If travel insurance wasn’t so darn expensive to the USA, I would grab this sit! Been to the USA many times but never made it to Washington. Nothing in the listing would bother me personally and it’s a great opportunity to see the city that I could not otherwise afford. I think your listing is fine. 
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I was assuming a sofa bed since there is no photo of a bed… just a sofa… which is why several of us have mentioned sleeping next to the fridge 
Pictures speak a thousand words …
I suggest that you add a photo of the bed and bedroom that the sitter will be sleeping in. I think this is required by THS ……?
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hmm I think comparing to hotels is probably less useful to you than comparing to other DC pet sits and there are a lot of them! I do love an easy cat (or an easy dog - there’s lots of the out there) but what really attracts me to a sit is it being a nice place to spend time. I don’t think the sit would be right for families as there is only one bed available.
I guess I do prefer when there is a guest room, more so that we have an emptier space. But if the choice was a basement open plan studio or the home owners upstairs bedroom, I’d go for the upstairs bedroom. You could specify that you’re looking for a single sitter and no guests?
You do have an applicant though! If they look decent you should get them booked in ASAP!
Edit: you might be sick of suggestions by now(!) but I’d remove that pile of I think pillows in the basement studios and retake the photo? Maybe show a few angles so potential sitters can get an idea of the space?
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I go to DC quite often. There is no chance I would apply, based on the sub-par “guest room,” and it seems you are not bending on that. If you read through the forum, you’ll see common themes, one of which is that sitters do not appreciate being made to feel “less than” or treated like “the help” which is what this feels like, with a whole house upstairs that’s off limits.
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I regularly look at D.C. area sits. This one is subpar compared to many that you’re competing against for good sitters. While some folks in the area rent basements because they can’t afford better, few sitters would opt for one when there are plenty of other choices. And not including your neighborhood would cause many sitters to skip your listing as well. Location is important to most folks, especially in any metro area that’s spread out and time-consuming to get from place to place.
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This is the type of feedback I need. I am comparing my listing to a hotel but am realizing that there’s more to it on this site. THS seems to present the platform this way or else, I joined with that mindset.
Based in everyone’s feedback, I did detail the accommodations to the applicant. So glad to be upfront about it.
And I’m not sick of feedback at all! Bring it on 
I’m sorting through all responses to determine what is reasonable for my family vs what appeals to the majority.
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I appreciate you chiming in! It seems like my listing may appeal to a minority on THS…well, at least on this forum. I am sensing a range of expectations but more leaning towards a typical home setup. More time on this site will give me more info though!
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@ilovecheesenuggets Have you priced pet sitting in your area for overnight + the other responsibilities? Maybe you should, so you can make a truly fair comparison.
You seem very nice, which would be a bonus for us.
As far as the fridge noise, maybe you should just remove or turn off the fridge, and give the sitters the option to either turn on, or use the upstairs kitchen?
I agree that photos of the rest of the home, and patio, and parking – we would prefer.
@ilovecheesenuggets I have been a full-time sitter for the past five years. For me, as long as a home is very clean, I have a bed to sleep in, the homeowner/s are nice, the expectations aren’t over the top, transport is close to things that may be worth visiting, thats all that matters to me. I don’t need all the fluff and comforts etc etc I have had that my whole life. “Things” don’t matter anymore. I choose to house/petsit to live life through experiences not home comforts or how many pillows are on the bed. Having the pets to care for also gives me a sense of home and normality so I do get to have the best of both worlds.
So my point is, your home/sit sounds just fine to me. There will always be people who don’t agree with things on the Forum, that’s what forums are about - open discussion, sometimes positive and sometimes not so good. I like to always look at both sides of the coin.
Housesits are temporary short term situations, it’s not the end of the world if things aren’t perfect. I see it that I have been to a new city/place, seen things I would never get to see otherwise, and live a life some people only dream of. To have that, the basement sounds JUST fine! Stay positive, things always work out.
Sorry if this is too long peeps. 
