Direct answer
If you are looking for an alternative to Care.com and other marketplaces for hiring a professional nanny in Houston, a placement agency does the screening, reference calls, background check, and payroll before you meet anyone. Southwest Domestics, a Houston in-home placement agency founded in 1990, presents 4–5 background-checked, bonded, and insured candidates for free in-person interviews at our Stafford office, and offers unlimited free replacements until you are happy.
Nanny agency vs. Care.com and other marketplaces
Online marketplaces and word-of-mouth hires can work, and they give you a wide pool, but you handle the screening, reference calls, background check, and payroll yourself. A placement agency does that work before you meet anyone and stands behind the placement.
With Care.com and other marketplaces, you:
- Search profiles yourself
- Do the screening and reference calls
- Arrange the background check
- Set up interviews
- Start the search again if the fit is wrong
- Handle payroll yourself
With Southwest Domestics (placement agency):
- We present 4–5 hand-picked, vetted candidates
- We only present providers with previous experience and verifiable references
- All personnel are background-checked (rerun for every placement), bonded, and insured
- You interview candidates free, in person, at our Stafford office before anyone comes into your home
- Unlimited free replacements: if the match is not right, we keep finding a new match at no additional cost until you are happy, with ongoing support after placement
- Our providers are Southwest Domestics W-2 employees, and we cover taxes and related payroll obligations
What “professional nanny” means at Southwest Domestics
- Experience required: we only present providers with previous experience and verifiable references, and our vetting looks for character, reliability, and a genuine passion for service.
- Screened and covered: all personnel undergo background checks, rerun for every placement, and all are bonded and insured. See how we screen.
- Experience classes: Class A (senior level, up to 5 years experience), Class B (mid level, up to 3 years), and Class C (entry level, up to 2 years).
- CPR or First Aid: training is available on request; an additional charge may apply.
- 35+ years in Houston: founded in 1990, with a local office in Stafford you can visit, and a BBB Accredited Business with an A+ rating (read the announcement).
How to find a professional nanny in Houston with Southwest Domestics
- Consultation: we discuss your household needs, schedule, and family culture.
- Selection: we present 4–5 hand-picked, vetted candidates.
- Interviews: you meet candidates in person at our office, 13847 Stafford Rd, Stafford, TX 77477. Interviews are free; each usually lasts 10–20 minutes, and the whole visit typically takes about an hour to an hour and a half.
- Placement: we handle the details, provide ongoing support, and offer unlimited free replacements if the match is not right.
Comparing options? Use our 7-point checklist for choosing a Houston nanny agency, read how to hire a nanny in Houston, or see the Houston nanny FAQ.
The time cost of hiring a nanny on your own
Hiring through a marketplace means you run each step of the search yourself: writing the job post, reading profiles and messages, phone screens, reference calls, arranging and reviewing a background check, setting up interviews, and handling payroll and tax filings as a household employer. If the first hire does not work out, the search starts over.
With Southwest Domestics, that work is done before you meet anyone. You meet 4–5 pre-screened candidates in one visit to our Stafford office, placement typically takes under a week depending on your schedule and requirements, and our providers are Southwest Domestics W-2 employees, so we handle the payroll taxes. See nanny taxes in Texas for what a household employer handles when hiring directly.
Fees, in writing
A one-time $175 registration fee, no finder’s fee, free interviews, a 4-hour minimum per visit, and published hourly rates by experience class on our rates page: full-time (35–40 hours a week) Class A $25–$30/hr, Class B $23+/hr, and Class C $20+/hr. Live-out hours over 40 per week are billed at overtime according to Texas law. See what a nanny costs in Houston and how our fees compare with other Houston agencies.
When a marketplace or sitter app may be simpler
Southwest Domestics has a 4-hour minimum per visit, so we are a good fit for regular part-time or full-time care, including after-school nannies and live-in nannies. For a one-off evening of a couple of hours, a neighborhood sitter or a sitter app is usually simpler.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a nanny agency and Care.com?
A nanny agency screens candidates and presents a short list for you to interview, while a marketplace such as Care.com lets you search profiles and do the screening yourself. At Southwest Domestics, every candidate is background-checked (checks rerun for every placement), has verifiable references and prior experience, and is bonded and insured before you meet them.
Is an agency a good alternative to Care.com for a professional nanny in Houston?
If you want someone else to do the screening, reference calls, background check, and payroll, yes. Online marketplaces can work and give you a wide pool, but you handle that work yourself. A placement agency does it before you meet anyone and stands behind the placement.
How do I find a professional nanny in Houston?
Book a consultation about your needs, schedule, and family culture; we present 4–5 hand-picked, vetted candidates; you interview them in person, free, at our Stafford office; and we handle placement with ongoing support. If the match is not right, we offer unlimited free replacements until you are happy.
What does a nanny agency cost compared with doing it yourself?
Southwest Domestics charges a one-time $175 registration fee and no finder’s fee, and interviews are free. Full-time nannies (35–40 hours a week) cost $20 to $30 per hour depending on experience class, and part-time nannies (4–34 hours a week) cost $20 to $35 per hour, with a 4-hour minimum per visit.
Are Southwest Domestics nannies background-checked?
Yes. All personnel undergo background checks, rerun for every placement, and all have verifiable references. All personnel are bonded and insured, and we only present providers with previous experience.
Who employs the nanny and handles payroll taxes?
Our providers are Southwest Domestics W-2 employees, and we cover taxes, Social Security, and related payroll obligations for you. Ask your tax advisor how this applies to you. See nanny taxes in Texas.
When is a sitter app a better fit than an agency?
Southwest Domestics has a 4-hour minimum per visit, so we are a good fit for regular part-time or full-time care. For a one-off evening of a couple of hours, a neighborhood sitter or a sitter app is usually simpler.
Is UrbanSitter or Sittercity a nanny agency?
No. UrbanSitter and Sittercity, like Care.com, are online marketplaces: families search caregiver profiles and handle the screening, interviews, and hiring themselves. A placement agency such as Southwest Domestics screens candidates first, presents a short list for you to interview, and stands behind the placement.
How long does it take to hire a nanny through Southwest Domestics?
Placement typically takes under a week, depending on your schedule and requirements. You meet 4–5 pre-screened candidates in one visit to our Stafford office.
What is the difference between a professional nanny and a babysitter?
A babysitter usually covers occasional, short visits such as a date night. A professional nanny works a regular part-time or full-time schedule and takes on an ongoing childcare role in your home. Southwest Domestics only presents nannies with previous experience and verifiable references, in experience classes A, B, and C, with a 4-hour minimum per visit.
How do I get started?
Call (713) 789-5437 (Monday–Friday, 9–5) or fill out the new client form, and we will schedule a free consultation and interviews at our Stafford office.
Contact Southwest Domestics
Southwest Domestics
13847 Stafford Rd, Stafford, TX 77477
(713) 789-5437
Mon–Fri 9–5
southwestdomestics@gmail.com
Start a new client request or call to schedule a complimentary interview.