Professional Kiwi House Sitter ~ Without The Fees
My name’s Craig and I’ve been a New Zealand house sitter and farm sitter since 2005. The right choice for farms and lifestyle blocks, I come from an extensive farming background and bring to each property sound knowledge pertaining to animal health, water supply, strip grazing, electric fencing, effluent control etc.
I have been minding properties since 2005. I began house sitting in New Zealand on a casual basis but since 2016 I’ve been doing it full-time, apart from a few interruptions from 2020 to 2022 due to Covid restrictions, when not many homeowners seemed to be going away or needing house sitters. I love the house sitting lifestyle and the regular change of scenery it offers. Not only that, but I get a lot of satisfaction in knowing that I’m providing a valuable community service, because the homeowners get to go away reassured that their pets are living relaxed and safe in their own homes instead of dodgy kennels and catteries, and also that their houses are being watched over and safeguarded from the crims.
I Also Do Farm Sitting
I have over 20 years of full-time dairy farming behind me, 14 of those years in sole charge management of dairy farms, so I’m the ideal minder for house sitting/farm sitting/relief milking combos. I have also worked with sheep, goats, and drystock cattle. On past house-sits and farm-sits I have looked after a wide variety of animal and bird life including cats, dogs, deer, cattle, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, alpacas, rabbits, chooks, ducks, turkeys, doves, and frogs. I’m particularly fond of cats – you won’t find a better cat sitter.
I’m a non-smoker and a quiet individual who is not into boozing, parties, and noise. I’m also a confessed homebody who prefers pottering around the property as opposed to galavanting about the countryside, so the homes and animals in my care are under constant watch. Clean, trustworthy, tidy, practical, adaptable, and with a good ounce of common sense, initiative and No.8 wire mindset. No task is too big or small.
I bring to every house sit a professional attitude and a quiet and calming disposition that wins over the timidest of pets. I enjoy what I do and I take a lot of pride in my work.
During my stay at your place, I will be in regular contact with updates along with photos and video clips of your pets so you can be assured they’re getting well looked after, if not a little spoiled.
I cover all my own groceries and toll calls, and I have my own transport, complimented with a clean driver licence. Under my contents insurance I’m covered for legal liability in case of any accidental damage. In all my years of house sitting, I have never had to use that insurance. Nevertheless it’s there – for peace of mind for both parties.
My preferred locations are rural and coastal properties, though I do enjoy the occasional suburban assignment for a change. I’m available to house sit in NZ nationwide, depending on travel distance and the length of the stay.
I don’t charge a cent to look after houses, pets, or lifestyle blocks. I never have and I never will. For me, house sitting is all about the lifestyle. My ‘payment’ comes in the form of free accommodation, free use of the utilities, and free access to the vegetable garden and orchard. I can’t justify charging fees on top of all that. The only times I would invoice the home owners is if I’m looking after a commercial business of theirs, such as a Bed & Breakfast, orchard, or working farm (farm sitting, relief milking etc), or if I’m undertaking some ‘improvement’ projects for them, such as painting the wooden deck or planting new trees – things like that.
With over 19 years of experience under my belt, there’s very little about house sitting that I don’t know.
I also have an active profile on Kiwi House Sitters.