Your homeowner's insurance may require you to have someone check regularly on the place--in other words, daily or weekly.

In that case, you don't want to be relying on someone who's doing you a favor. You want someone bonded, who is earning money by doing it. And whom you can sue if they can't prove they were there.

(I also can't imagine the neighbor who'd cheerfully cut your grass twice a week for an entire season--I know I wouldn't, not even for my siblings!)

I know someone elsewhere on one of these forums (Kitchen Table? a post about the neighbor boy taking care of the cat?) said they had a system where the house-checker had a notebook they had to fill out, and sign and date, to prove that they'd toured the house.

You're going to want someone to check the pipes (though you could have the water to the house shut off), the electrical, every window, the eaves & gutters, look for water damage because of a failing roof, etc.

I will also say that my in-laws have a "country place" that's quite isolated, and everyone around knows it sits empty most of the time. A neighborhood kid used it as a crash pad, being very careful not to have a light that could be seen from the outside. Can you imagine if he'd used a candle, and burned the place down?

I like the idea of a property management company. Normally, they manage rental properties for absentee owners, but they could certainly manage an empty property for one.

And I'm w/ Gloria--I'd consider finding someone to house-sit, or even rent it from you semi-furnished. Might be harder to find someone, but it could be better than leaving it completely empty.

Here is a link that might be useful: the thread on the Kitchen Table

Gloria: Jeez - that's one comprehensive list you've put together. I can't thank you enough. You're right - this is way beyond "a favor" and I meant to also ask for ideas regarding compensation. We're not very tight with the neighbors - just basic friendliness - so this would definitely be a paid job.

As far as the gut-wrenching thought of the neighborhood teens finding out about it - that IS my number 1 concern. Our neighbors have a 15-yr-old son. BINGO!

The car concerns come from our having a sports car in winter storage. Actually, it wasn't on blocks. We were told to lower the tire pressure and disconnect the battery. Go figure.

You've brought up so many excellent points that I am now a bundle of nerves & will have to rethink the whole thing. (sad but true) Thank you for your time & interest.

Talley Sue: Thank you, too, for your contributions & advice. I've printed out both entries, which will come in handy when I share my concerns with my husband!

Pomona:

Can I chime in as someone who has done a lot of house-sitting? I saved a lot of money during grad school by house-sitting for professors--they got to go and teach in Europe for a year; I got to stay in their houses rent-free and walk the dogs.

It would be a shame for you to give up this opportunity to travel because of your house. People can and do leave their houses for a year or more. Please consider researching more ways to accomplish this.

But I also want to give you my perspective as a house sitter. I only house-sat for professors who knew me at first and who knew that I was a reliable person. Then my "reputation" spread and I started getting more offers than I could accept.

I let the homeowners decide what they wanted to put in storage and what they would let me use. Some packed away all the good china and stuff, which was a relief to me--if anything happened to it, it was not going to be my fault. Some did not want to go to the effort of packing away their everyday dishes, pots & pans, etc., and wanted me to use them. I would warn them that I could not guarantee that I wouldn't break a glass or a plate--accidents do happen. But they were fine with that.

One family had just redone their kitchen and added a gorgeous family room on to it. They cleared out all their spanking new furniture from the family room and asked me to put just a chair or two of my own in there for me to use. Again, not a problem--I wouldn't have to worry about spills or other accidental damage.

Some families packed personal stuff away in one or two bedrooms and locked the doors. Some just told me not to touch certain things--a collection of art pottery, some expensive books. I simply didn't go near anything that I was told was off limits.

One family had an oriental rug in the living room that they were very careful of--the dog had been trained to stay off it. I just never went into the living room except to vacuum and dust occasionally--I just didn't want to take a chance on damaging the rug. And there were both a perfectly good family room and an office I could use.

I kept the house and yards in good shape, mowing, weeding, shoveling snow. The house looked lived in--car in the driveway every night, lights on at appropriate times--so that no one would get the idea that the house was empty and open for burglery. I cleaned up after hurricanes came through. I forwarded mail, returned forgotten library books, sent a lonely little girl pictures of her dog frolicking in the woods so that she would be sure he was OK.

In one house, where the husband had not wanted anyone in the house (he wanted to put their very active dog in a kennel for 9 months), the wife overruled him and I moved in, with a lot of restrictions as to what I could and could not do. The second day I was there, a pipe sprang a leak--in the ceiling of the closet where they had stored all the clothes they weren't taking, including a couple of fur coats. Even though I had been told that closet was off limits, when I heard a dripping sound, I did eventually open it because I had to find the source of the sound. If I had not been there, the leak would have lasted for 9 months and all their clothes would have been ruined by mold and mildew, as well as the carpet, ceiling and walls. That was the only problem that occured while I was there (and in fact the only real problem I ever encountered) but I feel that I earned my keep on that one.

You can set rules about visitors and guests. Some people showed me the guest room and where the extra linens were; some people didn't want anyone else in the house ever.

I completely understand your reluctance to have someone else live in your home. But you can put things in storage to prevent damage or someone looking at your private life. You can carefully screen the people who look after your home--whether they come once a week or live there. There are people like me out there who will respect your privacy and take good care of your house.

I guess I just don't want you thinking that the house is such a burden that you can't take this chance to live abroad. I got the opportunity to do that for a year while I was in grad school. I spent a year in London and had a wonderful time. So I hope you will have the same chance.

I'm with camlan on this one. You should put anything really valuable in storage anyway--you don't want someone walking off w/ grandma's diamond ring while the house is empty. So, why not sublet the house to someone so it will be looked after? Have an atty draw up a contract--spelling out who's responsible if something bad happens--make sure your insurance is updated, and then go for it. It'd be too bad if years from now you regret what you didn't do because you were burdened w/ a house.

Absolutely, have someone live in the house. You can be selective. Give it a try, and if you don't find someone you like, then go to having someone check the house very regularly.

Most housesitting services do thorough background and criminal checks. Some housesitters are bonded.