# House Sitting



## Derek H (Dec 7, 2008)

Or just thinking out loud.

We are a couple of pensionable age, or in my case, should have been put down years ago.
When I finally retire, we intend not to spend the winters in England. 
So we are looking at alternatives. 

Southern Europe? The winters can be cold and damp, even in Spain.

We have a niece living in San Diego. " Come and stay with us". I know the offer is genuine, but every year, 5 months a year ? Even I couldn't put up with me for that long.

So, my question. House sitting ?

1. Is it viable ?
2. Would we be acting legally, even if we received no payment.

Derek


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Viable - some people do it for a living 
No payment - your are being compensated by housing

Would you use someone without references you cannot easily pull a background check to house sit?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Derek H said:


> Or just thinking out loud.
> 
> We are a couple of pensionable age, or in my case, should have been put down years ago.
> When I finally retire, we intend not to spend the winters in England.
> ...


there are lots of websites & agencies for this

here's one very well known one House Sitting & House Sitter Jobs | Dog, Cat & Pet Minding | TrustedHousesitters.com


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

I had a friend in Belgium who made extensive use of home exchange programs - where you literally swap houses with someone (so you have a bit of "collateral" as a part of the deal). The one thing I would look into would be the visa implications if you're planning on staying longer than 90 days at a clip in the US.
Cheers,
Bev


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

It's not sure you will get a visa for this. So you will be limited to maximum 90 days.


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## Derek H (Dec 7, 2008)

Thanks everyone. Food for thought. Yes, 90 days max.

Note to self. Try to love animals.

Derek


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Derek H said:


> Thanks everyone. Food for thought. Yes, 90 days max.
> 
> Note to self. Try to love animals.
> 
> Derek


Unless you apply for a B2 visa which gives up to 180 days. As a retiree you are very likely to be granted one of these. Lots of retirees obtain one so they reside in Florida for months at a time. Snowbirds come to mind.

Don't forget you would need good travel insurance with medical cover for any period spent in the US, since you will not be eligible for US medical insurance.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Crawford said:


> Don't forget you would need good travel insurance with medical cover for any period spent in the US, since you will not be eligible for US medical insurance.


Well, that issue is now "more interesting." I'll have to check for the latest wisdom/regulatory insight on this point, but it's _possible_ that on a B2 visa staying 179 days (for example) you'd be _required_ to obtain PPACA-compliant medical insurance, and that you'd be eligible to enroll in U.S. medical insurance via the Obamacare health insurance exchanges. Or, in the alternative, that you'd at least be eligible to enroll in an Obamacare health insurance exchange policy while staying in the U.S. for a relatively long duration on a B2.

Anyway, you might think not, but one of the interesting benefits of Obamacare is that it's very helpful to residents (or "residents") of the United States. Citizenship doesn't actually matter for these purposes. The new law makes it much more viable, for example, to sponsor and bring an elderly family member to the United States who can then obtain medical insurance and even often receive federal assistance to buy that insurance. Before 2014 it typically wasn't even possible for non-Medicare eligible elderly immigrants to obtain private medical insurance. Medical insurers simply didn't want to touch them, and they weren't required to. It was a huge gap.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

There is an interesting discussion about the ACA in connection with foreigners in the US on non-immigrant visas here: The Affordable Care Act And Nonimmigrant Students and Scholars | NAFSA

It seems to come down to a person's tax status - and I suppose that an insurer could reject someone applying for insurance under the ACA if they did not fall within the category of those who are mandated to have medical insurance, due to their immigration status.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

I have met several Canadian "snowbirds" none of whom have taken out medical insurance in the US, relying on either travel insurance for small medical issues or travelling back to Canada for any major issues.

It would be interesting to know whether, if now eligible for some sort of medical insurance in the US under the ACA, applicants would be prepared to pay annual premiums for service for which they are only going to use for less than 6 months a year.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Crawford said:


> It would be interesting to know whether, if now eligible for some sort of medical insurance in the US under the ACA, applicants would be prepared to pay annual premiums for service for which they are only going to use for less than 6 months a year.


Maybe. I wouldn't presume I know the answer for somebody else.

I pay for many things I never "use" -- home insurance, vehicle insurance, and disability insurance, to pick three examples -- and I hope _never_ to use!


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Crawford said:


> I have met several Canadian "snowbirds" none of whom have taken out medical insurance in the US, relying on either travel insurance for small medical issues or travelling back to Canada for any major issues.
> 
> It would be interesting to know whether, if now eligible for some sort of medical insurance in the US under the ACA, applicants would be prepared to pay annual premiums for service for which they are only going to use for less than 6 months a year.


B2 is for tourist purposes. A holder is not a resident alien.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

So what? Obamacare has its own rules which may or may not be the same as immigration-related rules and laws. Indeed it's widely accepted there is some divergence, though I encourage people to read the latest non-political guidance on these questions.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

BBCWatcher said:


> So what? Obamacare has its own rules which may or may not be the same as immigration-related rules and laws. Indeed it's widely accepted there is some divergence, though I encourage people to read the latest non-political guidance on these questions.


Be so kind and give an official link showing B2 tourists being eligible for Obamacare.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Awaiting revision to this forum's posting rules and policies before I'm able to post links to anything.


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