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Hastings
Hastings is an ideal place to stay as you explore Hawke’s Bay. Perfect for house sitting!
Hawke’s Bay
If you appreciate great weather, beautiful beaches, sunshine and wineries then the beautiful region of Hawke’s Bay is for you. It is great for house sitters as the city of Napier has stunning Art Deco buildings and the famous Art Deco Festival every February. If you’re into golf then the world class Cape Kidnappers golf course is a must if you’re in the region. Hawke’s Bay is also known for its wildlife, swimming spots and friendly people. Pets love the open spaces just as much as visitors. What a magnificent place Hawke’s Bay is.
We are Casey and Jen, a married, professional couple who are in the process of r…
We are Casey and Jen, a married, professional couple who are in the process of retiring. We are non-smokers. Jen has just completed treatment for early stage cancer. To celebrate the end of her treatment, we plan to visit different parts of New Zealand before settling into our own property in the Far North in late 2020. This retirement property is presently rented out on a long-term lease. We both were born in Europe (Scotland and Germany) and have post-graduate degrees. And with long-standing connections to NZ, we moved here from the UK in 2017 and were granted permanent residency in 2019. Our interests include outdoor sports, cooking and gardening (we have been members of our local landcare group in the Far North since 2015 and have volunteered with the World Wildlife Fund as well as a Wellington pest control group). We have owned pets (dogs, cats, horses, guinea pigs, chickens and fish) in the past, and we are dog and cat lovers. Casey grew up next to large farms for part of his upbringing. His father and uncle also co-owned a small sheep and cattle farm, where he spent a summer working in his mid-teens. Jen comes from a Scottish farming family. And while her parents lived in a village, with many pets, Jen spent all of her childhood holidays at her aunt and uncle’s farm. On the farm she was responsible for taking the eight working collie sheepdogs on daily walks and for tending to the chickens. With her uncle, a member of Scotland’s international sheep handling team, Jen’s also attended many sheepdog trials. We see house-sitting as a way to spend more time with domestic animals. This has not been possible for the past few years due to our work commitments. We also see house-sitting as a way to explore new parts of New Zealand. As remote property owners ourselves, we understand and respect the issues that homeowners face.
I am a mature woman who is responsible, clean living, quiet and enjoys presentin…
I am a mature woman who is responsible, clean living, quiet and enjoys presenting and maintaining properties to the best possible standard. I do not smoke, drink or party. I have a current Police clearance which I will present when we meet. I attend and serve at a local church in Matamata while in the area. I was raised on a farm in Hawkes Bay so am familiar with animal care and responsibility. I have worked in professional roles but am not working currently and find it difficult to cope with current rental rates. I have house sat previously while living in Western Australia and took care of a very large dog. I have been a long term cat owner but do not currently have animals in my care and miss this contact. I frequently stop to admire other peoples' animals while out and about. It's a great way to meet people too.I have also sat for personal friends in Tauranga prior to my departure for Australia in 2010. They were very satisfied with my level of care but have been unable to repeat this service for them while property managing a rural colonial villa near Matamata, rejuventating both massive garden and the interior of the property.Early in 2018 I looked after animals on a kiwifruit orchard and kept an 'eye' on seasonal happenings while in that role as my first sit with The House siting Company.. As the house sitter, I take my role seriously. You will be away from home fully confident that your property is well cared for and that your animals are nurtured and cared for exactly as you require. Your property will be kept clean, tidy and totally presentable. I enjoy gardening and taking pride in where I live, applying these same guidelines to your property if you require this(only weed removal and dead-heading). I replenish anything I might use (although well equipped with own supplies) and ensure that when you arrive home, you will be able to 'make a cuppa' etc. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss the details of both pet care and property to allow me to do the very best possible in your absence.
