Introduction to House Sitting in NYC
You gotta do what you gotta do. A woman has found a solution to avoid paying insane rents in New York. She is a full-time house sitter in NYC and doesn’t have her own place. Instead, she lives in other people’s houses full-time.
How House Sitting Works
The house sitter shared that her setup requires a lot of planning. She usually arranges the house sitting jobs to overlap, so one ends and the next begins on the same day. This way, she always has a bed to lie on and a roof over her head without having to live somewhere permanently.
Dealing with Gaps Between Jobs
The few times she has a gap between her sitting jobs, she finds a hotel for the night, gets an Airbnb, or stays at a friend’s house. She has options available and doesn’t have to worry about not having a place to stay.
The Exchange
The truly shocking thing about her lifestyle is that she doesn’t typically charge her clients to monitor their homes. She sees it as a balanced exchange: she has a place to stay, while the clients know their home is carefully guarded. There are a few exceptions where she will charge a fee, such as if the homeowner has specific requests, like pet care.
Benefits and Drawbacks
She maintains her regular work routine while house sitting, taking care of the home and pets, exploring the surroundings, and keeping the space clean and organized. She treats each home as if it were her own. Some of the biggest advantages are flexibility, cost savings, experiencing new places, and spending time with pets. The biggest disadvantage is the lack of long-term stability in one place and the need to quickly adapt to new environments.
House Sitting as a Viable Option
At a time when median and average rents are at record highs, house sitting may be the best option for New Yorkers. It allows them to save money on rent and experience new places, making it a viable alternative to traditional living arrangements.
