Rich people do not like to leave their houses empty. The solution is simple, have someone else live in their homes while they travel. Retirees are ideal.

Would you like to live for a month or so in a luxury home or apartment in South Beach, or France, or Scotland, or Alaska…free? Would you like to do it again and again? Or, would you prefer something semi-permanent with light duties and a stipend?

The vehicle that makes all this possible is The Caretaker Gazette, a unique newsletter listing thousands of housesitting and caretaking job opportunities in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and dozens of other countries. Owners Thea and Gary Dunn dropped out of the New York City fast track to do volunteer charity work in India and Namibia for several years. The need to educate their three children brought them back to the United States. When they moved back, they bought The Caretaker Gazette and made it into the premier publication of its kind.

Iowans Tom and Jean retired from intensive careers and became subscribers to The Caretaker Gazette. Now Tom and Jean have decided to make housesitting a “career” and they live in a luxurious hacienda near Alamos, Mexico, in the beautiful Sonoran mountains. Alamos, the “new” San Miguel de Allende, has a lively expat community. Tom participates in performing arts, writing, gardening, and workshop presentations. Jean has time for reading, swimming, art, nature, wellness, and walking in their mountain valley.

Captain Jack, a retired Navy man, saw much of the world the hard way…by participating in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War. Now Captain Jack is one of the loose fraternity of housesitters who looks for longer-term opportunities with light duties. Capt. Jack began caretaking at a hiker’s lodge on top of Old Smoky Mountain. Capt. Jack said, “I truly enjoyed that experience. After so many years at sea, I decided to settle down to a land-based caretaking lifestyle.” Now in his seventies, Captain follows housesitting/caretaking opportunities in beautiful places around the world.

Northwest Prime Time’s editor recently had the chance to talk with Gary Dunn, publisher of The Caretaker Gazette.

“After we returned to the U.S. from India, we landed New Jersey. That is where we purchased The Caretaker Gazette,” said Gary. From New Jersey, the Dunns took a caretaking assignment in Idaho, just to try it out. “So we practice what we preach!” he said. They then moved to Pullman while Gary’s wife Thea picked up a PhD in math education at Washington State University. The Dunns later took a caretaking assignment in Arizona, and eventually settled in Texas.

“The caretaking lifestyle is a wonderful way for retirees thinking about relocating to another part of the country to try out an area before moving there,” reports Gary. “Many of our subscribers live in colder climates, and may be considering retiring to Florida or Arizona. Taking a caretaking assignment first is a great way to see what an area is really like before committing to a more permanent move,” he said. “Caretaking appeals to retirees, but also to artists and people who telecommute and can work from just about anywhere,” he adds.

The Caretaker Gazette started its 26th year on January 1. It is the only publication of its kind in the world.

Dave and Sumana retired from life in the fast lane to caretake a 40-acre resort property outside Oaxaca, Mexico. After visiting Mexico and deciding to find a way to live there, Dave and Sumana answered an ad that read, “seeking responsible, intelligent, thoughtful, multi-talented, semi-bilingual couple to care for a villa that has been in the family for 30 years.” The property is owned by Americans, and Dave and Sumana enjoy the visitors who come to stay in the guest houses on the property. They also participate in the lively, vibrant Oaxaca American/European expat community. “Living here is like taking care of your own home. You see what needs to be done, and you do it,” reports Sumana. “As we slow down, there is a nice sense of being connected. We have no great plans or social schedules. Our door is always open. We always have time for a visit.

“We are lucky to have found this oasis of warmth in a world that doesn’t always recognize neighbors,” she adds. “We are living a life that fits us.”

For more information about The Caretaker Gazette, visit http://www.caretaker.org or call 830-755-2300.

Marcus Wilder is a convert to the caretaker lifestyle and he expects to write his next book from luxury digs in exotic places. Information about Marcus Wilder can be found at http://www.NaiveAbroad.com

This article appeared in the December 2007 issue of Northwest Prime Time, the Puget Sound region’s monthly publication celebrating life after 50