Hi @Von As you’ve seen, some sitters are booked into 2023 and others only book a couple of months in advance. In a similar way, some homeowners post as soon as they know their dates (a search shows 100s for 2023 listed) and others are waiting until much closer to their dates.
Besides the references, you can do some other groundwork to increase your chances of lining up sits for your chosen time period. Make full use of two features: (a) saved searches, and (b) ‘favourite’ listings.
Saved searches: A basic membership has three, and standard and premium have an unlimited number. I’ll add a link to how to narrow down your search area to match your plans, and remember to use the filters (date range, for example) as well as the specific map area:
Looking for a certain kind of sit
Favourite: I’m going to explain using the app, but others say it also works on the website. It didn’t for me in the past, but maybe the product team has corrected that. I stay with what I know works. You click ‘save’ on a listing, and then anytime the homeowner lists, you get a notification. With some homeowners, being one of the first to apply is an advantage. Here’s Therese’s December 2021 explanation of the heart symbol (save icon for ‘favourites’):
What’s the point of the heart symbol?
I’ll use myself as an example of these features. I have a basic membership, so I can save three searches. I have two for specific areas that I am currently interested in, and I have those saved on the app. Anytime there’s a new listing, I get a phone notification. My third is for a much broader area, and I saved that on the website and I get a daily email. I just browse that as they are not of interest to me currently. However, I do favourite those that fit what I’m looking for. Then when I later browse listings, I know they are a good match for me.
Finally (yep, this is a lot of info), here’s Vanessa’s instructions on how to make sure you’re correctly set up for saved search notifications (entries #12 & #14)
If you’ve hung in to the end of this, congratulations. It may sound like a lot of work, but once you get into a rhythm, it can really be useful. Just my way, but we all figure out our own style.