The wonderful thing about owning a vacation home at the beach, by the lake, or near a ski resort is the warm spot it occupies in your mind even when you are many miles away. The difficult thing about owning a vacation home is the load of worries that will afflict you because you are not there to attend to them. Vacation property is often very expensive, and homes are often in isolated locations or in areas where there are few if any year-round residents. Homes are subject to break-ins, vandalism, storm damage, and power outages (which could cut off heating in the winter). The job of the caretaker is to be the owner’s representative and watchdog.
The job of vacation home caretaker does not include overseeing the rental of vacation property, which is a much more complex operation usually undertaken by management companies that handle advertising, booking, billing, maintenance, cleaning, post rental, inspections, and other functions. The job includes making regular visits to the home to check for unexpected incidents, including storm damage and problems with heating systems. The owner may ask you to supervise scheduled maintenance of the house, including servicing of the furnace, air conditioner, electrical, and plumbing systems.
You may also be asked to act as the owner’s representative in overseeing painting, remodeling, or expansion of the home, reporting on progress and problems. (Some caretakers send digital photographs over the Internet to their clients.) You’ll be responsible for lawn mowing and snow removal, either as tasks you perform yourself or hire others to do. Finally, a caretaker may be asked to prepare the house before the season begins, which may include a thorough cleaning.