Cool Craftsman House with Hot Tub in Vibrant Oakland Neighborhood

About this assignment

We are looking for someone mature, responsible, and experienced who loves cats, and who can watch our home and care for our two five-year old sibling cats. Our kid-friendly three-story home is in a very walkable and vibrant neighborhood of Oakland near Lake Merritt.

What responsibilities are required of the house sitter

The cats are indoor cats only, and will need to be fed twice a day, and their litter changed once a day. We'll also need someone to bring in the mail, water plants and take the garbage cans to the street once a week. The hot tub is fairly self-maintaining but may need some chlorine added periodically.

What are the good features of the property and location

Our three level craftsman is family-friendly with a deluxe hot tub where you can soak and enjoy views of pines and flowering trees. We are in a walkable and vibrant part of Oakland near Lake Merritt.

Our home is a historic craftsman built in 1911 and features many of the original historic features and details of the period. It includes 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, a large backyard with deluxe hot tub, and a lovely extra-large covered front porch leading to the front door. The first floor includes an entryway with original stained glass window, living room with piano, full dining room, full kitchen with new stainless steel appliances, eating nook, and laundry room and adjacent half-bath. The second floor includes the main bathroom (recently remodeled), a bedroom with a single bed, one with a queen, and a King master bedroom with an outside porch overlooking the backyard. The open-plan third floor serves as an office space/TV room/playroom. Two decks on the back of the house lead down to the backyard, which features comfortable outdoor furniture for lounging. Our home also includes a driveway for parking, which can be rare in the San Francisco Bay Area!

We are in a vibrant, safe, and very walkable neighborhood 2 blocks from the historic and beautiful Morcom Rose garden. We are a walking neighborhood, a short walk to Grand Ave, Lakeshore, and Lake Merritt, which hosts one of the Bay Area's top 10 farmer's markets on Saturdays. We are walking distance to many locally owned shops, bars, restaurants, and markets. There are five grocery stores, a public library, and many gyms and yoga studios in walking distance. The historic Grand Lake movie theater anchors our neighborhood.

However, for being in an urban neighborhood, our block does not have an urban feel. Our home is three stories tall, and is situated on top of a hill, offering us expansive views of Oakland and the lush pines and large yards in our special Rose Garden neighborhood. We have many parks within walking distance and are a few block walk to the express bus to San Francisco or bus lines to Berkeley. We are near both the 19th and MacArthur BART stations, a few train stops from Berkeley or San Francisco. We are a short 20 min drive to San Francisco or 10-15 minutes to Berkeley, and very close to major freeways, including 580, 80 and 13.

What does the house sitter need to consider before applying for this assignment

We definitely want someone who can pay attention to and love our cats to take this assignment. They are young and playful and enjoy being petted and played with. One of them is more skittish and may take some coaxing, but they are both loveable and enjoy being petted and snuggled with.

Our home is a place where children and a busy family live, and not an Air B and B or hotel, so we want to be clear that it would be ideal for families or couples but not necessarily for someone looking for a more impersonal, hotel-like environment. We have some eclectic furnishings and art throughout - and our plates and glasses and linens don't necessarily all match!

Can I bring my own pets?

No, sorry.

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