Hi All!
First time user here, trying to find a sitter for our cat on the beautiful Isle of Skye. Unfortunately I haven’t had any applications yet and I have found just a few available sitters to invite but no acceptances…yet?!
I would appreciate any comments on my listing - is there anything missing?
Thanks!
Emma
Admin Notice: Post Moderated
Hello @gilmic. Welcome to TrustedHousesitters and the community forum. We’re glad you’re here.
Your listing looks great. You really sell Skye and your home well. Many of your pictures are very dark, and in some there are things out that distract from the picture (eg, the washcloth on the counter in the bathroom picture.) Sitters like knowing there will be space for putting their things out, so you may want to reshoot a few of the pictures with that in mind. Also, you may want to make one of the pictures of Albus your lead picture. That will catch sitters’ eyes. He’s such a cutie.
Karen E
@gilmic I had a look. Personally I would love to do a sit in Skye but I’ve enough sits booked for the next few months.
I think your listing would be seen more in searches if you remove ‘sitter needs a car’ . You mention that there are several places within walking distance, hotel, shop etc and there is public transport on the island and taxis so, in my opinion, the sitter does not need a car. The sitter may prefer to have a car but that’s their personal choice.
I looked very quickly online and found this so I would be very happy to be without a car. (Visit the Isle of Skye without a car)
Thank you @Jilly I didn’t think of the impact the ‘sitter needs a car’ would have on searches. Public transport is available but is limited frequency. It certainly would be easier with a car but not impossible without!
Emma
Welcome, looks like a great sit and I’d like to visit Sky. But I’m already sitting those dates, in the US at the beginning and then off to the UK for an 8 week string that starts for the latter days.
And should mention - the folks I’m sitting for now, in Colorado were on Skye for a few days earlier this month.
Maybe another time.
tom
Hi @gilmic Welcome to the Forum!
I agree with @Karen_E that many of your pictures are dark. In addition, there are too many pictures taken of the sky–I recommend one or two pictures of the sky should suffice.
Also as mentioned by @Karen_E, a photo of your cat, Albus would be very inviting as your first photo as to attract potential sitters. I love the one where your cat is lying on his back with his paws up–that would be purrrfect as your first photo.
Other recommendations:
There is a photo of the side of the house showing a plant / flower-- recommend a full photo of the front of the house.
For your title, “House sit available on the beautiful Isle of Skye”…yes, potential sitters know that your listing is availabe. How about having the listing title as, “Paradise on the beautiful Isle of Skye”
You mentioned that there is “There is a log burner in the living room and electric heaters throughout.” For the month of July-August 1, will those things be needed?
You mentioned that your home has a double room and two singles. Does that mean that the sitter has a choice from which to chose? You could specify where the sitters would sleep?
In one of the photos, the toilet seat is up–recommend putting the toilet seat down.
The picture of you does not look friendly–recommend retaking a photo with you smiling.
“They need cleaned fortnighly.” Insert the words “to be” after need
Also, unless I missed it, I did not see any photos of your fish & shrimp.
Good luck!
We’d love to do a sit on Skye, and are pleased to see your sit is family friendly. Albus is very cute! Sadly the English school holidays start much later in July, and then we have a camping trip towards the end of your dates. Maybe another time!
I have no problem understanding “They need cleaned fortnightly”, it’s just a regional variation in sentence structure. We did another sit in Scotland where some of the information in the listing was phrased just the same way. We all phrase or write things a little differently depending on where we are from.
Yes, @Debbie its a shame the holidays are different as we may have had more interest. It’s a family home so makes sense to allow children and we’d love to start house sitting as a family ourselves. Hope you get a chance to do a house sit on Skye in the future.
Hi @gilmic and welcome. Please don’t think of it as you having a lot to learn. Forum members will give you their take on how they would view your listing (as a sitter), or how an owner might do things differently (if from an owner). These are merely suggestions, for you to use, adapt, or set aside, as you see fit. Just keep in mind that everyone sharing their feedback wants you to succeed.
Also keep in mind that the variety of sitters is as extensive as the variety of sits. Your initial photo would have drawn me in, even though a cute pet photo is usually my preference. No one way works.
I can see that you’ve already used some of the suggestions provided, so thank you for that. I hope you are successful in finding a good fit for you and Albus. 
Francine,
Volunteer Forum Moderator