So I’ve been lurking on the forum and reading all sorts of fantastic posts full of useful tips and crazy experiences (and everything in between!) and officially joined THS as house sitters on the weekend Our profile went live today and we got our first invitation a few hours later - beginners luck!
Thanks to everyone for sharing personal Insights, words of wisdom, and just general support and encouragement. It’s been lovely seeing the commaoradarie (and laughs!) on the forum.
We’ve been on an Aussie HS platform for the past 6 months and been loving the experience , so much that we plan to build up reviews here before dipping our toes into the global bucket in the next year or so.
Thanks again and I’ll be posting plenty of questions no doubt!
Hi @DeeMcC welcome to THS Fellow Aussie and long term Canberran back in the day, still one of my favourite places to be.
Well DONE on such a quick response for your first sit, amazing, you must be amazing I am also on the other two Oz sites and built up over 40 five star reviews on them so it will be helpful for you also when travelling OS. THS is really good in Oz and growing again slowly, a lot of competition from the other two because it costs the homeowners nothing to join.
You should have no problem securing UK sits, there are soooo many! Good luck with it all and stay warm, I know only too well how cold it must be there now
I likewise received an unsolicited sit invite right after joining, even without references. I think some savvy hosts look for new(er) sitters with promising profiles, because they can avoid competing with other hosts.
For instance, I was offered a six-week sit on the U.S. West Coast in a comfortable home with a beautiful backyard, with three guest rooms to choose from and a hot tub, watching two very sweet, easy, older dogs. They slept a lot and didn’t need walking. The home was near plenty of amenities and included use of a late-model car. At the time, I lived across the country, so it wasn’t a local sit. And the sit was offered months ahead, so they would’ve had time to post and just wait for applicants if they’d wanted to.
It also didn’t take me long to land sits in the U.K., including one in London.
I mention the above, because some sitters have an easier time than others, so don’t necessarily think it will take you long to get sits abroad.
Welcome @DeeMcC we are Australian sitters from Scarborough, QLD. Like you, we started out with some domestic sits to build our profile and have had 2 great UK adventures in the last 18 months for 5 months & 3 months each time. Feel free to DM us if you need any help.
Thanks for your welcome @Maggie8K You and @ziggy have both been members I’ve enjoyed reading on the forum - your posts and contributions are always relevant and helpful. What an incredible first house sitting opportunity you had! I think you’re right about the invite we got today. It’s newly listed, 4 months away, a nice sounding fully renovated stone cottage in a popular wine region of South Australia, but haven’t had any applications yet. We had to decline because of a clash but it was very exciting to receive Cheers!
Hey @ziggy, thanks so much for such a speedy welcome! Great to hear you’ve made the transition across the pond & sounds like it was an easy and natural progression for you And 40 5 star reviews?!!! That’s amazing - congrats! You’re definitely the amazing one See you around!
Aww, thanks so much @Crookie - that’s so lovely of you! I’m sure you’ll be hearing from me when I’ve got my head around some more information! Cheers from a very cold Canberra
Hi @toml, we loved Secret City! We were overseas when it was filming but enjoyed hearing about the local buzz! It was really fun spotting all the Canberra highlights and how they featured. Canberra really is a beautiful place to live
@DeeMcC I agree that Canberra is a great place to live. I worked there in the Prime Minister’s Department years ago then went back twice more as I loved it so much. My bestie is still there and has a huge business at Fyshwick Markets. I have always said if Canberra was on the coast I would live there forever. Far too cold for this Queenslander I haven’t seen Secret City, must look for it.
Hi @ziggy - if you worked at PM&C, you’ll especially enjoy Secret City and all the sinister intrigues lurking up on The Hill - it’s a hoot! Totally agree Canberra needs to be closer to the beach - it was minus nine (!!!) here the other night . But that just gets Geoff excited coz he’s a skier and hangs on to every centimetre of snow that’s being squeezed out. And we love a good visit to the Fyshwick markets! The new foodie section is a bonus!
Plus you and @Crookie inspired me to fly the Aussie so I’ve updated my profile photo
Hahahaha @DeeMcC love the Twisties profile photo, gotta have some Twisties, cheese though, not chicken! Yes, it was PM&C where I worked, in Cabinet. I was surprised you knew about that Dept by abbreviation then I read your profile and see the connection now with your husband’s past job
I am currently on a housesit in Andorra and it is like being in the Swiss Alps, stunning. Sitting here looking directly at the sheer cliff faces and chalets with mist covering the mountain tops, imagining how beautiful it would be in winter, covered in snow. It’s even more stunning than Thredbo!
So yes, there are some amazing sits to be had on THS and I got all mine before leaving Oz so I’m sure you will have many opportunities.
My friends own the big fruit shop near the entrance, the deli and the florist and a few other places at Fyshwick Markets so next time you visit, ask for John and Barb and they will get a huge surprise knowing we are on the same platform and have been chatting. I’m sure Barb will be involved with the new food section for certain! Minus nine? Nuh ah, no thanks lol The reason I couldn’t stay in Canberra was the cold! But the best days of my life were there.
Off to find Secret City online, finally got a VPN to work here so cross fingers Good luck with your global bucket, reading your profile I’m positive you will have no problems at all getting sits once you start looking further afield
Haha, yep- cheese twisties all the way! Your spot in Andorra sounds blissful @ziggy - I just get amazed at all the incredible opportunities out there! I don’t get out to the Fysho much but will remember to say hello if your friends are somewhere around - sounds like they own the majority of it! And yes, Geoff spent some time as parliamentary liaison when he was with AusAID. Fun times!
I’ve been down many a rabbit hole on the forum lately and it’s no longer a surprise to see your name pop up with balanced and positive contributions i hope you got the VPN sorted for some quality Aussie viewing Enjoy the serenity!
Our profile went live today and we got our first invitation a few hours later - beginners luck!
Fellow Aussie and long term Canberran back in the day, still one of my favourite places to be.
I am also on the other two Oz sites and built up over 40 five star reviews on them so it will be helpful for you also when travelling OS. THS is really good in Oz and growing again slowly, a lot of competition from the other two because it costs the homeowners nothing to join.
You and 
Cheers!
See you around!
I haven’t seen Secret City, must look for it.
so I’ve updated my profile photo 
Yes, it was PM&C where I worked, in Cabinet. I was surprised you knew about that Dept by abbreviation then I read your profile and see the connection now with your husband’s past job 
But the best days of my life were there.
Good luck with your global bucket, reading your profile I’m positive you will have no problems at all getting sits once you start looking further afield 
Enjoy the serenity!