Being first to apply to a new sit-advantage/disadvantage?

I’m a host/owner. My apartment is in New York City and I typically receive dozens of applications for each sit; my inbox fills quickly. To keep my job manageable, I close down the listing once I have fifteen-or-so new messages - usually less than 24 hours after I initially post my dates. THS has a feature that allows hosts to do this. Then, I read through ALL the messages and begin responding to those who look like the best fit.

So if my listing interests you, I recommend applying right away.

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Welcome to our community forum @wotsrovert it’s great to have you join us and thank you for sharing your owner experience and how you manage your applications, New Yor is an incredibly popular location, hopefully you will be able to travel again soon.

Thank you for being part of our amazing community, enjoy the conversations and connecting with other members.

Angela & The Team

I am a sitter with over 30 excellent reviews and six years with TH. I still get lots of “Declined” responses despite that. I think sitters likely look for different things in general, like me being an American still wanting to sit overseas but COVID still a problem, or some prefer couples, etc. I don’t know that there is any formula to to being selected. Because I usually sit for 4-6 months at a time, I apply to MANY sits and take the first ones that confirm. I have been lucky so far, that mostly people have asked if I am available but am already booked. I just keep applying. Good luck.

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It could be someone who already has sat for them. Obviously pet parents will take them over others.
There is no rhyme or reason to it. It might be something that catches their attention or a picture on your profile. All we can do is make the application as catchy as possible, tell the truth and ask lots of questions. Always mention the pets and your experience with them. Use their names. Mention things that are in the listing to prove you have read it. And never give up.
Elsie

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Twice after applying I received a message from a HO saying that they thought I was so wonderful and they wish they could choose me, but because so-and-so applied first they’re going to select them.

Fortunately this doesn’t happen often, but it does confuse me.

Hello everybody, and a huge thank you to all of you sitters. I have only been a host until now, but I’d like to share my way of trying and handling applications.

Yet first…let me say loud and clear that each and every one who has taken care of my monsters (and raided the fridge in the process) has been wonderful to get to know, a super social person, a fantastic conversationalist, an incredibly devoted petpetter, and all around just a great person. Some have even shown that they can cook!

I can’t speak for the ones that I had to say no to, but knowing that all those people who apply are likely great makes saying “no” really hard.

So here’s how fast it goes - and it irritates the h*ell out of me, just so you know.

Whenever I post a sit - even if it’s happening in a few days - I get the first application after say five minutes, and then between two and five more in the following three hours. Which is when I press the pause button - this is how much I hate having to say “no”. Only if neither of the applicants checks out will I reactivate the listing.

I then screen the handful of applications I got, sort out really weird ones (very rare), check copy+paste+amended ones with a downmark, check those who mention the names of my pets with an upmark, read the profiles, and generally try to get to know them.

The next step depends on what is needed - if there’s not much time, I look for people who are likely to be quite flexible, so it’s almost a sure bet this will work out. If there is more time, I prefer to get people here who come from really far away, as to give them the chance to hop the pond (I live in Vienna, Austria).

And here’s where things get tricky and where I could use some insight: I also try to prefer those who are less likely to be chosen for a sit, but my understanding of this likeliness might be totally off - single men, women with kids, seniors^W experienced people. What’s your experience, who’s more likely to be chosen or rejected? What’s your (as a host) selection process?

And yes, yes, I also had the 20yr old coeds here - they were great too!

So, for me as a host THS is a blessing and a curse - I always find someone who will take good care of everything while I’m away, and quickly. But I also have to say “no” to so many people, which can really make me sad. If I like someone who applied but I didn’t choose, I might ask them whether I can keep them on retainer for, say, christmas or some other special occasion.

I’m really proud to say I’ve never made the wrong choice in a sitter - maybe I’m lucky, but I prefer to think that all the sitters out there are really great.

Elmar.

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Hi Elmar, and welcome to the forum. As a sitter I found it really interesting to read your process for selecting a sitter, and how difficult it is to say no to people. I guess I hadn’t thought how hard that might be for a host. I love that you try to give people the opportunity to travel and try to select people who may be less likely to be chosen.

We usually sit as a family of 4 (or 3 when my husband has run out of holiday). I could hardly believe that sitting with children was possible until I found TrustedHousesitters! I will always be grateful to the family who took a chance on us and gave us our first opportunity to sit.

We’ve done a few sits now and have most success with sits for other families, and often for multiple pets. My boys are 12 and 10 so we have enough pairs of hands to walk several dogs! I guess there are sits for all types of sitters out there.

Covid has made things more complicated this year. We’ve had 3 sits cancelled due to it. We should have been on a sit now, but hopefully we have a shorter sit lined up for next weekend instead.

All of the homeowners and pets have been great so far too.

Debbie

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Hi @elmi4711 and welcome to the forum. Thank you so much for outlining the process you follow when selecting your sitters, and the fact that you do not take very long to complete the process. I’m thinking many of us would really like to deal with you as an owner! It is hard to say no to other worthy sitters but it sounds like you are a good judge of character and also are willing to ask whether sitters you have had to decline would be happy for you to keep their details for a potential sit another time. We look forward to hearing more from you on the forum.

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Good morning @elmi4711 and welcome to the forum. Thank you for your positive feedback - we are glad to hear you’ve had such good experiences with your sitters! Thank you also for taking this time to explain your process of selection… something that will be invaluable for many sitters, especially those new to the service. And helpful to new owners as well. A third thank you for being so open to all types of sitters across all ages!

I honestly think that saying no is something that is difficult for many and across a wide range of life situations. Especially in the world of house sitting where often the applications are so heartfelt. I really don’t think anyone “likes” to reject or be rejected and if it’s something you don’t do or experience often it can feel terribly personal, even when it isn’t.

So I totally understand your words here about the blessing and the curse!

What’s also interesting for me and why I love that you’ve expressed this so well, is that you are very obviously empathetic, compassionate and caring but we don’t know this about each other at first “glance” and can’t possibly. It takes communication and getting to know someone to find that out. The forum is a wonderful space for us all to learn more about each other and our ways of using the service which will help others appreciate or understand why certain outcomes are as they are. Thank you again Elmar!

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Thank you @elmi4711 for sharing your process.
In our first year with THS we were privately invited by a couple in America to look after their 2 cats. It was ideal so we accepted. I asked why, as we live in the UK, they invited us and their reply was that they like to meet people from other countries.
What a lovely couple they were and we had received their 5* review before we arrived home.

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Sorry to be so late @elmi4711 but can you expound on the part where you wrote;

I then screen the handful of applications I got, sort out really weird ones (very rare), check copy+paste+amended ones with a downmark, check those who mention the names of my pets with an upmark, read the profiles, and generally try to get to know them.

I know that the Rule of Five has annihilated your system now but I want to understand the “copy and paste” part that you mentioned. What did it mean please?