I want to put in a plea to homeowners to post your sit as early as possible. Even if your departure and return dates are not quite firmed up. As an occasional house-sitter and often Airbnb-renter (I am home-free), I need to plan well ahead. Self-contained Airbnb suites normally offer a discount for stays of four weeks or more, making the cost more reasonable (in my budget). Finding an Airbnb available for four contiguous weeks is often only possible if booked many weeks, or a few months, in advance. So, for me, sits posted only a few weeks before the start date are much too late. For sits of at least two weeks, I am always willing to be flexible with start and end dates, so as soon as you have more-or-less firm dates in mind, please go ahead and post your sit!
In normal times your request would be absolutely understandable. However until this global crisis with constantly changing rules and immigration regulations is over, how am I supposed to know if my travel plans for next year in July are going to work out? I don’t want any sitter to rely on me and then I have to cancel the sit. This surely would be very inconvenient.
Travel is picking up and with more vaccinations worldwide being available we are on the way to normality but not yet.
Hi @LauraC ,
While I completely understand your personal needs, I’m a sitter who’s on the other end of the spectrum! 
Booking a sit more than a month or two out makes me nervous, so I love seeing last minute sits in my searches.
Hi @LauraC welcome to our community forum and thank you for joining us from beautiful British Columbia, Canada … our community have many different personal travel needs and will obviously plan accordingly.
In these uncertain times “re-think out of the normal” is at the forefront of many member’s plans, there is much more of a “wait and see” attitude, which is perfectly understandable.
I’m sure you will begin to see more and more opportunities as things become more normalised … are you planning to stay in Canada or looking to go international?
Do take time to look around the forum and engage with members from around the world … there some great conversations here >> Travel Talk - TrustedHousesitters Community Forum
Looking forward to sharing in your THS experiences.
Angela and the Team
Thanks, Angela. Given the current conditions around international travel, I am definitely considering only sits within my own country. I should have made that clear in my post.
It has been hard for me as well. As an American sitter who has gone overseas for five years by choice, I am finding homeowners are reluctant to choose Americans now due to COVID; despite the fact that I always let them know that I am vaccinated and have continued to wear a mask and do social distancing. I have likely renewed my membership this year for no reason. It is disheartening. I usually plan my sits well in advance as well, as I stay over for several months, but there aren’t even enough sits posted these days to do that.
I don’t think the reasons for not choosing sitters from abroad are masks and vaccination.
The reasons why people don’t want sitters from overseas lie in the still changing rules and immigration restrictions. It’s complicated enough to book your own vacation, knowing you might not be able to go without adding another insecurity by accepting a sitter, who might need to cancel the sit. I would not want to have to cancel a sit when there are expensive airplane tickets involved. We’re not over the hill yet! There’s still the danger of new mutations which the current vaccination might not help against. The vaccination rates aren’t high enough as well in the US as in many European countries.
I chose an American couple for December but only because they already are in Europe. I wouldn’t have done so if they had to fly in from the US for the sit.
If you like last minute sits look at mine I am desperate for a house sitter Oct/Nov dates as my sitters pulled out and so far no joy, i get your point but I security wise i organised my sit in advance and they pulled out leaving me little time to finds a sitter. If I had left it to last minute i Probably would be in the same position I am in now, no takers. It’s a hard one, and costly if you have a cruise booked
@Champfleurie everything about your sit looks lovely. If I hadn’t already booked a trip to visit my daughter in London in October, I would definitely apply!
Perhaps it would help to highlight that you’re located in the Champagne region of France, maybe by mentioning it in the title of your listing. When we lived in Paris, I was surprised by how many of our visitors didn’t know about this beautiful part of the country. Will they have already harvested the grapes by October? If not, you could also mention that in your title.
Best wishes finding a sitter so that you can enjoy your cruise!
Hello @champfleurie
Yes it is a pity you have not found someone yet : we have seen your listing and it looks fab (your girls are gorgeous ! and what about your swimming-pool OMG !!)… but we also have already booked sits in october !
Maybe you can tag @Vanessa_A or @Angela_L to help you pushing your listing in their social media.
I’m sure you will find somebody to help you.
And I agree with @Mary-Kay Champagne is such a wonderful place : Troyes is a lovely medieval town : so many things to visit (and local champagne to enjoy 
)
Good luck 
@Champfleurie It’s such a shame as we are based not far from you (near Dijon) and would have loved to apply but we are on a repeat sit that overlaps at that time, in the Alps. I know that a sitter has shared this for you in a few places on FB but maybe Angela can help with the THS specific social channels. I do hope you find someone soon. All the best, Vanessa
I need to thank her as we got two ladies applied today but before that a chap I had invited, while being proactive which is not my style at all, came back abs said he would love to sit for us so we are sorted phew
Hi @Champfleurie that is such wonderful news we cannot tell you how pleased we are for you.
Sharing across our Social channels including FB & Twitter together with one of our members sharing on other FB groups, you reaching out so successfully (even though it’s not your style) and relisting … as you say Phew!!!
There’s a sitter who is in store for an amazing sit, thank you for updating us all and have a lovely vacation.
So glad you found somebody!!! Enjoy the holidays!!
Excellent news 
You now have to tell us where you are going @Champfleurie … we’ll you don’t have to of course but I’m sure many would love to know … 
I would just like to say to owners that sitters are all different, some like to plan ahead, while some of us travel and pick up sits as we go. We travel freely (when we can, obviously) and are much more likely to want a shorter notice sit.
Whatever suits an owner, will also suit a sitter.
We went on a Mediterranean cruise and it was very nice thanks