I am a complete THS newbie and want to make sure I’m doing as much as I can to get good sitters. I know our dates are a little soon—we had a house sitter fall through unexpectedly—but I’d love to know if there is more I should or could be doing to increase my chances of getting applicants. Thank you in advance for any guidance or suggestions!
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If you make your profile available to be seen by forum readers, sitters can tell you what is appealing to them and also possibly suggestions for improvement.
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@Ebhgold, welcome to THS and THS Forum.
Love the enthusiastic approach to optimize listing to secure great housesitters. It’s a great question as housesitting is a trade. Better listings (however defined) probably secure a greater number and/or greater quality of applicants.
There’s a tonne of information and guidance in THS Forum - suggest use Search function and poke around.
Also below link contains weblinks to two PDF documents, written by THS Forum members, that seek to provide generic guidance on making a great listing and attracting housesitters.
Good luck!
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Welcome to forum @Ebhgold !
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I’m so inept at this that I thought I had made my profile available. 
I’ll try again.
This is great–thank you!
Hi @Ebhgold
I have gone ahead and added your profile on here for you. 
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Great headline picture! Certainly caught my attention. You’ve done a good job describing home and pet care.
Your selection of photos show off your home well and let’s prospective sitters know what to expect. I would say a maximum of 3 pictures per pet is sufficient ( but I know we all have so many cute pictures).
Good luck in finding the perfect match. You’ve made a great start.
Aww, thank you so much! I made quite a few changes after reading through all the great advice on this forum!
I so appreciate it!
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I read your profile you added. The cover picture is stunning but the photo I like the most is the dog and the cat staring at each other. It is just too cute! I stared at it for a while. I think that is the eye catcher
Photo. It shows how cute they are and most importantly how well they get along to be that close to each other. I would put the stunning picture 2nd but make sure that is the view from your house not from somewhere in the neighborhood.
The only thing that would prevent me from applying is that the dog has to be let out several times a day. Sounds like you have no doggie door. People like to explore the area. Please be specific on the times the dog has to be let out. You just said several times a day.
Also the fact that you have to let the dog out in the middle of the night may be another factor turning people away. Does the dog bark at 3 in the morning to be let out? I would suggest if you plan to travel a lot in the future to install a doggie door. I think if you do that everything else is lovely. One other thing. Some people would rather stay in the guest room than the master bedroom. I am one of those people. I want the homeowners to come home to the bedroom the way they left it. A lot of homeowners want to give me the master bedroom because they think it is the nicest room. I prefer the smaller cozier guest room. Can you give the sitter a choice?
Your pets look so friendly and sweet that I think a sitter would have a great time with them!
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Agree with @Seniorsitter on the bedroom question. Some couples also prefer separate bedrooms, or it could be a question of mattress-preference - so if in reality it is possible for the sitter to choose bed/ bedroom it is an advantage to say so.
Offering the master is ofc very hospitable as many times that would be the larger and/ or best bed. The hospitality is appreciated also when a sitter then choose a smaller room to sleep in. 
But only offer what you are comfortable offering.
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Thank you for all your suggestions! 
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@Ebhgold
As a sitter I have these questions when I read your listing -
Is the bed shown in the photos the one where the sitter will be sleeping ? (If not , please add a photo that shows the bedroom where the sitter will sleep.)
Where do the dog and cat sleep ?
Some sitters are very happy to have the pets sleeping with them ( but this doesn’t suit all sitters ) . Whatever the expectations are, that’s ok but please add this information to your listing .
Letting the dog out in the night would also put me off from applying (as I need my sleep ) . However, it’s essential that this information stays in the listing, so that those who apply are fully aware and know what to expect .
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Welcome to the Forum and to THS, @Ebhgold you’ll get some great advice from our members here!
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This is super helpful! Thank you for your perspective!
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Thank you so much for all your help regarding my listing!!! Someone has applied, and she sounds really good. It would be her first time sitting using THS. Is that something to be wary of/concerned about? I figure everyone has to have a first time. But if you have suggestions of questions I should ask her or red flags to be on the lookout for, I would so appreciate your expertise!
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@Ebhgold if I am not mistaken, you are also a newbie to THS ? So sitters are also talking a chance on you - ( A Host’s identity has not been verified by THS, also a host can not post external references on their listing)
We all started out with our first THS sit and no reviews . However as sitters we were able to add external references from
friends that we had house sat for. Does the sitter who has applied have external references on their profile?
Definitely, I recommend that you arrange a video call with the sitter who has applied asap. This is an opportunity for both of you to ask questions and find out if you are a good match for each other .
Our first two sits were for hosts who were also new to THS . We had video calls before confirming sits . These sits worked out well for both parties . We have now done over 30 sits on THS. We are very grateful to the hosts who gave us that first sit opportunity. In fact, we recently returned back to that very first sit and had another enjoyable stay.
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Yes, we are also brand-new to this! So I am very sympathetic to the concept of there being a first time. We are setting up a video meeting, which I’m sure will be helpful. I love that you had such a good experience your first time!
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As all have been new at a point it isn’t in itself a problem. What seems sometimes being a problem is that newbies take things for granted and don’t talk things through, and/ or ignore red flags (could ofc also happen to experienced members).
So my advice would be to use the opportunity of being new to talk about a lot of topics in detail, to ensure you align your expectations and that you both are transparent. It is not about finding «flaws», but common ground, transparency and a good match.
Nice people tend to avoid difficult issues, which later might lead to conflict. So if something makes you worry - do ask. «What are your thoughts on…» If you feel that something is «off», don’t do the sit. Trust your gut. You might lose a sitter that is great, but rather that than kicking yourself afterwards.
Be clear on your expectations and the responsibilities involved and talk about how and when you should communicate and travel arrangements/ times.
That being said - chances are that you will do great.
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