the Cost of House Sitters

We hired a neighborhood kid to come over twice a day while we were on vacation for a week to make sure our dog was fed and watered, and to make sure she didn't destroy the house (and, for that mater, to make sure the house didn't burn down, get broken into without the police being called, etc.).

When we mentioned to one of our neighbors that we were thinking of getting a house sitter while we were on vacation, she volunteered her 12-year-old son who negotiated a price of $100 for the week. Actually, it was more like we offered it and he accepted immediately. I expect we could have gotten a better deal, but it was still cheaper than hiring a professional house sitter. Even if he did eat all the ice cream in our freezer (a gallon and a half of various flavors, by the way. And all the chocolate syrup. Though he did wash his dirty dishes).

We got out of it what we wanted, the dog was alive and happy when we got home (she has a doggy door, so we know she won't poop inside), and the house was still standing when we got home, so it was money well spent.

I don't understand the current climate of neighborhood mistrust. Out of some weird paranoia nearly everyone seems to have holed up in their suburban houses, not letting their children play outside. It's nice to know people in the neighborhood, so when we need basic services like this (or lawn mowing (in Arizona!), or dog walking, or whatever), we won't be without local alternatives.

But don't hire someone just because they're in your neighborhood. You should be able to trust them and they should be reliable, otherwise you're just going to spend your vacation worrying about what they're doing to your house.