I am a very fit and active retiree. I left the workforce four years ago to trav…
I am a very fit and active retiree. I left the workforce four years ago to travel to various parts of the world, including some of NZ which I hadn’t yet been to. I have been involved in sport all my life and interested in organics and sustainabilities for many years, so decided four years ago to become a Woofer (Willing Worker On Organic Farms). I have thoroughly enjoyed all my placements in NZ, Australia, USA and Portugal. I have visited places and met people that I would never had the chance as a tourist and learnt about growing fruits, vegetables and raising animals in an totally organic and sustainable manner. I have looked after many animals and learnt how to give back to the land for future harvests. Two years ago in 2018 I bought a lifestyle property in the Far North, so have not been able to travel as much, or housesit as I used to, while working hard on my land. Now however I have more spare time, & look forward to being able to spend time travelling in NZ. I currently work on my orchard of 100+ trees of every description imaginable, & have 5 large vegetable plots. I farm totally organically, eat in season, & am self sufficient(++) with fruit & vegetables. I am able to swap my excesses for milk, meat, cheese, eggs & bread! I feel very fortunate. I have also walked two caminos (long walks) in both France, and Portugal into Spain. These were 750 and 700km respectively, in 2014 & 2017. My most recent was from Lisbon, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. I have been a proud homeowner since 1980 and where I have been a Woofer, I have always taken great care to look after other people’s property and animals as I would my own. By choosing me for your housesit, you will have someone who will leave your house in the same (or better!) condition when I leave, as it was when I arrived. This is most important to me, whether I am visiting someone briefly or for a few weeks, that I cherish that privilege, never take anything for granted and make sure everything is left clean & tidy. I have an “old fashion” work ethic, am totally reliable and honest. As for pets, when my children were growing up, we had a Staffordshire bull terrier, rabbits, cats, cockatiel and baby goats. Currently I have no animals. While woofing however, I have looked after lots of dogs, cats, goats (learnt to milk), chickens, ducks, pigs, cows, and loved all those times. My woofing hosts would sometimes leave me to house sit at weekends, or in one case, for 10 days when an unavoidable event happened. On that occasion I looked after a small farmlet of goats, cows chickens, vegetable garden, orchard....the entire property. I loved the challenge and was totally equal to the task of overall management. I love outdoors work. Obviously I enjoy walking, so dogs love me for their twice daily long walks. I do hope you will consider me for your housesit. Judy
We are David and Adrienne Smith and our ages are 68 and 61. We are a friendly, q…
We are David and Adrienne Smith and our ages are 68 and 61. We are a friendly, quiet couple, non-smokers, who have rented out our home in Auckland to discover the rest of this beautiful country, whilst caring for your home and pets. About us: David spent much of his early years on a farm in Matamata, before moving with his family to Auckland. He has worked for Air New Zealand, and its predecessor NAC, for many years as an airline pilot, both short and long haul and is now retired. David is involved in IT support for a charity group, which can be carried out anywhere there is internet connection. We do not need much bandwidth, its mostly offline work. Adrienne, also retired, has worked as a nurse and caregiver. She is a keen gardener and loves walking, crafts and reading. We are keen to move into the next phase of life, exploring other parts of this beautiful country, and beyond. Our gorgeous bi-colour ragdoll cat is no longer with us, leaving us free to care for your home and pets. We love pets and have significant experience caring for cats, dogs of various sizes and ages, and chooks. Awarded as a top 10 housesitter for 2019. As we have no work or family constraints, we can offer dedicated service to caring for your home and pet as we would our own.
My children and I lived on a 10 acre block in Waimauku for several years and car…
My children and I lived on a 10 acre block in Waimauku for several years and cared for a variety of animals including cats, dogs, hens, sheep, cows, and the occasional rabbit and duck! Because of Geoff's years spent at sea his opportunities to care for pets have been limited, but in his younger years his family owned cats, dogs and budgies. Geoff and I spend the summer months,October through to April, in New Zealand, which is when we are available for house sitting. We have a yacht berthed in Penang, Malaysia, and we are there during New Zealand's winter months. Geoff has spent nearly 13 years cruising in South East Asia, and I joined him in 2012. Geoff is a shipwright and is capable of servicing a wide range of appliances, machinery etc.He served in the New Zealand navy for 8 years and after leaving he worked as a commercial diver whilst building his first yacht. After sailing for many years in the Pacific, Australia, Africa and Europe, he settled in Brisbane, where he set up his shipwright business. He then built his second yacht and set sail for South East Asia. My previous working life involved a variety of positions, including working as a supervisor in a childcare centre in Waimauku, Auckland, and then as a sterile services technician at North Shore hospital in Auckland. I have two sons who live in the Netherlands and Belgium, and 1 grandson. Because of our lifestyle on the yacht we are organised and tidy in our habits. We enjoy exploring new environments, so house sitting promises to be a great way to meet new people, have some much-needed interaction with animals again, and reunite us with different parts of our country after being away for so many years. Although we are away from New Zealand at times, we are always able to participate in video calls via either Skype or What's App.
