A large estate property has many benefits. In addition to privacy, you’ll have enough space for all the luxury features that your family desires, like a swimming pool, idyllic grounds, a guest house and more. Maintaining a property of this scale, however, can often be a full-time job. Rather than hiring a contractor for every little task, many owners prefer to employ a caretaker to handle the upkeep. If this sounds like something you could benefit from, here are a few tips to help you find the right person.
Trust Is Paramount
It goes without saying, but if you’re going to give someone the keys to the kingdom, they better have the utmost integrity. Not only will this person have total access to your home, but you should also be comfortable having them around your family. Just as a driver becomes familiar with certain personal details in your life, so too will a caretaker, which is why trust is the number one priority.
Look for Experience
Like any job, past experience in this line of work is always a good sign. If another homeowner employed this person as their property’s caretaker for many years, a solid recommendation would suggest that they are both capable and trustworthy. Some caretakers spend decades happily working for one family and only become available for new work because the property has sold.
Understands Your Needs
Similar to what you’d expect from a savvy assistant, the caretaker should know exactly how you want things done before you even tell them. You want someone who is going to anticipate your needs and take initiative to ensure the property is always looking its best and everything runs smoothly.
Jack of All Trades
Being a caretaker often requires wearing many different hats. In a given week, they might have to stain the deck and fix a leaky sink, in addition to landscaping and other regular duties. The ideal person for the job will have a wide variety of skills and be particularly handy at fixing things around the house.
