Greetings, im 1 week in to this experience and want to understand the paradigm. What can i say or do to encourage house sitters who accept invitations to continue dialogue or deny the sit? I understand that sitters are providing a great service to home owners in exchange for free stay or vacations in desired locations because they live to travel and they love animals. What i need to master is providing them in advance with specific information for their comfort level and peace of mind. Im not good at selling myself. Sitters what encourages you to follow though with either confirmation or denial after youâve shared that you are available? Homeowners, what are some things i definitely should say or do to encourage sitters to confirm?
for me as a sitter,
prompt replies to any correspondence,
a video call a.s.a.p.
are the 2 most important factors, as then I can decide yay or nay, and move on if it is not a good fit.
assuming your listing has all the appropriate photos, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and clear photos of the pets, not blurry photos, or untidy rooms.
Just for clarification- do you have a sit posted or are you just inviting sitters to sit for you? If you have a sit posted and sitters are applying, it is important to acknowledge their application quickly. If you wait several days or until you receive 5, there is a chance you might lose out on a good sitter. During a video chat, you should discuss how much communication you would like to have leading up to a sit and how you would like to communicate (WhatsApp, text, etc).
If you are just inviting sitters, there is a good chance they arenât available and donât always respond to blind invitations. We typically respond when someone invites us to a sit we didnât apply for just to let them know that we arenât available or interested.
Not necessarily in this order but the things I like to see in a listing are the accommodations available to me, expectations of responsibilities, resources available to meet those responsibilities, information about the petâs needs and personality, what you enjoy about the area and why it may appeal to a potential sitter. The care of your pet and home is your priority, but I look for sits where I see the information provided with a tone of appreciation and consideration for the person providing excellent care.
To seal-the-deal, weâre sitters with 5* reviews. When we apply, there are 2 things that we love, 1. a really quick response to our application, and 2. opening words that say how we sound perfect or they love our profile.
If you want a 3rd thing, I love it when owners prove theyâve read our profile in a like-minded way.
For example, our profile says that our son and his family lives overseas and we also own rental properties, so owners with family elsewhere typically mention it (they could be holidaying to go and see them), itâs the reason why they probably liked our profile, or those with second homes overseas mention it very openly and transparently, because they know weâll understand their scenario more so than other applicants â thereâs a natural additional bond/familiarity, itâs not just about the love of pets, because itâs not hard to find pet lovers on THS â they are in abundance!
That way, friendships and the desire to help each other, happen very quickly. Just get your personality across as being friendly and approachable, which it sounds like you are anyway.
Great ask Kali! Everyone is unique⌠here are some of my preferences. Happy to answer other questions or make suggestions on your posts.
- Good pictures of the pets and a tidy home.
- I prefer a separate guest room, where possible.
- Clarity on the pet care - eg wakeup/walk/play/feed times. I care about being able to keep a petâs routines and want to know that I can carry through on that. Many listings are vague and I hesitate to respond to them. Any âwatch outsâ such as keep them at a distance from small dogs or xyz. That also letâs me know what it will be like walking them, which is one of the reasons I like TH - I like walking and having the opportunity/reason to take a dog with me and make it a good experience for them.
- Communication from the host. Iâve learned that most donât acknowledge an application, but I wish they would provide an update. If Iâm apply in an area, I donât double apply so it would be good to know if the HO is matching up with other sitters sooner rather than later.
Are talking about inviting sitters individually or sitters replying to a listing you put out with specifics dates? If the former â that model doesnât work well as it is very difficult to blindly find people interested in your sit, able to get there, and able to get there when you need them. If the latter, you might need to work on your listing to make it more attractive.
You shouldnât have to âsellâ them on anything. You should be able the good, the great and the not so good in the description of your home and pets and to showcase everything with photos.
May I add to the suggestions: as a sitter without a car I like to know if there is a bus or train station nearby. If there is, itâs a bonus for that sit.
You do need to sell yourself & your sit as there are more owners wanting sitters then there are available sitters. Experienced good quality sitters are very discerning in the sits they apply for and accept.
The best way to get feedback from both owners & sitters is to link your THS listing to your forum profile. Below is the link on how to do this.
Great suggestion. I thought simply answering Yes to the question would show vehicle availability. Now Iâll probably update my listing details to include that use of my vehicle is part of the sit. Thanks again
Great information. I will try it. I may even become a house sitter. Honestly hadnât thought about it.
Thanks for the feedback
Love this! Actually i was talking about both avenues. What you say makes great sense. Thanks much
AHA! I was wondering if Iâd scare them away if i came on too strong, however communication is key. The tip about being specific with the pet instruction clears some things up. I was given the impression that over sharing and laying on an overly regimented routine would send red flags. Thanks! I wonât feel so bad about listing Bo Jacksonâs routine
Best advice ever. Not just for THS but other areas where people need people. Iâm on it! Thanks so very much for that response. I felt it.
Thank you. Extremely helpful advice
Gotcha, Iâm understanding that timing is key and that i should expect a video chat ASAP. Iâve no problem with the video chat. Now i know itâs an internal part of the process and to move on it as soon as i get an application. Thank you, this is extremely helpful advice.
Doâs:
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Balance the pitch â Your listing (photos and description) should strike a thoughtful balance between showcasing the space and communicating expectations. Itâs the heart of the âdeal.â (This especially resonates with low-volume or last-minute listingsâhosts often adjust to what should have been front and center from the start.)
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Communicate well â Be courteous, responsive, and show genuine interest in the guest. Speed and sincerity goes a long way.
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Offer a clean, welcoming, and organized home â It sets the tone and reflects mutual respect.
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Leave a reviewâon time â Believe it or not, some skip this step, thinking a thank-you on WhatsApp will do.
Donâts:
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Avoid employer/job-like language â Terms like âinterview,â âdogwalker,â or âbookingâ miss the point. This isnât a gig; itâs a free exchange between travelers. (Also, not every listing includes pets
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Donât obscure the location â Be transparent about where the place is, how accessible it is, and confirm your arrival/departure times before the video call.
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Skip the half-measures â A welcome guide is not optional. Handwritten scraps or outdated pet or house pics from another decade donât inspire confidence.
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Retaliatory comments in reviews â Donât use the comment section to vent or punish. A bad review isnât the end of the worldâhow you respond speaks louder.
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Be upfront â No surprises with third parties. No misleading information about the pet or propertyâ all are major red flags and could potentially lead a guest to leave mid-stay. Also, not having an active vet account in place signals a lack of preparedness and responsibility.
Good luck @Kali 
Also, when browsing, our screen (laptop anyway) shows 9 listings at a time. So if we are searching on a Geographical area, or a date range, you want your listing to be the one which really catches our eye.
therefore, the COVER PHOTO, is all important.
Here is a perfect example, one photo really stands out!
Excellent summary Buttercup!
Post your listing as soon as you know your dates. The more notice you give sitters the better. I posted a 3 week vacation 6 months out and got a great sitter immediately. I know some sitters donât like to plan far in advance, but most do.