I’m a new HO to the site, with our first sitters coming next month. We specifically wanted a couple as our pup is younger and high energy. She’s also prone to some anxiety so we knew that with two people, there was a better chance she wouldn’t be left alone much. Reviews were critical in our decision. We wouldn’t consider anybody who didn’t have multiple stellar reviews (anything less than a 5 was rejected).
For what it’s worth, your age would be a bonus in our eyes. We know from being Airbnb hosts that older people tend to be more responsible and take better care of the house. They’re also less likely to be out partying and bringing strangers back.
I would say that getting some reviews under your belt is key. Perhaps you can accomplish that by connecting with someone local. Maybe you could arrange for some afternoon sits that could lead to overnight sits where they could leave a review.
For our home personally because we have a mini hobby farm and more animals, we prefer a couple or family as just feel its easier for them while here. I think it would depend though as I have seen plenty of sits when searching looking for a single traveler.
Solo sitters should consider mentioning whether they can speak another language besides English. We live in rural France and our nearest neighbor can speak good Spanish but not English. When we have someone sitting who can speak Spanish but not French, we let them know they can go to him if they need help with something. On the whole a couple is better suited for our place but if a solo sitter has a second language we will consider them.
yes, the first one will end Dec 18. I wish the app would have given advice about the critical need for reviews to land sits. Before applying for so many overseas longterm sits I would have tried a few weekend ones just for the reviews. Would have saved me so much time.
Your answer has been the most useful so far since your situation is similar to me. My mailbox is Canada but not really applying for sits there. I’m a true nomad. I thought that’s what this site was for. People trading housesitting for travel. Once I get a monthly rental in Europe I will change my location to there. Thanks. That might help. It sounds like I will somehow have to do short sits to start just for the reviews.
Instead of owning a home I’m now a multi-millionaire. Not homeless at all. Most of the answers I’ve received are from longtime members and I’m getting the impression the app is completely overloaded with sitters. It’s like a job market. The last ones in are at a disadvantage. One person has told me they reject people with any reviews less than five star. Good grief! Thanks for sharing.
I was rejected by one sit, that I know of, because I am single. I had asked for feedback, if they were willing, because I’d been rejected but also saw that they were soliciting more applicants. This was a week or so ahead, so kind of last minute, and in Oahu where I already was and it was for a five day sit with two low maintenance cats. I’m a cat owner and already had two THS 5 star sits at the point that were with cats.
I don’t know specifically WHY I was rejected for being single. I’m 49, divorced, and a pretty vanilla homeschool mom. But the HO said “they worry about single people.” No blanks were filled in so I don’t know specifically the issue was with me being single, but I realized that you can’t please everyone!
When I joined THS in January, I got a few friends who are also pet owners to give me references and applied for local, last minute sits that worked around my custody schedule. From there things have taken off and I’m hoping to get some longer sits in the UK next summer so I’ve specifically been doing longer sits in the US and have a longer one in Europe over the holidays.
I got some lovely rejections along the way and realized that I needed to get some more experience and reviews to stand out for the more popular sits. Also, again, sometimes it’s something random outside of my control as it’s the owners personal preference. Sometimes folks prefer a solo sitter too!
Something else to keep in mind is that just because a sit is still accepting applications doesn’t mean they’re not already far along in the process with another sitter. I set text alarms for sits/locations I’m super excited about so I get my application in when it’s fresh.
I also basically write a love letter for each sit I apply for and really, I do fall in love a little bit with the idea of every sit I apply for!
I love your attitude! I’ve heard of home owners saying they worry about single people (or something similar) if they live in rural locations, or locations that are unfamiliar to the sitter, especially if they don’t have transport etc. Having someone else there means there is backup in the event of any issues (but also means the probability of issues is doubled!)
I think having more than one sitter is beneficial in select cases, where there are multiple dogs or a farm to look after, for example. Some home owners seem to undermine the capabilities of solo sitters, while others laud them. Personally, I think being self-sufficient is a huge asset.
I really hope you state the five-star rule in your sit as this would save people from being misled and wasting their time. Your answer speaks volumes as it means there’s a huge enough pool of sitters to demand this.
I’m not sure whether you realise @lollykaiser but there are over 200,000 THS members so we all face competition, whether as an owner or a sitter. There’s actually a lot of helpful information/blogs on the website, especially for new members. If you haven’t done so already, it’s a good idea to read the Code of Conduct and Terms and Conditions as you have agreed to them by signing up. Hang in there and keep applying!
