a house because of redirected mail Nobody answering the door when someone rings the bell Crafty criminals will often ring the doorbell themselves before attempting a break-in. If you are at home, they will have a reasonable story like: 'I am conducting a survey of homeowners in the area to see if they are happy with the local school system.' No thief wants to be caught, and no burglar will want to put more effort than necessary into a robbery. Criminals are by necessity suspicious (and lazy as well). Anything you can do to make your house more challenging is likely to deter them. A good security system is a commendable first step. But is a security system enough? Maybe you should investigate hiring a housesitter. A housesitter can help prevent break-ins, and can also monitor for fires, roof leaks, and other potential home emergencies. The internet is full of helpful sites. An internet search for keywords and phrases similar to the following will help you to locate a good sitter: house sitting services find house sitter professional housesitters experienced home sitter pet sitting service At the end of this article is a link to a page containing several search engines. As a homeowner, you can usually post a free ad in a housesitter directory. Many sites will have an auto e-mail service that notifies you whenever a new housesitter registers in your community. Housesitting services may include: Mowing the lawn and trimming the hedge Watering houseplants Walking, feeding, and caring for pets Picking up mail and newspapers Paying bills Answering the telephone Homesitters come from various walks of life - and ages may vary from late teens/early twenties to ?? Typical sitters might be: Retirees A world traveller who is trying to conserve on expenses A college student trying to make ends meet A person who needs a place to stay during home renovations Someone new in the community In recompense for their services, a home sitter will receive free rent and (usually) an additional fee. Sitters are normally responsible for their own food and telephone calls. It is important that all arrangements are in writing. Some of the important points you should include in your written contract include: How long the sitter is permitted to be away from the premises The maximum number of guests allowed ('zero' being an option) Expectations for pet, plant, and yard care What should happen in case of illness or emergency Exact duration of house-sitting contract What will happen if your return home is delayed If you are working with a professional housesitting service, be sure that it does appropriate security checks on its employees. If you are hiring a private sitter, ask local law enforcement authorities what is needed for you to perform your own background investigations. This article is just a short primer on the subject of homesitting. Be sure to spend sufficient time doing individual research long before your holidays. . . . And Happy Travels! ©Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the author's note below (with active links) are included.
Rate this Article:
Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).
Article Tags: Service, Home, Pet, Holiday, Pets, Security, Plants, Professional, Holidays, Care, Vacation, House, Lawn, Yard, Contract, Contracts, Housesitter, Sitter, Sitters, Housesitters, Homesitters, Petsitters, Experienced Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/is-it-wise-to-travel-when-your-house-is-empty-never-147766.html About the Author:Try these search engines to help with your research. And don't forget to visit 111 Travel Directory for lodging and travel resources. Need some travel tips? 1000 Tips 4 Trips has over 1000 tips submitted by fellow travel enthusiasts.
Related ArticlesPet Sitting Service Business How to Start on a Shoestring Budget Travelling Abroad With Pets Maui Vacation Condos: Your Renting Options What To Do While On An Oahu Vacation The Benefits Of Planning Your Hawaii Big Island Vacation In Advance Making the Most of Timeshares Maui Vacations: Why You Should Visit Wailea Hawaii Honeymoon Vacation Packages: Why You Should Purchase One Got a Question? Ask.Ask the community a question about this article:Frequently Asked Questions Looking to possibly swap a house with another ... What is the best breed of conure for a family pet Gnat Infestation, Indoors Leaves gone yellow from being viberent green Can I collect unemployment benefits in the state ... Will cold hurt a piano ? Latest Travel Tips ArticlesGreat Experiences and Great Holiday Specials in Darwin, Northern Territory Visiting London From Abroad? the Best Way to See the Sights Benefits From San Francisco Shuttle Tours Benefits From San Francisco Shuttle Tours White Water Rafting Driving a Vehicle Versus Public Transit: Which is Better? Cambodia Adventure Travel Why Biking to Work Saves Money on Travel and Gym Fees More from Kathy SteinemannPlanning a Trip? Review These Air Travel Tips Before you Go! Improve German Vocabulary With Short Stories and Audio CD A Trick for Learning Foreign Languages That is Easy and Free Face Lift? Humbug! Erase the Years Without Surgery or Botox Did you Know That Giving Gifts Can Damage the Environment? How to Make More Money by Generating Targeted Adsense Ads How you Can Affect Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change Click Here and Find Out How to Shut Down Article Plagiarism |
|||||||
|
Article Categories
|
|||||||
|
|
|||||||