House Sitting

House Sitting by Ned

Quick Summary:

Live in House Sitter
Highly Recommended
Very Low Rates,
with steep discounts
for Month or longer
Preferred Areas:
San Francisco Peninsula
or North Bay
Reliable & Professional

Update on Sept 2, 2010

I am booked all summer, through September 13th. The last 3 weeks of September are open, October is booked, November is tentatively booked and I'm open for December and beyond.

Please note that I prefer a two-week minimum stay, though I will make exceptions - Call me at 408-892-4754.

Clients Have Noted:

I was very impressed with Ned's attention to detail and his understanding my expectations. I returned home to find everything in perfect condition, plants watered and a very content cat.

- Lee L., Pleasanton
[Read Full Testimonial]

For two weeks this Christmas, we trusted Ned to take care of our (4) animals, and he did so very well. He also gave our family a ride both to and from the San Jose airport. Now that’s real service!

- Brian & Bertha, San Jose
[Read Full Testimonial]

Our deaf poodle, Buster, escaped our car the first day of our trip. He was found 2 days later and Ned graciously agreed to bring him home and look after him until we returned. Thanks, Ned, for taking care of Buster and giving us a happy homecoming.

- Betty & Mike, Menlo Park
[Read Full Testimonial]

If any questions or additional needs came up during our absence, such as when craftsmen needed to install a skylight, Ned took care of them and kept everything coordinated via email and telephone.

Ned made it possible to enjoy our summer and we were delighted to return home and find everything just as we had left it and spotlessly cleaned!

- Tim & Patty B., Menlo Park
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Thanks for taking care of Rocky and Max. We went on our cruise knowing we didn't have to worry about a thing back home.

- Scott & Ilene M., San Jose
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Ned was a wonderful house sitter. He made quick friends with our two neurotic dogs who became his constant buddies.

- Russell & Margaret P., Sebastopol, CA
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Thanks for house-sitting our home while we were away. The plants you were watering look better even than we left them! Thanks also, for mowing the lawn when we were gone longer than expected.

- Betty & Mike, Menlo Park
[Read Full Testimonial]

House Sitting Services FAQ

Q&A about House Sitting in General...
and House Sitting by Ned in Particular

What is House Sitting?

House sitting is the practice whereby a homeowner, leaving his house for a period of time, entrusts it to a "house sitter", who by mutual agreement is entitled to live there rent-free in exchange for assuming responsibilities such as taking care of the homeowner's pets, performing general maintenance (including pools, lawns, air-conditioning systems etc.), keeping trespassers off the property, readdressing the mail, and in general, making sure that everything runs smoothly just as if the owner were at home. It is also generally implied that crime is deterred by the presence of the house sitter. (This answer "adapted" from Wikipedia)

What types of House Sitters are there?

There are "drop-by" house sitters, who drop by to pick up your newspapers, mail, feed pets, etc. and there are "live-in" house sitters who also reside in the property while the homeowner is away. The "live-in" house sitter can provide a higher level of service and and added degree of security. Ned provides "live-in" house sitter services.

What is the process for retaining Ned as a house sitter?

Call 408-892-4754 and give Ned a general idea of your house sitting needs: start and end date, home location, any pets or special duties.
If there is a good match on general terms, arrange for Ned to visit you so you can interview him in person in your home and you can show him particular details of what you'd like looked after in your home. This is the time when you would discuss fees.
Then we would work out an agreement. You could check Ned's references and if all is A-OK, set up the logistics: when to pick up the keys, etc.

How can I check Ned's references?

So far I've had nothing but highly satisfied clients. (Check out some of my client testimonials.) Obviously for their privacy, I wouldn't identify them on this public website. However, most of them have permitted me to allow serious prospective clients to call them on the phone. Let me know if you wish to speak to some of my previous clients and I will arrange for it.

Why not just let my house sit empty?

Because a live-in house sitter catches little problems before they become big problems: a power surge knocks out your freezer? You don't come home a month later to a stinking mess. Vandals break your back window, then note a week later that it hasn't been repaired or even boarded up = invitation to come right in burglarize at their leisure. Automated pet feeder jammed up the day after you left for two weeks in Cabo? I think you can imagine your own "stinking mess" scenarios. These are the kind of things a "watchful neighbor keeping an eye out" might not notice.

Won't it be stressful on my pets to have a stranger in the home?

Possibly. I don't think your goldfish or hamster would notice. But for a dog or cat the stresses of travel (travel containers, quarantine, totally unfamiliar surrounding and routine) could be far worse. Plus kennel housing can become quite expensive over an extended stay and also can be very stressful for your pet who is not accustomed to being caged for long periods of time. So very often, being a pet sitter is an integral part of being a house sitter. Understandably, with the added responsibilities of looking after a pet or pets, house sitting fees are higher than when looking after a home without pets.

Will you house sit my home during renovation/remodeling?

Oftentimes homeowners vacate their property while their home is undergoing some construction project. It is understandable not to want to be in your home with all the dust, noise and inconvenience of major repairs or remodeling. You may chose to temporarily relocate to a motel nearby, but if you do decide to vacation far away, for instance while a new bedroom is added to the back of your home, then it could make sense to have a house sitter in residence to give entrance to various tradesmen or work crews.

I have sat houses where the homeowners had scheduled repairs during their absence and really, it was no problem. However, if the house is unlivable (no kitchen, bathroom, or electricity) then obviously a live-in house sitter is not appropriate, but the drop-by type house sitter might be.

Will it affect my homeowners insurance to have a house sitter?

Check with your own insurance provider, but generally you will find that most, if not all, insurance companies consider an occupied home to be much safer than a vacant one. In fact, many insurance policies have a "vacancy clause" which nullifies your insurance coverage after an extended absence. Again: please check with your own provider for the insurance ramifications of leaving your house vacant versus leaving it in the care of a professional house sitter.