It seems that most of the homeowners are offering really nice houses in great locations during a time of the year that suits travelers.
So what are the odds that I would be able to attract a sitter to stay a few weeks in a basic house miles away from the city in the dead of winter (east of Seattle, WA, USA)? It’s surrounded by woods and we have access to miles of hiking/biking trails.
Fast/solid Wi-Fi! Tasty well water!
There would just be a cat and a dog, both just needing some companionship.
If the power goes out due to a storm, they may need to start the generator.
Things like that.
Not my neck of the woods, but it sounds like the sort of sit that would appeal to me, and others who enjoy the great outdoors and are up for a bit of an adventure. Possibly not what the majority are looking for, but if your listing addresses the potential challenges that could arise (getting snowed in, losing electricity, etc.) then you’ll get applicants who are fully informed and are able to put plans in place to deal with those things should they happen.
I’d also suggest that you look for people who take the initiative and ask practical questions before they confirm the sit, ie. those who have considered the ‘what ifs’ themselves, and are already figuring out how they might deal with them.
There is usually something for everyone so long as you have an attractive, clear and well written listing that has clear benefits for the sitter and compelling reasons for them to apply. Plenty of sitters love to sit in more remote areas where there’s hiking and nature activities available, so don’t sell your self short! Here are some guides that might help with your listing:
Good advice so far but would you be willing to collect potential sitters from the airport/station etc and take them to a supermarket to get supplies for their stay? Would you be able to loan them a car? Will your home be warm? I would suggest that once you have confirmed sitters and have followed all the advice offered that you ensure a few hours for a proper handover. It would make sense to have sitters who have or have had their own home so they know the sorts of things that could go wrong. Once you have written your listing, post it on the forum so we can advise you how to make it better, if necessary. Good luck!
Don’t worry at all. You are sticking all pet sitters into one box at the moment, open your mind , we come in all shapes and sizes. You are forgetting all about those sitters (like us) who sit to be closer to different family members, and all of those sitters (like us) who embrace the whole thing as a beautiful experience, it’s less about tourist destinations for us, we love the experience of normal life in a different place. Plus cities don’t appeal to us personally, apart from where we have family there.
A lot of experienced sitters wouldn’t get too phased by power cuts or even frozen pipes as long as you give them instructions for what to do in your particular place. Same goes for slightly older sitters as they may have/had their own properties over the years, and so they are more likely to just deal with things when they occur.
And what you describe as ‘away from the city in the dead of winter’, I would describe as ‘tranquil and idyllic’. We love escaping to the middle of nowhere!
We’ve pet-sat in an apartment, a caravan, rural places, isolated places, as well as what you would class as a ‘nice houses in great locations’, but it’s about the experience for us, and every place is different. We love our pet sitting life because each place is so different and varied.
Exactly what @HappyDeb said. We are currently in a wooden house with Swedish stoves as the primary heating source, in the middle of winter, in the middle of nowhere in Sweden, splitting wood every other day to keep from freezing our butts off. And it’s beautiful. The nearest town is a 30-minute drive away. And we’re here for over 2 months… So yes, there are definitely sitters who enjoy this kind of thing. And no, we’re not poorly rated sitters, we only have 5-star reviews and often get invitations for very fancy sits in cities, which we often turn down simply because we want peace. Although I like it when there’s at least a pub nearby and you can see some people (which is definitely not the case here - hehe), but really, I’m just happy to have a super sweet, amazing dog. And if there’s a problem, there’s usually some solution to it, that’s the game. Problems are not dead ends.
If you’re saying that your place is roughing it compared with many listings’ homes, remember for example that people go camping because they want a different experience, not because they want comforts at every turn. I mention that, because people often want a change. Maybe some folks from the city might love your place, for instance. And as mentioned, some sitters prefer rural sits vs. city or suburban sits.
Just put yourself in a visitor’s place and consider how they’d get to your place, how they’d get food and other necessities, how they’d get your pets to emergency care if needed. If you help address such, you might widen your potential pool of sitters.
@Becca
People look for all kinds of sitting experiences. Washington is a beautiful state and some people are looking to “get away from it all”.
It’s true there’s a larger number of sitters looking to escape drab, cold weather than the reverse but they exist!
Maybe put the link to your listing here and you can get feedback on how to make it most attractive.
Agree with others who’ve said there are those sitters who target remote sits, me included!
I live and work in a metro area and love to escape the hustle and bustle.
Sits in the middle of nowhere last year included Minong, WI and Allons, TN. One a cabin and the other a gorgeous home. The peace and quiet was a tonic!
A less fancy home isn’t at all off-putting so long as it’s generally safe and in good repair.
No worries at all! You’re much closer to Seattle than we are in Seabeck and we’ve had great sitter responses. As a matter of fact you may have an advantage for being outside of Seattle, because there are already a ton of listings in the city itself. I find that I get a lot of local applicants who are just trying to get away from the city for a little while.
Western WA is gorgeous in the winter, especially for daily dog walking in the woods. When else would you get such magical foggy forests??
Steven, I did a 5 plus week sit in Brinnon Washington during winter, it was an hours drive to the supermarket and I loved every single second. The power went out once too, because of a storm but not for too long, just a few hours. @tothrec2 The hiking and nature are selling points for sure. Good luck, I hope you find someone soon.
I live about an hour away and have a few suggestions. Perhaps add information about your proximity to down hill and cross country skiing this time of year. Mention transit options and a bit more about nearby communities where there is shopping, theaters and restaurants. The to of Duvall is rapidly growing and is considered part of the greater Seattle area. If you have a dog, can she ride in a car? There are a lot of things to see and do within a 30 minute drive.
, we come in all shapes and sizes. You are forgetting all about those sitters (like us) who sit to be closer to different family members, and all of those sitters (like us) who embrace the whole thing as a beautiful experience, it’s less about tourist destinations for us, we love the experience of normal life in a different place. Plus cities don’t appeal to us personally, apart from where we have family there.
