Is Solo House Sitting More Difficult For Men?

I often get asked about whether it's harder to get assignments house sitting alone as a solo male. Do homeowners prefer couples over solo house sitters? Wouldn't they prefer a female house sitter?

These are fair questions.

And the thing that works against the younger generation of traveling house sitters (say, 20-30 somethings), are the general stereotypes:

• They'll party in the house
• They aren't as responsible
• They won't keep the place clean

And the list goes on...

When I first started, I had these same concerns. I wondered how hard it would be to break into house sitting.

BUT, after a year and half of full-time sitting as a solo male in my early thirties, I can honestly say these perceptions haven't been a factor in getting house sits. In fact, I've had house sits nearly back-to-back through four continents and seven countries.

What's surprising is that I now have home and pet owners reaching out to me directly to special-request me for future dates. So I really don't think you'll find it hard to get started if your plan is to house sit without a travel partner.

House sitting couples do have some advantages

There are some very good reasons why couples do often have an edge over single house sitters.

As a solo house sitter, it's much harder for me to take care of a lot of animals all at the same time. Unless they are perfectly behaved, I can't easily take care of 3-4 dogs who need multiple long walks each day. Whereas, a house sitting couple could share the work, or even take turns.

Along these same lines, I tend not to apply for house sits on very large properties that need a lot of upkeep. It would be much easier for two people sharing the house sitting duties.

Couples also have the advantage of splitting up for a few days if they have house sits that overlap with dates. One partner could stay at the current house while the other goes to start the next.

But... house sitting solo can also be a benefit!

A lot of the homes that I've house sat for are truly best suited for a single person.

There have been apartments or guest bedrooms that are only meant for one person. These places wouldn't be very comfortable for a couple.

With my current home base setup in Vancouver, BC, my only expenses are the occasional flight, bus or train ticket to and from my next house sit. Just think about how much more economical it can be when you only have to purchase one ticket!

Another thing to consider is that some pets get anxious around people they don't know. In which case, homeowners may prefer to select a solo house sitter so as not to have too many new people in the house.

These are just some of the advantages of traveling and house sitting solo.

There's a house sit out there for everyone

Simply out of curiosity, I've been asking pet owner's why they chose me as their sitter, to get some insights into their decision making process.