Interesting!
Agreed. As a host I reject without question people who write one line.
How long ago did you apply?
@HostAndSitter My mistake, I meant I asked about 4th of July in a letter after they messaged me and confirmed the sit
@HostAndSitter We tend to write longer applications which clearly show we’ve read the listing carefully. We always mention the pets by name and refer to any special requirements the hosts have mentioned. We also explain why we’ve chosen their particular sit. E.g our current hosts especially liked that we told them about our epic road trip from A to B and how perfectly their sit fitted in en route, plus ofcourse all the things- in particular -we liked about the sit. This info reassured them we were unlikely to cancel.
We also sell ourselves a bit and share some background info. Then we refer them to our profile/pics/reviews if they’d like to know more.
We always include our WhatsApp number for easy onward connection.
Sometimes we have a few questions that we need answering before we can determine if the sit is a fit for us. E.g if no bedroom pics we ask for one plus bed dimensions. So we send a short msg of introduction with the Qs, saying this is not a formal application …yet.
We refer the hosts to our profile meanwhile so they can see if they’d welcome an application. Quite often the host comes back with the answers and a request to chat or even a direct invitation to sit… so this process sometimes saves the need for a proper application!
So far our approach has worked very well!
I’m amazed some sitters think they can get away with a one liner referring hosts to their profile! I see the application message as similar to a job application and the Profile is more like a CV. I.e The profile is the back up to a well thought through application. Money or no money the sitter has to sell themselves to the host! However I do not see the video call as an ‘interview’ unless its regarded as a two way thing- both ‘interviewing’ each other. Its simply a meeting of equals to get to know each other a bit and see if we are good match.
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My applications are usually quite short bur personalised (approx. 200 words), and I refer the HOs to my profile and reviews. I very often get the comment back to say that my profile speaks for itself.
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Hi
As a newbie sitter, I’m curious as to what length everyone’s application to the HO is. I’ve written about a paragraph starting off with mention of the animals then finishing with how I’m looking forward to hearing from the HO. Does anyone ask questions at this point?
I don’t ask Qs till we chat via video or otherwise.
As for how long an application to write, I’d suggest stepping back and considering from a HO’s POV whether you’ve addressed what they prioritize. That can vary with specifics in their listing, for instance, as well as what HOs typically care about.
There’s no cookie-cutter formula, because HOs have varying priorities.
I’d observe that some potential sitters don’t even take the time to digest what the HO(s) have written in their listing and often apply even though they’re ill suited. In such cases, for example, it won’t matter how long your application is.
We don’t ask questions until we’re in the running for the sit @Home. The application for us is to acknowledge the pets, the routine, the style of HO, tell them who we are and what kind of pets similar to theirs we have looked after, note our great reviews and then offer to connect on a video call of some kind. We get accepted for about 80% of applications. Best of luck 
Over the last couple of years, we have gradually tweaked our application into its current state and we now do minimal alterations to suit each sit that we apply for then cut and paste the whole thing
It is quite long ( about 15 shortish paragraphs) and tells the home host about our background, interests and experience.
We check the listing for anything we think the home host wants to hear then mix this into the application,. We refer to the pets by name or follow their lead - if they have called them dogs , we all them dogs. If they have called them fur babies then we do too ( although it makes me cringe!)
We finish off by telling them our needs that are not negotiable ( 2 beds/good wifi/ good public transport accessibility) and by positively/assertively saying “We look forward to hearing from you soon”. and adding our phone number.
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@Home The only time I ask questions in the application is if it is a deal breaker for me and not already mentioned in the listing .
Other questions I would ask during a video call later .
Sometimes - if the listing is not detailed enough-we ask for more info in a short pre-application message. E.g size of bed & if a second bed is available (should it be small), pics of bedroom & bathroom-(if not shown), exact arrival/dep times (if trying to coordinate back to backs). In that short intro msg we always say this is not a formal application…just yet… We also then invite them to check out our profile & reviews to see if they’d welcome an application from us! (Subject to their answers working for us)
Usually they come back with the required answers and a request to chat further. So in such cases we no longer need to write the full application- we just share all relevent info in the video chat! So…this approach can sometimes save a lot of time!
My application is very short about 50 words, personalised to the pets and area. It includes my number so they can ring if they wish. I don’t think anyone would consider a sitter without reading their profile or reviews, so I often get offered the sit right away on those alone. I have helped owners in the past find a sitter if I can’t go and you find people just skip past long drawn out ones with too much information. Short and sweet gets my vote!
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Our application sounds very similar to what @Colin describes, so is quite long. There are 4 of us to introduce though! We seem to have a good success rate with it, as we are chosen for the majority of sits we apply for.
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Applications should be long enough to be complete and short enough to be interesting 
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Nothing to say except your reply is so correct that it deserves more than just 
@Lokstar, I’ve always been a little reluctant to ask for more photos, as it feels like it might be experienced by the HO as intrusive. OTOH, if there isn’t a photo of where I’ll sleep, that’s a dealbreaker for me. So it’s kind of a quandary.
@val I’m not sure why you would think it intrusive to ask for pictures? Some hosts simply don’t show enough pics of the right things. They are all supposed to show bedroom/bathroom/kitchen/living areas etc but many don’t. If I am going to live in someones home and take care of everything i want to know as much as possible! I want to know if I’ll be comfortable. I especially want to see the bed and know its dimensions. I want to get an overall impression of the home- and see if its clean etc Some hosts don’t show many pics on the listing for security reasons but they are usually willing to send pictures privately. (And uf they aren’t willing I would scroll on) Sometimes they add extra pics directly to the listing when I ask as they realise then that others will ask too.
One host said he’d show us (hubby & me) the bed during the video call rather than send a pic. It was a sofabed (which we don’t do)so we stopped the call immediately! If he’d just said that before we would have not wasted time on a call. I’ve learned to be much more direct over the years and much more discerning. You really learn by experience what questions you need to ask to determine if the sit is right for you.
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@Lokstar, I guess for me it feels intrusive because tbh I’m going to use that photo to decide whether I’d want to sleep in that bed, etc., so I’m kind of asking them to let me judge them? I’m not actually sure. Like, here’s a for instance: The host had posted a photo of their back deck, which was nice, and their dogs, and the front exterior, which was fine. But there was only a single interior photo, and it was of a cluttered living room. Clutter makes me anxious, and I would be very uncomfortable in a bedroom that felt cluttered. So rather than just skip over it (it was an easy drive and a short sit, and they had no other applicants) I went ahead and asked for a photo of where I’d be sleeping. And it was, for me, a no-go. Which then meant I had to kind of make up a reason to say the sit wasn’t for me, and it felt kind of judgy.