I’ve been reading this forum (and occasionally posting on it) for months, paying close attention to comments about what to include in sit listings. As a result I’ve been tweaking my own endlessly and now I wonder if I give too much information. It seems very long. We have a trip coming up in September and are on the verge of finalising our travel. Once that’s done I’ll post the dates. Could I get some feedback from forum members on whether any of the information is unnecessary at this point or if I should include some I haven’t thought of?
I’ve also taken into account feedback from the two sitters we’ve had so far.
I think you’ve got it pretty much spot on. It is quite long but the information is relevant and it’s well laid out and easy to read. As a sitter, I love to know the details of where I’ll be staying, as well as the key responsibilities for the pets. I can almost imagine myself there, admiring that view whilst out walking with Moka! The only slight negative was that I noticed both of your previous sitters gave 4 stars for cleanliness, rather than the 5 stars you got in every other category. But overall it looks like an amazing sit and I’m sure you’ll have no problems finding a sitter.
I think you have done well with your listing and would love to know what your dates will be. It sounds perfect to me a nice place in nature away from crowds.
I’ve accepted that this 250+ year old wood-heated mountain home surrounded by pastureland will never be pristine. After the first 4* I hired someone to clean the farmhouse while I concentrated on the barn but it’s hard to keep up with the dust and spiders while living life. We make sure kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms are very clean before the sitter comes. My feeling is that 5* for this place would mean the star system is meaningless.
I think you should say something like that in your listing . A friend who runs an airbnb in a very remote part of Scotland that is completely off grid, rings people to check they understand what that means and that there are limited facilities for what they have booked. People arrive otherwise with a very romantic view of what it will be like and the reality for some is very different and they are shocked there is no phone signal and they need to keep the woodburner going for warmth and although it is deep in the country there might be spiders and other wildlife
I think your listing is spot on, and it sounds like you have definitely gained tips from the blog I inspired for THS & been paying attention to listing discussions - well done, 10/10, and best of luck!
For many years I ran a web site about this area that had advertising pages for local accommodations. One farm B&B eventually had me put a notice on their page that they were a working farm and anyone who couldn’t abide insects and dust should stay away. So maybe I’ll follow their example!
You certainly have taken notice of advice on the forum @KChev! Your listing is very informative. One omission that stands out for me is there is absolutely nothing about you, the owner. I know @Nagy26‘s article emphasises selling your listing to sitters but some of us really like to learn something about who we would be sitting for! As an older sitter, I like to know a little about the owners to determine whether we might “connect” as I’m sure others do considering there are over 200,000+ members.
The other point I noticed was I don’t think you mentioned length of walks for your doggie.
It’s hard to satisfy everyone, isn’t it??
Hi @KChev
Your place looks amazing, we are fully booked this year but if you have any holidays planned for spring/summer 2025 feel free to give us a cheeky heads up
I wondered about that. So many comments seemed to discourage long bios and more promoting of the actual place. So now I’ve added a little bit about us. We’re not both British though, I am American. Should I mention it? Is that a plus or a minus?
I did mention at least an hour walk with dog. Distance doesn’t matter.
Hi @KChev
What an amazing house you have!
As to your listing. No I don’t think you’ve written too much info. You’ve thoughtfully included a lot of useful info a sitter would probably ask in the pre-sit video chat.
If I wasn’t allergic to dogs and could drive I’d be very tempted by your listing!
Of course, it’s great to introduce yourself - it’s your sit, and sitters (including myself) like to know a little about the HO. What often happens though is that HO’s take the THS prompt to “write about yourself, what you do & why you need a sitter” as a prompt to write their life story, how they got their pet, and why their mother’s friend’s boyfriend’s goldfish is now part of the family. What my article suggests is that a strong introduction not only introduces yourself and your pets, but avoids lengthy & non-relevant backstories and gives some compelling reasons why a sitter should choose the sit. Your intro is fantastic & introduces yourself very nicely - well done!
I typically speed read over the parts where the pet parents are talking about themselves. To me, it doesn’t matter what their hobbies are or what they do for a living. I want as much information I can about the pets, their behaviors, sitter’s responsibilities, what the house is like and what the area is like. I tend to like more information about these things so that I can make an educated decision whether or not I should apply.
What my article suggests is that a strong introduction not only introduces yourself and your pets, but avoids lengthy & non-relevant backstories and gives some compelling reasons why a sitter should choose the sit. Your intro is fantastic & introduces yourself very nicely - well done! 