Hi!
I joined Nov 2022 and I posted my first listing.
It’s Toronto at the end of February so I know it’s not the most hospitable time of year.
I’ve invited close to two dozen sitters.
Every one has declined, and even though their dates are showing available and they want to sit in Canada, and they are local, I’m getting most replies that they are waiting for sits in warmer locations or have already made a booking but not shown that on their calendar.
I’ve had advice from TH team that perhaps sitters don’t want to commit yet. But I’m starting to feel like my sit needs a secret sauce that I haven’t got figured out.
Welcome to the forum! I see that you have linked your THS profile on to your forum profile here so that members like myself can go ahead and take a look to offer advice since it’s against the rules to post our links to our profiles directly on the forum.
Your cats all look so sweet! I also see that you include the use of your car which will indeed attract more sitters. I think you also need to make it very clear from the start of your listing that sitters would indeed have the house to themselves as that is one of the main rules that we all agree to when signing up for a membership on THS. That could be a potential reason why some sitters have been hesitant they don’t know for sure that the space would be their own. I think some of our members will have more advice to share on how to improve your listing but don’t give up hope you still have a goodly amount of time to find a stellar sitter.
I wouldn’t worry that you haven’t found a sitter yet. You still have a few months.
I agree with @Kelly comment. Just delete the second sentence completely, to avoid confusion ("When Diana goes away, Joan might stay elsewhere, in which case that’s when we need a house sitter).
Your headline can sell the sit, so it should say something informative that we can’t see from the thumbnail. Offering a car is a huge draw, so start with that. It could read “Car incl, near Toronto, easy cats”
Your house is cute, but maybe a cat photo would attract people more. I like the one that is current second to last. I would also delete the photo showing the drying racks. It’s not helpful.
Your kitties are adorable, as is the outside photo of your sweet cottage.
Photos are tough - anything colorful attracts the eye, and places that aren’t cluttered often look that way if there is lots of stuff on a table or counter. So, I’d clear off surfaces and then re-take interior photos.
I agree about clearing away clutter so maybe take the photos again when you have done so? The photos of the cats are fine.
The fact that you say the sitter can only use the car for trips related to the house or pets might put people off. It’s also not the best time to be visiting Canada, although I’ve visited Canada twice and both times were in Winter!
Brush up on the suggestions and hang on in there!
Thank you all for your feedback. I gather you all have THS experience under your belts from the sitter and owner perspectives.
Compiling your feedback, I think I have a good sense of what I will update and what I will retain. It’s important I represent my home and my parameters of use honestly.
Looking at other posts, this is not about staying in a pristine hotel - my home is how I show it, and how it will be for the sitter.
I know I’d be confused if I arrived for a sit and it was not as presented in the listing or the video calls with the owner.
But there’s no doubt I’d have things all set for them to have a great stay.
I’d also like to think an interested sitter would ask for clarification if it helped them choose me or not.
Thanks again for your thoughts! Let’s see if my updates swing things into applications.
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