We have posted three house sitting requests and have not had any luck. On situation was my fault because I was slow to respond. We are looking for someone over winter break. Any advice on increasing the likelihood of filling our job?
Our posting is in Vancouver Washington from 12/17 through 12-23
Hmm… you could start reaching out to sitters under “find a sitter” I did that and it worked!
There are a few threads recently discussing what people look for in sits and how to optimize your profile. I’d take a look at those. I’d also be really on top of responding. I’d say 80% of the sits I book are confirmed within less than 48 hours of me applying and all are booked within 72 hours. I apply to multiple sits at once so if I don’t hear from a HO within a day they’re pretty much out of the running because I’m probably already talking to someone else by then and I go on a first response, first reserved basis.
Check this thread for ideas on how to make your posting more appealing: A message to homeowners new to the site - #11 by JackieX. Most people recommend lots of photos, especially of the areas of the house that the sitter will use (bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, etc). Use bright photos, don’t show a messy house, etc. Use a headline that grabs attention and tells sitters something appealing (not “house sitter needed”). Make your listing’s primary photo appealing.
If you state your location and dates here, people can find your listing and make more suggestions.
Thank you for the suggestions! I will add the dates, etc to my post.
Thank you for the feedback!
Thanks for the tips!!
I think I found your post. I suggest changing your first photo to one of the scenery or of the dog. The building is, frankly, drab and unattractive. Some interior photos look like they may be from a realtor listing, so show what the place looks like now. explain whether you live in an apartment or house, and add more detail about the place - number of bedrooms, is the kitchen well-equipped, do you have a washer and dryer, etc. . Add more detail about pet care - how often and how far do the dogs need to be walked, how long can they be left alone, any medication needed.
Thank you! I made some changes on your advice.
Hello @dihughes57 and welcome to the forum where I’m sure you’ll enjoy connecting with other members. You’ve already had some great advice from forum members here on this thread and it looks as though you’ve made some changes to your listing already. It’s good to see members guiding each other with valuable feedback. All the best and I hope you get some applications over this weekend.
Christmas is always most difficult for homeowners and most experienced sitters will have a plethora of options. Responding quickly is important of course (we usually wait for 24-48H before applying to further sits, but I think most apply to multiple sits at the same time). Some flexibility with the dates might also help (maybe they can stay a day or two longer in the guest room). If the date/location is a fit we first look at the pictures and then skip to the info about the animal(s), then we read the rest. Sometimes we go to great lengths to do a sit if we really want to meet a certain animal and spend time with him/her. It might also be helpful to be on more than one website (we always do that as sitters, just in case).