Start a House-Sitting Service
Starting your own business doesn’t always mean that you have to fork over a ton of cash to get it going. There are many “shoestring businesses” that you can start for little, or next to nothing. One such business is a home-sitting service.
Here is a business that can literally be started with zero cash. Now, before you get too excited about this, you should also know that it is one of the hardest businesses to get going. The main reason for this is that people won’t just hand over their homes to anyone. Therefore, traditional marketing methods are not going to work until you’ve made a name for yourself. In other words, you can’t just flyer a neighborhood and expect your phone to be ringing off the hook – it just won’t happen. The only way you’re going to get a full roster of customers is by word of mouth.
In order to get this business going, you’ve got to build it from the ground up. Initially, you will probably offer your services to people you know, such as family and friends. Over time, the word will get around that you do a great job and you are trustworthy. And really, that’s all that people want to hear; that someone they know has used your services and are delighted to recommend you. Getting your first few customers will be the biggest challenge, after that you can concentrate on providing quality service to your permanent customers.
Although this would be an ideal part-time business, there is nothing stopping you from making a full-time income – particularly, if you live in a larger community.
So what exactly does the home-sitter do?
Essentially, you will be watching people’s homes and tending to some maintenance items such as watering plants, doing a security check, shoveling snow, cutting grass – every home will have its own particular requirements.
Even though it’s tough to break into this business, the demand is huge. From people going on vacation, to seniors heading south for six months, to frequent business flyers – your services will be in high demand once you’ve got a little experience and you have built a reputation.
Even though many people use friends or neighbors to watch their house, there is a limit to how often they feel comfortable asking. After all, looking after a house for an extended period goes a little beyond what most would consider a friendly favor.
So, how much can you make doing this?
Well, that depends on the volume of customers, the services you offer, and how efficient you can run your business. Generally, you can expect to make between $10-$30 per hour while you are in the customer’s home. If you find that you have a full schedule, your ability to group homes together, thereby decreasing travel time, will make this venture much more profitable. Also, the variety of tasks that you are asked to perform will affect your profit. For example, if the homeowner requires that you shovel snow or cut grass, you can charge more for these services as opposed to simply collecting mail, newspapers, and doing a security check. Prices for different services should be settled with the customer before they leave. It’s always a good idea to have a list of the services you offer, along with a price list.
You should also have some kind of written agreement with the customer stating the services that you will provide and authorizing you to handle emergency repairs and to pay bills if required. Obviously, the customer will have to outline a procedure to follow for any out-of-the-ordinary tasks.
It’s always a good idea to keep a separate journal for each home, outlining your arrive time, the tasks performed, and what time you left. If there is ever any concerns by the homeowner, you will have all your activities written down along with the time.
Even though a home-sitting service is tough to start, the reward for sticking with it can be huge. Some people make a very good full-time income providing house-sitting services. Of course, that’s up to you – the freedom to work full time, or part-time and to choose the hours you wish to work, is one of the most attractive things about running this in-demand service.
