We need a clean responsible non-smoker to look after our home and care for our two spoiled girl cats while we are away. (a couple is preferred for stays longer than a week or two as we have a fairly large house and yard to be maintained).
We have a large, recently custom-built home in an exclusive, quiet neighbourhood along the river between Cambridge and Kitchener (Ontario). The house is fully equipped but a car is recommended to get to services (there is parking space in the garage). There is a local busstop a 20 minute walk from our house that goes into downtown Cambridge or the other way to Kitchener-Waterloo.
The map on this site does not show an accurate location of our home. We are located close to Hwy 8 and the 401 in the Freeport area of Cambridge, just across the bridge from Kitchener. We are just north of the 401 half way between downtown Kitchener and downtown Cambridge (which is in the old city of Galt). We are less than a 10 minute drive to any one of: 1. Fairview Mall in Kitchener and all the shopping, medical, restaurants, and theatre on Fairway Road and Weber Street, 2. the Sportsworld commercial area of Kitchener with restaurants, theatre, skating rink, pharmacy and shopping, or, 3. downtown Preston, a quaint town which is now part of Cambridge. We are a 20 minute drive to downtown Kitchener, downtown Waterloo, downtown Cambridge(Galt), or the Hespeler part of Cambridge, or, 30 minutes to Guelph. It is between 45 and 60 minutes to Toronto Pearson airport depending on traffic but only 5 minutes to Waterloo Region airport.
Our neighbourhood is rather exclusive, abutting the countryside, with large lots, mature trees and wildlife. Space will be provided in the garage if the sitter brings a car. No car will be provided and one is highly recommended. The closest bus stop is a 20 minute walk from our house. The Grand River bus route goes to downtown Cambridge in one direction and KW in the other, with easy connections to everything Waterloo Region has to offer.
Access to the river for fishing and the Walter Bean Trail for walking or biking are just at the bridge between Kitchener and Cambridge, a 20 minute walk from our house. There are 3 public golf courses within a 7 minute drive, another 3 public courses within a 12 minute drive and another half dozen within 30 minutes. We are a 5 minute drive / 40 minute walk from Chicopee Ski Hill / Tube Park.
The house is large and custom-built with high-end finishes. It has high speed internet, home theatre, gym, rec room, main floor laundry, office, big screen televisions, and a large, fully equipped kitchen with double ovens, large fridge and two microwaves. The back yard oasis includes a large screened-in porch to enjoy summer evenings without mosquitos. There is a natural gas BBQ on the covered side deck just outside the kitchen door. The guest room is large with a King bed and a wall of closets. Although the guest room with adjoining bath is in the basement, the bedroom has large windows. The entire basement has in-floor heating under the comfortable cork flooring.
Please note that the reviews provided by sitters previous to June 2018 were about our former home in Trenton, Ontario. We moved to Cambridge in June 2018 and there is NOT a Walmart within a 5 minute walk of our new home in Cambridge, Ontario as there was in Trenton. The closest store is a 30 minute walk from our new house in Cambridge.
You would be asked to maintain the property, keeping the driveway clear of snow using the riding snowblower provided in winter, or, cutting the grass with the riding lawnmower or push mower in summer. We need you to check the mail, water the flowers (4 indoor orchids and several outdoor planters in summer) and, most importantly, look after our two indoor girl cats.
The cats are pretty low maintenance with no special ongoing medical or feeding requirements. One of them is territorial so we cannot accept sitters who bring pets of their own. The house has several 'smart' features so the sitter should be reasonably comfortable with simple technology. Of course we expect you to keep the house clean and neat as you would your own and to leave it as you found it. References and police check required. Non-smokers only thank you.