I am exploring Trusted Housesitters as an option for upcoming travel. I would love to hear from any home owners from Northern Michigan that have used the service. Thanks.
Hi there,
There are plenty of sitters all over the U.S, and many that also come from abroad, so as long as you have an attractive listing with clear benefits for a sitter then you should be fine.
Just be aware that THS isn’t a ‘service’ for owners - it’s a mutually beneficial exchange, where owners recieve free, reliable pet and home care and sitters recieve the enjoyment of caring for pets while also gaining a free stay in somebody’s home and the opportunity for a new travel experience. Most sitters are travellers, seeking to experience a new place, so if you’re looking for locals only who are already in Northern Michigan it may really limit your pool of applicants and not be so successful. Here’s a free guide to help with your listing and understanding the program. Hope that helps!
https://forum.trustedhousesitters.com/uploads/short-url/pLTxH15JL8f02lWEkv8FsjpLKxD.pdf
3 Likes
Hi @920Wilson,
Welcome to the forum!
It seems you are a HO who would like to know about other HOs experience in your area. If that’s the case, what you can do is search house sits in your area and read the reviews they have received from sitters and, when you click on a sitter, you can then search the reviews that sitter has received from the owners.
Here’s a link to listings in Michigan
You can use the map option for a particular area.
I hope that helps.
4 Likes
The thing is, every sit and sitter is completely unique and won’t necessarily reflect your own sit, sitter or experience with THS. Viewing other listings and reading their reviews, regardless if they’re in Northern Michigan or not, won’t really do much… Some people will have had fantastic experiences, while others have had poor experiences; it all depends on their own personal situations & experiences. In general, most people have great experiences with THS, and it can be a really positive & rewarding program, for all parties 
A lot of it depends on whether the sit you’re offering is fair, mutually beneficial and attractive, how well you communicate with your sitter and whether you choose a sitter who feels like the right fit for you.
You just need to decide for yourself if you think THS is a good fit for you. If you do, then you can sign up, create your listing and wait for applicants. There are plenty of sits in Northern Michigan and plenty of sitters who have sat there, so as long your listing is attractive then you shouldn’t have a problem gaining applicants.
2 Likes
Hi, I am brand new to THS as a sitter. Just wanted to let you know, northern Michigan is a highly preferred area for me. I had considered another site to join, but could not justify membership just for a chance at Eagle Harbor during the gales of November. Hope this will be a good fit for myself, as well for you.
Good luck to us both.
Jill: can you confirm you are a live person and not an automated response? Can you DM me your contact info? We are considering some extended trips and need to check this very carefully.
Thanks!
(Post edited to comply with the Terms of Service).
@920Wilson and @WaterJill Since you are both new, you may not realize that you can send messages to each other very easily on this Forum.
Click on the WaterJill label above, and then you can send her a message. You can even give her your phone number and ask her to call you, in order to verify her existence.
I really doubt that @WaterJill is a bot. You may have just been handed a perfect match for your sitting needs!
3 Likes