Hi I am Ciane (pronounced Sharne). I have been a creative person all my life, h…
Hi I am Ciane (pronounced Sharne). I have been a creative person all my life, having been an award-winning hairdresser who owned my own salon and an award-winning fashion designer working for Stretton clothing. I completed my degree in Toi Maori arts 2 years ago and have since had 2 solo exhibitions, and had my work included in 2 group exhibitions. My art practice is currently focused around digital imagery based on what is around me, hence the reason I am keen to do some house sitting in different areas of the country, the different surroundings giving me different perspectives on my work and influencing the finished work. Creating digital work means as long as I have my phone or camera and laptop, I can work anywhere to both create the original images and then manipulate them into a finished piece. This means I can work from home and keep your pets company. I have always had pets, mostly dogs and cats with the occasional mouse, bantams, rabbits, goats and guineas pig thrown into the mix. My husband Steve and I currently live with and love a 14-year-old Jack Russell her name is Bobbie Anne (Bob for short) and a long-haired cat called Klaus who keeps us on our toes. When I am sitting for you my husband Steve will be looking after the our crew. Pets are an integral part of my life, when I first got Bobbie was a small pup she travelled everywhere with me in the car, at the time I was a sales rep for a company selling to hairdressers and covered Waikato/BOP, we became great travel buddies and a hit with all the clients. Bobbie has 3 different beds in the house so she can keep close to us, it also gives her a choice when the cat decides to steal the Bob's bed. I grew up with cats in the house, I was 18 months old when the family first got a cat, I remember the day vividly (odd for a child that age). All our dogs and cats have been inside pets not left in the yard, though I do have experience with caring for crated pets and outside dogs on runs and in kennels. I have also cared for older cats and dogs who have required medication. I own (with my husband) a 100-year-old Arts and Crafts bungalow in Frankton in Hamilton which we have renovated extensively. I take great care and pride in its appearance and upkeep (as all old houses need). I bring this value into every home I stay in; it's an automatic habit. I have successfully looked after pools, plants and gardens for people while they have been on holiday. My home stays have also included chasing away the odd escaped livestock. I look forward to meeting you and your pets, learning how I can help you and make you feel relaxed when you are away from home knowing everything is being looked after. Nga mihi Ciane
My wife and I have made New Zealand our permanent home. We are originally from S…
My wife and I have made New Zealand our permanent home. We are originally from South Africa and I was a qualified aircraft maintenance engineer and my wife a librarian/teacher. We are 62 years young and have two granddaughters. We bought a caravan and are living and travelling around NZ first before settling down. We are retired and non smokers. We have owned numerous cats and dogs (even a snake!) over the years and are fond of animals. Your pets will be well loved and looked after while you are away.We enjoy the outdoors, gardening, reading, quilting and are keen walkers. We have already carried out house sitting in New Zealand for friends and people we were referred to. We will take good care of your property and are security conscious. We have lived in rental properties ourselves and the landlords did not want us to leave because we cared for the properties as if it was our own place. We look forward to new experiences and places and this is the ideal opportunity to combine all of it. We look forward to meeting you and taking care of your animals and property. Warm regards Pieter and Pamela
Hi .. My name is Jude.. I am a Company Director and mobile sales person, sellin…
Hi .. My name is Jude.. I am a Company Director and mobile sales person, selling educational resources to schools throughout NZ. I have been working in a travelling sales role all around NZ for more than 30 years... working, travelling and usually staying in motels or my time share accommodation, which tends to be a little expensive over the year. I have flexibility and can work any in area. I own 2 houses and at present have them both rented with tenants and flatmates. I have done quite a bit of housing sitting over the years and have cared for and feed many animals. Auckland for 3 months looking after dogs and cats. Farm feed chickens even, which is no problem as I am a country girl at heart. My last housesit was in Tirau looking after 3 large dogs. One that required monitored medication daily and exercise. I enjoy the company of animals especially since i am away from home so much. Whilst I am at home during the summer months I host overseas students that come to NZ to learn English. I have had many students over the years, Swiss, Thai, Arabian, Japanese, Chiian, Brazillian. They all love staying with me and i recently even had someone REQUEST to stay with Jude Habib. Very unusual. Homeowners can be assured that I will treat their home and their pets as they would themselves with upmost care and respect enabling them to have a stress free time away from home.
