The HouseHolders
A Few of Our Most Frequently asked questions
Do The Householders work aside from pet sitting? How much time will you spend with my pet?
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Both Jon and Kat freelance on a part time basis. Vague, I know! But it is ever evolving. Currently, Kat assists other bay area artists and filmmakers with design, production and studio work, as well as assisting airbnb hosts throughout San Francisco. Jon assists artists, startups, small business owners, filmmakers, Airbnb hosts, and a variety of other Bay area individuals.
We make our own schedules which offers us a great deal of flexibility and allows us to cater to the needs of each particular animal. When we meet pets that prefer constant companionship, we coordinate our schedules so that one of us is at home for a significant chunk of the day. We are both homebodies and enjoy spending time with our furry friends so this is very common.
How far in advance can we book a house/pet sit?
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We absolutely love and encourage advanced bookings. We are happy to book longer sits (of 14 days and upwards to several months) as early as a year in advance. To avoid moving every several days we do place high priority on longer stays. Generally, we don't like to commit to shorter stays more than two weeks in advance. However, if we notice we have a short gap in our schedule or other special circumstances we will consider it. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you know generally when you are going on a trip but do not have the exact dates yet. We are getting more and more advanced bookings and inquiries.
Why do you charge for shorter sits?
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Shorter stays create a lot of extra work for us which prevents us from generating income from our other sources. And we like to encourage inquiries regarding longer sits.
Why don't we charge for longer stays?
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Jon and I are travelers at heart who have fallen in love with the San Francisco Bay Area and its surroundings. We enjoy the experience of living in different places and getting to know and hang out with different pets. As creative people, we enjoy the extra time this lifestyle affords us and we feel inspired by living in different surroundings. This life fits us well and we consider ourselves lucky.
I don't have a pet, why would I hire a house sitter?
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We are both observant and will notice a problem before it gets out of hand. As a previous homeowner, I know the various issues that can come up in home maintenance and the value of having these issues addressed immediately. You can think of us as a preventative measure against everything from burglary to plumbing or electrical difficulties. We do NOT charge for housesits without pets (short or long).
How can I check your references?
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We can provide you with email addresses and phone numbers for our references upon request. You can also check us out on yelp.
If I'm interested in your services, what is the next step?
Please email us at thehouseholders@hotmail.com (or through our contact form) with your specific dates, general location and needs (what kind of animal, how many, etc.) . We will respond to you and set up a time to meet in person to see if we’re a good fit.
What is your cancellation policy?
Please see the bottome of Our Rates page for our cancellation policy. Thank you!