For care professionals · Property care
How do I find clients for house sitting, home watch and property care?
Find property care clients by picking the owners who need you most, such as snowbirds, cottage owners, short-term rental hosts and people who travel often, then reaching them before their season starts. Build a clear profile, ask every happy client for referrals, answer requests quickly, and follow Canada’s anti-spam rules when you market by email or text.
In 60 seconds
- Property care follows the calendar, so contact snowbirds before autumn, cottage owners before closing and opening, and short-term rental hosts before their busy months.
- A profile that names your area, services, visit routine and reporting style answers most of an owner’s first questions before they contact you.
- Referrals from satisfied owners are often the strongest source of property care clients, because trust matters so much when someone hands over keys.
- Canada’s anti-spam legislation generally requires consent before you send commercial emails or texts, and each message must identify you and include an unsubscribe mechanism.
- A walk-through of the property before you agree to anything protects both you and the owner.
Who needs house sitting and home watch services?
The owners who need you most are the ones who leave a property empty for a stretch of time. That includes snowbirds away for the winter, cottage and cabin owners, short-term rental hosts who live elsewhere, people who travel for work, and families settling the home of a relative who has moved or died.
Pick one or two groups to focus on at first. A home watch provider who knows snowbird routines, or a turnover cleaner who understands hosts’ checkout and check-in windows, sounds more convincing than someone who does a little of everything.
When is the best time to look for property care clients?
Before the owner’s season starts, not during it. Snowbirds usually arrange home checks weeks before they leave in autumn, cottage owners book closing and opening help ahead of time, and short-term rental hosts line up cleaners before their busiest months. Once the season arrives, most owners have already made their arrangements.
- Late summer and early autumn: snowbirds and winter home checks
- Early autumn: cottage closing and winterizing help
- Late winter and spring: cottage opening and spring checks
- Spring: summer lawn care and short-term rental turnovers
- Autumn: snow clearing arrangements for the coming winter
What should a property care profile include?
Your profile should answer the questions an owner asks first: which area you cover, which services you provide, how often you visit, how you report after each visit and what you do in an emergency. Add any first aid certificate or criminal record check you hold, and describe how you handle keys and alarm codes.
Be specific. “I check every floor, the basement, the thermostat and under sinks, then text you photos” tells an owner far more than “reliable and trustworthy.” If you have a backup person, say so, since owners worry about missed visits during storms.
How do I get referrals for home watch and property care?
Ask for them directly at the end of a season that went well. Owners who trusted you with their keys often know neighbours, fellow snowbirds or cottage owners on the same lake with the same need. A short, polite request, plus a card or link they can pass on, is usually enough.
Local connections help too: cottage and lake associations, community boards, property managers who look after rentals, and real estate professionals who meet new owners. Ask what each group allows before you post anything, and never share one client’s details with another. The Privacy Commissioner explains that PIPEDA sets the rules for how businesses collect, use and disclose personal information, and that Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec have their own private-sector privacy laws.
Can I email or text potential property care clients?
Only within Canada’s anti-spam legislation. Section 6 of the Act generally prohibits sending a commercial electronic message unless the person has consented, expressly or impliedly, and the message identifies the sender, gives contact information and includes an unsubscribe mechanism. Buying contact lists or messaging strangers is risky.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada notes that CASL covers commercial messages that encourage participation in a commercial activity, including text messages. Keep a record of how each person agreed to hear from you. The rules have details and exceptions, so read the government guidance or ask a professional before a marketing campaign.
How should I handle a new property care request?
Reply quickly, then arrange a walk-through of the property before you agree to anything. On the visit, find the water shut-off, electrical panel, furnace and alarm panel, look at access in winter, and ask what the owner’s insurer expects. Then put services, schedule, reporting and rates in writing.
A walk-through also lets you say no. If a property is too far to reach quickly in a storm, needs work you are not qualified for, or the owner expects more than your visits can realistically cover, it is better to decline politely than to take on a risk you cannot manage.
Can Maple Care help me find property care clients?
It can be one source among several. Owners post property care requests free, showing only their city. You get email or text alerts for requests in your area, choose which to respond to and pay only when you want a client’s contact details, with the price shown first. Each request shows how many professionals may get those details.
Your profile at /apply/ is free and anonymous until a client pays to contact you or you pay to contact them. Maple Care does not set rates or handle payment; you agree directly with each client. In quiet rural areas, referrals may still bring in more clients than any website.
Free to join. Pay only for the offers you choose.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my first property care client?
Many professionals start with people who already know them, such as neighbours, friends who travel or relatives with a cottage. Do those first visits exactly as you would for a stranger, with a written agreement and reports, then ask for a reference you can share with future clients.
Should I specialize in one type of property care?
Specializing can help at the start, because owners look for someone who clearly knows their situation. Many professionals later add related services, such as home checks plus snow clearing, or cottage closing plus spring opening. Add only what you can deliver reliably in your busiest season.
Is it worth working with short-term rental hosts?
It can be, because turnovers repeat all season. Turnovers are also tightly timed between checkout and check-in, and the host’s income depends on them. Before you agree, ask how bookings reach you, what happens when a guest cancels and who supplies linens and cleaning products.
Can I put flyers in mailboxes or leave cards at cottages?
Paper flyers are not electronic messages, so CASL does not apply to them, but your municipality, building or cottage association may have its own rules about flyers and postings. Respect no-flyer signs and private property, and never leave anything that suggests a home is empty.
How do I stand out from other home watch providers?
Show exactly how you work. Describe your visit checklist, share a sample visit report with personal details removed, explain your key-handling routine and name your backup plan. Owners choosing someone for an empty home care most about reliability and clear communication.
What if I lose a property care client?
It happens: owners sell, stop travelling or ask a relative to help instead. Ask politely whether anything could have gone better, return every key with a signed record, and delete or return any personal information you no longer need. A clean ending often brings a referral later.
Sources and evidence
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