House Sit and Save

With the median house price in Australia now nudging nearly $660,000, young Aussies need every bit of help they can get. So it comes as no surprise that more and more people are turning to house sitting, to live rent-free and save for their first (or next) home.

If you’re considering taking the plunge, here are a few tips to help you house sit while you save for your deposit:

Use a reputable site

Okay, just because you can find people looking for house-sitters on Gumtree, it doesn’t mean that you should. Instead, head over to reputable sites like Trusted House Sitters and Mind a Home. Entrusting a third party to handle the House Sitting Agreement keeps you protected, and it’s a much safer option than responding to random ads on the internet.

Get a PO Box

If you’re about to start living with no fixed address, then it’s a good idea to sign up for a PO Box at a central post office. Most bills are online these days, but you don’t want to risk receiving unnecessary fines or having accounts cancelled, just because companies couldn’t figure out where to post a bill.

Start Small

WARNING – HARD FACT: You’re not going to be given the reigns to a Point Piper mansion on your first sit. Think of it like a new job: you’ll have to start a few ranks down and build up your reputation. Start with something modest, and build your way up.

Be Nice to Your Friends

WARNING – ANOTHER HARD FACT: There will be periods between house sitting appointments, where you may not have a place to live. So stay in touch with any friends or relatives with spare rooms and comfy couches. If you do have to sleep on someone’s couch, our advice is to always show up with flowers (or wine).

Keep Track of Other Sitters

If you’re saving up for a Thrive Home, then you’re going to eventually need a good house sitter down-the-line. Of course, if you have a brand new, Thrive Home, your friends and relatives will be fighting over each other to house sit for you, but keep track of other house sitters you meet along the way (you might prefer that to having relatives stay in your home for extended periods).

However, before you start packing all of your belongings into your car and heading off to house sit, contact us and talk to one of our team. Because getting into your new Thrive Home may be easier than you expect.