“If you rented this house it would be $13,000/mnth“

[andrealovesanimals]

Why don’t these people rent out their home then and pay for a pet hotel?

They might actually make a profit that way

[toreishi]

Arrogance at its height.

Run far, far away.

With homeowners like that, NOTHING would make the sit worthwhile in my book.

[Happypets]

@idocsteve

AirBnbs in our neighborhood rent for 400 € per nite. That’s 12,000 € or about $14000 per month. Before THS we paid a sitter 70 € /day or about $2500 per month to house sit. Both parties save a ton of cash using this platform. The sitter potentially gets greater value but they pay for it in their labor which for our property is about 2 hours per day.

I wouldn’t write that on a listing, it sounds arrogant and is a real put off. But I mention it here on the forums quite often

A word of caution: it sounds arrogant and is rather off-putting for sitters on this forum, too!

Any HO who even begins to weigh up the potential financial value of what they believe they’re offering to sitters, is totally missing the real ethos of THS. And if a sitter feels the need to explain that ethos, it’s likely they’re flogging a dead horse. We see it for what it is to us: a huge red flag!

[idocsteve]

@Happypets

A word of caution: it sounds arrogant and is rather off-putting for sitters on the forums, too!

I get it. There’s a fine line between being proud of one’s property and suggesting at a sitter is lucky to have the opportunity to stay there.

Any expressed arrogance on my part is largely tongue in cheek, we appreciate the benefits we get from THS and the sitters who care for our home and pets. Although I often consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to look out over what many consider to be a spectacular view, and enjoy everything that goes with spending my post retirement life in such a beautiful place.

[andrealovesanimals]

How about a sitter who says: My pet sitting services have the value of 100$ per day, or something equally silly? What happened to doing this out of love?

[idocsteve]

@andrealovesanimals

What happened to doing this out of love?

Some do it out of love. Others, probably many do it to save on the cost of lodging and pet care.

[Cathie]

Look we all save money doing this, let’s just admit it and be clear. For some that is the driving force, for others it is a bonus.

I have come to see sitting as a more ethical way to travel as a non disrupter to housing. A quick browse of Airbnb in my home locale horrified me as I see how much this adds to the difficulties in finding affordable full time rentals. Airbnb may say they are a small percentage but talk to locals in any tourist town without regulations and you will see the problem. I contribute to that problem but would like to do that less, so hopefully I will sit more as I travel.

[ABGM]

@Cathie

A quick browse of Airbnb in my home locale horrified me as I see how much this adds to the difficulties in finding affordable full time rentals.

Similar experience for me. Very hard to get rental housing locally (although, exacerbated by bad tenants putting people off in general) – but when I had a browse, I was astounded at how many Airbnbs there are in a very small community.
I’m also appalled at how expensive Airbnbs have become, in so many places, even off-season. It used to be a good alternative to hotels – you got a nicer place, a kitchen, a whole apartment, for less than a hotel. No more!!

[andrealovesanimals]

@Cathie

Look we all save money doing this, let’s just admit it and be clear.

Of course, and I am hugely grateful for this, as it is a win win for both sides. When you start arguing about who gets more value, that’s where problems can start. If you don’t give whatever you give with an open mind and heart.

[Janinalynn]

If it’s a pet sit, I’d be more interested in knowing about the pets than the value of the house, which doesn’t interest me at all.

[idocsteve]

@Janinalynn

I’d be more interested in knowing about the pets than the value of the house,

It’s not about the value of the house, it’s about the desirability of the sit.

[Cathie]

An expensive house does not necessarily make a desirable sit. A good attitude, well that’s priceless

[idocsteve]

I’m not a sitter but given the choice I’d prefer a host with a somewhat difficult host with a comfortable house in a highly desirable location rather than a really great host with a shack under a bridge.

[systaran]

@idocsteve Fortunately, there are great hosts with desirable sits as well as other options for accommodations. There is no reason to sit for a difficult host.

[Janinalynn]

The value of the house would have little to do with the desireability of the house - for ME. There are many factors I look for - that is not one of them.

[Cathie]

No shacks under bridges for me either. I have a nice house, I don’t need to sit for difficult hosts.

[Silversitters]

Most sitters already have their own desirable homes and the funds to stay in hotels in great locations so zero reason and completely illogical to compromise and sit for a “ difficult host “ .

[idocsteve]

@Cathie

No shacks under bridges for me either. I have a nice house, I don’t need to sit for difficult hosts.

In my example the easy host was the one who lived in a shack under a bridge.

[Maggie8K]

Yup, and I would rather not sit at all than bother with difficult hosts, ever. Happily, it’s not been hard to find nice hosts with nice homes, I’ve found.

[Newpetlover]

@idocsteve

In my example the easy host was the one who lived in a shack under a bridge.

An example that doesn’t belong in THS because:

• minimal livable conditions are required.
• every sitter gets to decide what is desirable for them.
• for the vast majority of sitters this lifestyle is a personal choice not an emergency need of accommodation. It’s supposed to be fun, not a sacrifice.

@idocsteve

I’m not a sitter

That’s more than clear in this post.