Professional house sitters share incredible photos of what it's really like to travel the world looking after other people's homes, pets, and farms

Moore thought that house-sitting would be a cost-effective way to travel, and she liked that it allowed her the freedom to "pack up and head off" whenever, wherever.

House sitters like Moore do not get paid. Rather, they get to stay in homeowners' digs for free in exchange for taking care of owners' pets, plants, or simply watching over the house.

Many sitters who can work remotely from anywhere see this as an opportunity to travel and explore new places without signing a lease.

That being said, sitters who travel around the world can't rely on making money from staying in people's houses.

Like many other globe-trotting house sitters, Moore started a blog to write about her travels, and as the blog grew, she started generating income from brand deals and freelance opportunities that she uses to fund her on-the-go lifestyle.

The couple bonded over their love of travel.

They spent a weekend in New York together for their second date, and they've been traveling together ever since.

They told Insider they typically do around 20 house sits per year, traveling all over the world.

Some are destination-specific, like Aussie House Sitters.

Others, like TrustedHousesitters — which Moore, Nisbett, and Russell all use — list postings for jobs all over the world.

TrustedHousesitters doubles as a listing source and community, meaning that sitters who use the site often form lasting relationships with the people whose homes and pets they watch.

When she started the on-the-go job, Moore said that she was living out of a backpack and took the "hopping from one to the next" approach.

She'd spend a year in New Zealand, then six months in Australia, and then return to New Zealand for another six months.

She then spent two years in the Caribbean.

She once stepped in for her homeowner at an animal care clinic in Costa Rica.

The homeowner had a regular volunteer commitment at the clinic, and Charli said she would fill the empty spot herself.

Moore told Insider she thought she'd just be standing on the sidelines not really doing much, but she wound up helping the vet neuter a cat.

She also looked after a macadamia farm in Australia and served as a stand-in alpaca-herder in New Zealand.

Whether it's tending to a nut farm, pets, or even a house plant, there will likely be some living reason why your homeowner wanted to host a sitter.

Moore said you can still take advantage of all that your temporary home has to offer; you just need to make sure it's within the bounds of what your homeowner expects.

Nisbett compared pet-sitting to traveling with children, saying: "You can go on vacation with kids, but they have to come first and everything has to wrap around them."

Sitters told Insider that they like to have video calls with the prospective homeowners before committing to one another.

After chatting and asking all the questions, Moore says she can get a good idea of whether this sit will be a good match for her.

"If I'd be friends with this person, I'm probably going to be fine spending time in their home," Moore said.

They're able to gauge whether the sitter will get along with their four-legged friends based on the way they interact with them over the call.

When asked what they'd do if the sitter arrived on-site and the pets completely rejected them, one owner told Insider that they would definitely be concerned, but they would ultimately trust the sitter.

Some owners said that they would call a friend or neighbor to check in on the sitter.

But they all said if the person is an animal lover, it's pretty easy to tell, and it's a safe bet that they'll be fine with whatever pet they have to look after.

Some homeowners will be fine with you taking day trips or weekend overnights for a local adventure.

These are likely the people who don't have any animals for you to take care of, or it's an animal that will be OK on its own for a day or two.

Owners who have dogs that need to be let out of the house will most likely need you to be at home consistently.

Moore told Insider about a sit she did in Vancouver where there were no pets at all.

Because of that, she was able to take the homeowner's car for a road trip to visit the resort town of Banff.

You're able to see photos of the home on house-sitting sights, so you can try to apply for the popular destination spots exclusively.

But Moore said you may have more luck in smaller, out-of-the-box destinations.

She told Insider her applications tend to stand out more in less sought-after locations.

Because sitters aren't earning money while watching over homeowners' pets and houses, they don't need to apply for a work visa.

Of course, depending on how long your stay is and what the local laws are, you may have to obtain a tourist visa.

There's always a risk of an accident or of something happening to an owner's pet.

Nisbett and Russell also said that it can be difficult to be dependent on the schedules of the owners.

"Your schedule is determined by other people's needs, so you have to be very very flexible," Russell said.

On the other hand, Clare Williams, a homeowner who uses TrustedHousesitters, warned about cancellations.

She told Insider about a time when she had to cancel on a sitter and wound up compensating them for their flight booking.

Terry Berenson, another TrustedHousesitters homeowner, also advised that sitters can face emergencies of their own, which might require owners to find a backup sitter.

"We always stress that members do have a plan B in case of an emergency and that sitters have the means with which to support themselves should the need arise," Laws said in an email to Insider.

Laws, who has been working with TrustedHousesitters since 2008, has some advice of her own: "Find the right fit, not just a fit."

"It's a lifestyle choice, not a travel choice," Laws said of house-sitting.

All homeowners and house sitters we talked to had the same message.

"I think it could get lonely doing it on your own, even though you're with the animal," Nisbett said. "Just having someone there, and if you do bump into challenges or difficulties, it's really helpful to have another person next to you."

Russell also pointed out that it's easier to do the work required of the stays as a unit, as they have an extra set of hands. They think of each other as "backup."

"You really have to be comfortable with each other at all times," Russell said. "You really have to be honest."

The couple said that they make a point of telling one another when they need some time alone, whether it be to take a walk by themselves or to just watch TV alone.

Nisbett said the dogs come in handy when you need some time alone, as they need to be walked anyway.

Laws told Insider that she's seeing a rise in younger sitters, adding that the minimum age to register on TrustedHousesitters is 21 years old.

Additionally, Laws said that with age comes a perceived level of experience and that she as a homeowner is more likely to hire an older sitter because of the level of professionalism she expects from them.

Moore told Insider about a time she arrived for a sitting job and the house was a complete disaster. She said the couple who lived there had a party the night before and didn't clean anything.

She had to call the homeowner's mother, who hired a cleaning service.

Laws said her worst house-sitting experiences were when there was a disconnect regarding people's definition of "clean."

She said that's usually something that can be avoided in a pre-sit interview, but it's still an adjustment.

For example, homeowners can make sure their houses are clean, create a sense of welcome for their sitters, and leave a set of explicit instructions.

Moore, who's been a house sitter in places where English isn't the most-spoken language, said that homeowners can help out their sitters by teaching them a few basic phrases in the local tongue.

Moore says that if you find yourself in this situation, networking is key to success.

She started going to a yoga studio in Costa Rica, used that as a networking opportunity, and then got three new house-sitting gigs from there.

Whether it's a "welcome home" card, a fully stocked refrigerator, or something handmade — Moore said that she once made the homeowners a quilt — sitters told Insider that leaving a token of thanks at the house is a nice gesture.

They said sometimes a homeowner will take them out to dinner when they get back as a thank you, but that's not always the case.

Laws said sometimes homeowners just want to leave things on a professional level, which is perfectly fine as well.

They told Insider that because of the flexible job, they make meaningful relationships pretty much everywhere they go.

"We've made some really good friends in different parts of the world and we keep in regular touch with them," Nisbett said.

The couple returns to locations they've traveled to in the past just to see their new friends.

The experts also suggest that sitters provide a background check for prospective homeowners — it gives them peace of mind when hiring.

Taking care of a home and pets requires a lot of work, so it's important to ensure you're compatible travelers before you add anything else into the mix.

"You really want to make sure that you're good travelers together," Russell said.

It's a job, a responsibility, and a way to live like a local all around the world.

"You have to recognize that the animals come first," Nisbett said.

You can learn more about TrustedHousesitters here.

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