I just posted a listing for a sitter in the NYC area. I know I left it inexcusably late. I do have an excuse, but that’s neither here nor there.
I wanted everyone’s advice here on how to give my listing the best chance of getting a response. I was thinking of cross-posting on the “last minute sits” but I don’t want to repeat any mistakes from the main listing over there.
I was a little unsure whether to describe my neighborhood as “not very welcoming,” but previous sitters have complained about the unfriendliness of the neighbors. They’re not hostile but they are standoffish. I do usually like to be honest, as you might see.
Another point that may be relevant for potential sitters in the area but that, again, I’m unsure how to integrate into the listing. My house and kitchen are fully kosher and the area is close to both kosher groceries and synagogues.
Finally, as I mentioned, I’m desperate at this point. If anyone has any ideas for a plan B, please share them.
Edited to remove personal information and sit details as per the Community Rules.
It is all in the wording. You could frame it in a way that emphasizes the value of privacy and personal space. For example:
“Our neighborhood values the importance of personal space and respect that everyone enjoys their own privacy and may prefer to keep to themselves.” I know loads of people who would consider that a big +…
I’m not too sure how it will align - would a kosher kitchen align also with a vegan lifestyle ? Then one could say that. I’ve seen that some vegans do not want the kitchen used for other foods.
If this is for the holidays I do think it is important that you consider a plan B. Even with a sitter you need that for an emergency. Look into paid sitters, maybe some in your circle could want to sit. For instance if they have guests over the holidays it could be great to sit and vacate their own home to home-coming relatives, for instance.
Did you want to mention your kitchen is kosher for a plus for others that keep kosher knowing you have two sets of dishes, etc. or do you want to mention it because you do not want non kosher foods in the house? If it is OK that sitters bring non kosher foods into your house while you are away I don’t see the point of mentioning it. My maternal grandparents kept kosher but some sitters may be confused why you are mentioning this. If you only want kosher foods brought in you are narrowing the pool of sitters interested in that area. I am serious when I say to ask your rabbi to announce your needs. You may find a college kid looking to make a few bucks and get away from his house for a few days. I miss my rabbi in my hometown and he would make these types of announcements. Good Luck!
Thanks to everyone for all the replies. @Garfield , I’ll definitely look into your suggestions. I’ve added the link to the listing in my profile.
Regarding the kosher kitchen, I wanted to clarify - The sitter can bring what they want into the house and use the kitchen as they please. I only maintain it as a plus for people in the area, given that it’s around an orthodox Jewish community, and it can later be re-koshered if necessary. I do realize that mentioning it could be misinterpreted, which is why it’s not in the listing, but I was wondering if it can help attract a sitter.
I would think you’ll have best pool of sitters if you do mention that it is kosher and that you are open to it being used non-kosher? For me, it would culturally be interesting to stay like a local in a Jewish community as I wouldn’t otherwise get that possibility to learn, and I know people in my country that are Jewish of heritage (although not practising religion) that would surely find that a great asset. I know there are considerations to be done regarding this, but just to broaden perspective.
I put the kosher aspect in Chat GPT and it came up with this. Obviously you can tweak it to emphasize that everyone can use the kitchen as they please or run a further search with your offering in mind:
House Sitting Opportunity with Kosher Kitchen – Perfect for Responsible Sitters!
Looking for a reliable and respectful house sitter to care for my home while I’m away. The house features a fully kosher kitchen, ideal for those who maintain a kosher lifestyle.
What you should know:
The kitchen is equipped to handle all your kosher needs.
Non-kosher food can be brought in, and I’m happy to arrange for it to be koshered afterward if necessary.
Keep the kitchen clean and maintain the kosher standards while enjoying your stay.
The home is cozy and located in a peaceful neighborhood.
If you are responsible, tidy, and comfortable maintaining kosher practices, this could be the perfect house-sitting experience for you!
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further details.
I’ve looked trough your listing. A bunny sit is absolutely fab. ! The front photo was a nice one of the home, in my opinion. Reads american suburb to me.
I would definitely tidy the kitchen and retake the photo. For me personally it isn’t a problem that the home is lived in as a family home, but it seemed that it was taken in rush and not thinking of how it would look to a sitter. That is a challenge that the sitter-consideration seems absent. The photos should be how the home is left to the sitter, and you would probably tidy up a little more before a handover. The rest is ok-ish to me, but could be considered. I would expect bottles in a family bathroom photo for instance.
It is a problem that it states “not welcoming”. When we don’t know what that means, we will expect the worst. While the truth seems to be that people value privacy (not that the next door neighbor is… “unstable”, high crime rate or other that the imagination could spur reading that).
What living arrangments can the sitter use? Particularly what kind of bed is a big issue among many grown up sitters… I’ve had hosts that even gave a choice - you can choose between this and that bedroom, what suits you the most.
The big blank here is why you think I should go to your area. That should be clear to me as a sitter first thing in the intro. Why should I read on and not scroll on to the next listing? There is nothing about why I should go there, what it is there for me to see, do, explore. I also lack info. on how to get to your home, by public transport if applicable, and most important - how do I get around staying there. Do I need a car? Is public transport an option that is easy accessible? Is it far to get groceries, to cafes/ restaurants/ shopping? Can I walk? Will the community impact opening hours and/ or accessability to transport (sabbath etc.)
As it seems a family home - if you are open to a family sitting, say that clearly. It seems it is somewhat harder for a family finding opportunities, and in addition it is a great advantage to be able to come to a home that is suited for children. If you want to you can consider mentioning that you have equipment/ games/books or other for “age group” that can be borrowed. Again - put away treasured toys etc. I see that you have teenagers, but maybe it is open for also a younger range. Maybe considerations of the very young regarding the pet, byt I would think for instance school aged-children could be an option to host.
I know loads of people who would consider that a big +…
I’ve had hosts that even gave a choice - you can choose between this and that bedroom, what suits you the most.