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@ilovecheesenuggets in that case adding a photo of the bed and bedroom that the sitter will be sleeping is a quick fix that will improve your listings appeal 100%
(and clear up any misconceptions about the sitter being expected to sleep on the sofa next to the fridge )
at the moment you are leaving the sleeping arrangements to our imagination and some of us are imagining the worst !!!
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What’s an “English basement”? As opposed to what?
The basement has “a door to exit”. Well… I hope it has a door… because how else would you get in and out… but do you mean it’s a walkout with a door to the outside, as opposed to upstairs, or what? This could be clarified.
Many HOs mention what services their TV has – cable, Netflix, whatever – as this is of interest to some sitters.
I would definitely not want to sleep next to a fridge! I rule out Airbnbs if they have fridges in the same room.
More pix of the house, as others said.
I also prefer a guest room to the owners’ room although I have slept in an owners’ room twice. Absolutely reasonable for owners to ask that their own bedroom be off limits – but what about the rest of the house?
In a later post you wonder if your sit is “best for families”. So are you going to put two parents and a couple of kids all in that basement room? That’s a single setup if anything.
I’m a bit puzzled by your front porch photo – and I’m on a medium-size laptop screen – there’s a big dark blob in the middle of it; and it looks like a dead bird hanging or stuck on the window or … something – LOL. More photos of the outside of the house/yard needed. Maybe look at some real estate listings, anywhere really, to see how they show what houses look like.
You have 2 of the same photo of the rabbit.
Welcome to TH and good luck – hope you get good sitters and enjoy your own travels.
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Some basements have no exterior access/egress. English basements have their own entrance, like some daylight or walkout basements. In D.C., they’re often rented out by homeowners or landlords.
I can see your point and wouldn’t have thought about it that way as we have hosted many friends and felt like we were offering our best to them ie., making the space their own! I do want to add some more perspective in case others are reading this (so not necessarily asking you to respond or feel the need to debate): I also signed up to be a pet sitter (new) and actually don’t expect full reign of someone’s house so would not perceive close off sections as offensive or communicating something regarding my “status.” I would see it as keeping my family safe (i.e., meds, weapons, etc) or needing some areas to be private. However, I can also acknowledge that it makes sense how it can come across that way to others. There is a range of how hospitality is defined, IMO.
I’m liking the unplugging fridge idea! That’s absolutely an option. I think part of the disconnect for me is that I can find pet sitting through friends and neighbors for less than overnight pet sitting. My intent of joining was to try to balance the load of asking the same people, trying a new pet sitting option and exploring new places that included animal sits (my kids are fanatics!). Maybe THS isn’t the right place for that. Thanks for taking the time to respond!
@ilovecheesenuggets you’re lucky! We have friends but they all have pets. So we wouldn’t ask them to come to our house. Family would gladly watch them but only at their house. I wish we knew someone who would come live in our house for extended periods, then we could see the world! 
“What is an English basement?”
NOTE: They must comply with DC fire codes, regardless. I reported an Airbnb that was replete with fire/smoke hazards. THE fire inspector answered the phone, went right out, and shut them down.
Ah! I should clarify - I meant friends or a neighbor who will stop by twice a day but not stay overnight. Our rabbit doesn’t require overnight, but we prefer it. So, THS seems like a better fit in that regard!
Lol, the consensus is that it looks like a dead bird but it isn’t! That’s an example of a pic that didn’t come through as well as I had planned in my head.
So, I wonder if expectations of stays are different across regions - it isn’t unusual in northeast US to have one family share that size space when traveling. We’ve done it many times as a family, albeit not for 11 days…so you have a point. I was initially intending of a couple with one small child sharing that space (there’s also an office downstairs that could be converted - I know I should upload a pic!). Thanks for your thoughtful feedback.
@ilovecheesenuggets the main reason I wouldn’t apply for this, regardless of it being a windowless basement, is that I wouldn’t want to sleep in a kitchen. I suggest you make one of the actual bedrooms ready for the sitter, preferably one close to a bathroom. There will be some inconvenience for you, but your sitter will want to feel comfortable, safe and trusted.
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Ever smell an old, unplugged fridge?
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