HI there, we are about to change our lives yet again, after working abroad for m…
HI there, we are about to change our lives yet again, after working abroad for many years. Approaching retirement we are fit and young at heart, it is a bit scary to stop full on work! So we need something to do that will keep us interested in life and change. We are super tidy, especially my wife! and we love pets. Until we traveled abroad for career purposes, we always had pets and dog for the family. When the children were little we had a pooch, black and fluffy for about 14 years, growing up they had the company of a black Labrador. Coming to Fiji we looked after our friends dog for 2 years, a large doberman, one that would lick you to death! And just lately again to help out friends going overseas for 12 months a beautiful German Sheppard and the cat, both couldn't live without the other, and together they provided most of the entertainment! I love walking, and it just isn't the same without a best friend. We know pets love routine, and we will enjoy to fit in with your regular way of looking after them. We are used to having pets, enjoy spending time with pets, and understand their needs of companionship. We have four children, all grown up with their own family now. Having had a significant overseas and New Zealand based career, we have had the benefit of high end company homes to live in. References on how we looked after these homes are readily available. We have also included some pics of our home at Vuda Marina, Fiji. What you can expect is, to return to your home with pleasure, absolutely spotlessly kept, both inside and out, including any pool maintenance and garden maintenance. We expect to make lifelong friends with any home owner for whom we will look after the house and property and pets. Hank and Cherie Arts
I am returning from travels overseas in February 2020 and coming back to my own …
I am returning from travels overseas in February 2020 and coming back to my own business and have decided to embrace van life to allow me even more freedom and flexibility to be me mobile and close to the sea when I want to be. But I know every and again it will be great to have some of the home comforts that a house allows and so I thought house sitting would be the perfect compromise given it also allows me to look after animals, another passion of mine. I truly love animals so knowing this might be able to look after animals as well as a home is really appealing to me and I am super active and outdoors often so if you have a dog that needs walking, you know it will get walked as often as needed as I love any excuse to get outside. I just completed my personal training qualification and will be using this in my new job as well. I am a responsible adult that respects other people and know how to look after a home as I take a lot of pride in my own. I don’t party and I don’t actually drink alcohol at all so you can also be assured that your house would always be kept clean, tidy and you can come back to how you left it. I grew up with animals so always had a dog and have had cats before. My last landlord has a dog called Clooney who is a husky cross border collie and I spent a lot of time looking after him as well and taking him for walks. I really miss having animals myself and plan to get one in the near future when I am more settled but in the interim being able to house sit for you and your loved pets is really exciting for me. I grew up with giant schnauzers and my grandma had 2 tabby cats which I loved looking after. Happy to provide more references if you would like them
My name is Wayne,I am retired, 66 years of age. I enjoy travelling and seeing ne…
My name is Wayne,I am retired, 66 years of age. I enjoy travelling and seeing new places and meeting people. I am a Line mechanic by trade and have worked in Australia for a time. I am a very tidy,clean up after my self,honest, reliable and mature. Fit and healthy. like to go walking do some fishing.Enjoy reading,mainly on history and take the camera on my outings. I enjoy & respect all types of animals & birds. I would love to take your (mate) dog on my daily walks. I am a very tidy & organised guy,do not mind doing lawns & garden up keep. I will treat your home and pets with kindness and you can expect to have your pets and animals looked after as though they are mine. My first house sit I looked after two lovely cats, fifteen geese and 12 chickens. Really enjoyable sit,especially the fresh eggs.Since then I have cared for a variety of lovely cats and dogs Please consider me as your house sitter I live in Hutt Valley, Avalon Regards, Wayne
We are both retired and living in Southland and are both from the North Island o…
We are both retired and living in Southland and are both from the North Island originally, I am from Taranaki and my husband from Hawkes Bay. Love to travel and we would like to house sit outside Southland. Over the last two years we have house sat for our children, looking after their animals and properties. Daryl is a retired Veterinarian, with great expertise in small and large animals. He also has farming experience with sheep, cattle and deer. Caryl is a retired school teacher, a keen Bridge player, walker and gardener. I would not find it difficult to maintain a garden while the owner was away We have always had pet cats and dogs until recently, so caring for and walking your animals would be a pleasure. We are very aware of the responsibility of caring for other peoples beloved pets and their households.
