My name’s Craig and I’ve been a house sitter and farm sitter since 2005. The right choice for farms and lifestyle blocks, I come from an extensive farming background and bring to each property sound knowledge pertaining to animal health, water supply, strip grazing, electric fencing, effluent control etc.
I have been minding properties since 2005. I began house sitting on a casual basis but since 2016 I’ve been doing it full-time, apart from a couple of interruptions in 2020 & 2021 due to Covid lockdowns. I love the house sitting lifestyle and the regular change of scenery it offers. Not only that, but I get a lot of satisfaction in knowing that I’m providing a valuable community service, because the homeowners get to go away reassured that their pets are living relaxed and safe in their own homes instead of dodgy kennels and catteries, and also that their houses are being watched over and safeguarded from the crims.
I have over 20 years of full-time dairy farming behind me, 14 of those years in sole charge management of dairy farms, so I’m the ideal minder for house sitting/farm sitting/relief milking combos. I have also worked with sheep, goats, and drystock cattle. On past house-sits and farm-sits I have looked after a wide variety of animal and bird life including cats, dogs, deer, cattle, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, alpacas, rabbits, chooks, ducks, turkeys, doves, and frogs. I’m particularly fond of cats – you won’t find a better cat sitter.
I’m a non-smoker and a quiet individual who is not into boozing, parties, and noise. I’m also a confessed homebody who prefers pottering around the property as opposed to galavanting about the countryside, so the homes and animals in my care are under constant watch. Clean, trustworthy, tidy, practical, adaptable, and with a good ounce of common sense, initiative and No.8 wire mindset. No task is too big or small.
I bring to every house sit a professional attitude and a quiet and calming disposition that soon wins over the timidest of pets. I enjoy what I do and I take a lot of pride in my work.
During my stay at your place, I will be in regular contact with updates and video clips of your pets so you can be assured they’re getting well looked after, if not a little spoiled.
I cover all my own groceries and toll calls, and I have my own transport, complimented with a clean driver licence. Under my contents insurance I’m covered for legal liability in case of any accidental damage. In all my years of house sitting, I have never had to use that insurance. Nevertheless it’s there – for peace of mind for both parties. I also have two rental houses of my own. I thus know what it’s like to hand the keys over to other people, and trusting them to look after your property while they’re living there.
My preferred locations are rural and coastal properties, though I do enjoy the occasional suburban assignment for a change. I’m available to house sit nationwide, depending on travel distance and the length of the stay.
I don’t charge a cent to look after houses, pets, or lifestyle blocks. I never have and I never will. For me, house sitting is all about the lifestyle. The only time I invoice the home owners is if I’m looking after a commercial business of theirs, such as a Bed & Breakfast, orchard, or working farm.
With 18 years of house sitting experience under my belt, there’s very little about house sitting I don’t know.
I also have an active profile on Kiwi House Sitters.