Free Furnished Townhome Near Princeton in Exchange for House Sitting

Description

House sitter sought in exchange for accommodation, late September through late December 2026. The sitter must be able to arrive between September 24 and 26 and depart between December 23 and 26. A furnished two bedroom, two and a half bath townhome in the private Princeton Landing community, minutes from the Forrestal campus of the University and the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, and convenient to downtown Princeton. The community adjoins the Delaware and Raritan Canal towpath that runs directly toward Princeton and is a pleasant, well-used route for walking or cycling. Living and dining areas with high ceilings and a fireplace, a fully equipped kitchen, off-street parking, an enclosed atrium, and a quiet patio surrounded by woods. You would be the sole occupant of the house and would have a good-sized guest room and bathroom as your own, along with the kitchen, living, and dining areas, atrium, and patio. The master suite is reserved (apart from looking in on Bella, our female Siberian cat who lives strictly indoors) and so is the basement, apart from the laundry, which is yours to use. What we ask in return: daily care for Bella; water the house plants; keep the house tidy; weed and clear leaves from the atrium as needed in the autumn; and cover utilities during your stay. Utilities average about $350 per month for gas, electricity, and water, and vary modestly with usage. The monthly charge of internet and limited cable are $166.72. There is a refundable security deposit of $1,000 due at move-in. There is no other yard work, and the community handles snow removal. Who we are looking for: someone affiliated with Princeton University or the Institute for Advanced Study, with staff, visiting scholars, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students preferred. Cat experience a must, nonsmokers only. References required, along with agreement to a background check and either an in-person visit or a Zoom interview. Please email me from your Princeton University or Institute for Advanced Study address, or from your current institutional address if your appointment has not yet started, with a short note about yourself, the dates you can arrive and depart, and a link to your department or directory page, if you have one.