Greetings You ask why we enjoy house sitting and the accompanying life style? Ni…
Greetings You ask why we enjoy house sitting and the accompanying life style? Nina (51 and from Bali) and I (Anthony, 59, from NZ) spend time in both of our native countries as a lifestyle option. Between us, all 5 children are off our hands, and the period of time and months that we commute are quite flexible. My work as an architectural designer allows me to liaise with clients in NZ, then complete the technical documentation while house sitting, or sitting in Indonesia or Malaysia. Born and raised in Hastings, I spend most of our NZ time in Kapiti and Hastings. Nina is Balinese, and we enjoy the sands in Bali, Lombok and Rote. We are dividing and building on a section in Central Hawke's Bay. We enjoy domestic pets, but can not have any due to our transient life style. Let us cancel out farm animals right now! Minding peoples homes, and caring for people and properties comes quite naturally, and has been an ongoing activity for some 7 years, on and off, in Bali and Kapiti. What can you expect? You can expect your home and pets to be the same as if you had only been away overnight. Talk to us. A coffee is always good! Writing a good biography is easy. Fronting up to you, to talk, is always more accurate and productive.
Rob and I are a mature couple currently living in the Wairarapa. We have the fl…
Rob and I are a mature couple currently living in the Wairarapa. We have the flexibility to be able to lock up our home and go away for unlimited periods of time. This would give us an opportunity to have some time away but to also allow you, the homeowner to have much needed time away and be able to relax knowing your 'much loved' pets and your home are in safe reliable hands. We have over the past 4 years looked after a large farm/property from time to time so the owners could go away. This property was quite isolated outside Masterton. There were 3 small house dogs and 5 horses as well as cattle/calves and sheep and was over 200 acres in size. The owners were very fussy about who they left the animals with and have been happy to have us come back on many occasions (see our refs). To look after a property of this size is a huge commitment and takes a certain amount of fitness. While we have been happy to do this for these people we would prefer to look after something smaller in the city or town with less 'farm work'. We have had many pets over the years, both dogs and cats which have all been much loved and extremely well cared for. Our much adored cat "Sassy" passed away at the age of 21 a few years ago. We do not currently have any pets. We have both had professional working careers where the highest level of integrity and care have been paramount. We are extremely reliable, honest, caring people and would treat your home and pets as though they were our own - with the love and caring they deserve.
We are a retired couple who enjoy travelling and experiencing new areas. We ha…
We are a retired couple who enjoy travelling and experiencing new areas. We have done a little housesitting for friends who have a cat that we love to look after. Brian brings very practical skills as both a retired farmer and former Tasman District Councillor. I like to think I am practical and up-for-anything with retired schoolteacher experience. Both of us love animals and have owned many pets in the past. We both grew up with family pets as well as farm animals; each requiring different care. I have had dogs, cats and birds along with the backyard chooks in the past both as a child growing up and also as my own children were growing up. They have always been much loved family members. Brian grew up in a farming family with sheep, goats, cows and horses featuring strongly in his background. He was a founding member of the Blenheim Polo Club. He has also breed spaniels in the past. Both of us enjoy the outdoors especially hiking, kayaking and swimming. I love to take wildlife and landscape photos wherever our travels have taken us. We are responsible people who will care for and respect both your home and your pets as if they were our own. We have the flexibility that comes with being retired and the enthusiasm to ensure your pets are well loved and cared for.
We always had dogs and cats when I was growing up so I'm comfortable with having…
We always had dogs and cats when I was growing up so I'm comfortable with having them around and looking after their needs. I house-sat for some friends and their two beautiful dogs over the winter of 2018 and decided I wanted to continue doing it for others. I'm a self-employed entrepreneur and can work online from anywhere. I enjoy the variety of moving around and experiencing different places. Because I work from home I'm able to be there a lot of the time to keep an eye on things and keep your pets company. I'm tidy, self-sufficient and responsible with other people's property. My motto is 'leave things the way I found them'. I look forward to meeting your beloved pets :-)