Some sitters incorrectly ‘think’ there is a lot of competition, but we find the opposite in the places we chose to sit! It is only in certain locations where that problem exists, like near major tourist destinations and where public transport is fantastic.
I’ve been a member for roughly 18 months. The entire time, there have been more sits than sitters overall. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many sits with low applications and longtime hosts posting and commenting about how they’re not getting applications as they used to.
There’s greater competition for sitters, who now have greater leverage to compare sits.
The exceptions to that scenario: Hosts with locations that are rarely listed on THS or the most popular travel destinations.
You can keep thinking otherwise and keep your profile and applications the same. You don’t have to take any suggestions on this thread. You can wait to get your two sits done and those reviews — if good — will help you get more sits. Meanwhile, you can travel on your millions. Or maybe hire help to manage your account, so you can spend your time otherwise. Like you can hire virtual assistants overseas for dollars per hour.
Yes, I mention in my listing that we only want couples and they must have multiple stellar reviews. Naturally, I still got several submissions from singles, some with problematic former reviews.
As for the pool of sitters, there’s obviously a large one. We have an upscale home with a resort-style backyard overlooking a little lake and it’s in a great location so we are fortunate enough that we could be selective in whom we chose (and even more fortunate that we quickly found a local couple that we were able to meet in person before confirming). We have another home with a backyard that’s just dirt right now and I’m certain it wouldn’t be as easy to find high-quality sitters for that location.
Thanks for the compliment! I’ve read hundreds of listings and for some, as you mentioned, it’s just better to have more than one person. I self select out if those!
The app is not overloaded with sitters. Many hosts struggle to find sitters and there are many “low application” sits. It’s sits in great locations that tend to be competitive. While homeowners in less “competitive” places may be inclined to take a chance on someone with no site reviews, their priority is still going to be someone with pet experience who they feel they can trust in their home and if they don’t find that person through THS, they may look elsewhere. There are so many sits around Christmas for example, that many will go unfilled.
There isn’t any kind of bias against solo sitters. While some people prefer couples, other people prefer solo sitters and most homes are open to both. You asked a question: “Do single sitters get more rejections?” I think the answer would be “no” unless they are applying to sits that specifically ask for couples. There are other threads about related topics. Single MEN probably get more rejections.
You keep insisting that there is nothing “wrong” with your profile, but several people have made good faith comments about things in your profile that might turn off some hosts and/or other ways to showcase your skills as a responsible pet carer and housesitter.
You might want to at least take a look at some sitter profiles to get an idea of what works or what doesn’t and how other people approach things.
Updated to add: I just took a look at the profile page and it is in very good shape. I would only suggest dividing the experience into two paragraphs, one about pet experience and the second about home experience. You can take out the sentence about how used to stay at Airbnbs as that isn’t relevant to homeowners.
Photos also tell a story. You have four great photos of you interacting with animals. You might consider cutting the photos just showing animals as it’s not clear if these are your pets or other people’s pets or random pets, and the photos don’t tell a story about you.
Just applied for a listing that specified that they want a solo sitter, and no young or inexperienced sitters. It’s for a competitive location, blocks from the subway, and the region is a big draw for tourists. Those are the kind of sits I lean toward, urban and near amenities.
I withdraw my application if the host doesn’t reply within 48 hours to coordinate a video chat. I can do that and still get sits, because older, solo women sitters often get preference among hosts, especially if they telecommute. Many hosts prefer telecommuters, because we usually spend more time at home with pets.
I am single and over 60 and don’t have a problem getting sits. Have been back more than once to some. I usually get 90% of the sits I apply for. I do have all five star reviews which helps. I started by doing a couple of shorts sits where only 0-3 applicants. This was when many sits had 15+ applicants, as wasn’t resticted. I ended up with good reviews which made it easier to apply for longer sits in some nice locations. Best advise is to apply for a couple of short sits closer to home first, in order to get some reviews and then apply further afield. Good Luck.
I do hope you are successful with your application to sit. I am a HO in the U.K. and, after a not ideal sit by a young couple, I now state my preference for a mature female sitter. I have had two separate single sitters and they have been brilliant. My cats are used to just having me around so they have been very happy with my solo lady sitters.
Good luck. Something will turn up.
So here’s a funny story. I have a mass of 5 star reviews and have completed over 70 sits (not all on THS). One home owner was very critical of my reviews, saying that all 5 stars made her very suspicious - that I couldn’t be THAT perfect, and there must be something wrong.
It all goes to show that you can’t please everyone. Some want solo sitters, some want families, some want new sitters, some want very experienced sitters etc etc.