I recently joined and created a listing for sitters to stay at our home in July. While nine potential sitters have saved my listing, I haven’t received any applicants yet. Is this normal?
This is my first time using Trusted House Sitters, so I’m unsure what to expect. I’ve provided detailed information about my home, pets, and responsibilities. I’ve also added attractive dates in July to attract interest, hopefully.
Is there anything I can do to improve my listing or increase the likelihood of receiving applicants? I would greatly appreciate any tips or advice from experienced users.
My listing is here: *listing like added to forum profile as per posting terms
@Jellybean , your listing is so warm and inviting it is no surprise that nine people have favorited it. The fact that it is not accessible by public transportation may be an issue for many. I am a newbie myself , but I think the wise and experienced sitters here would ask if there’s any chance that you can loan a car and/or pick up sitters from a nearby train or bus stop. Only those that live in Ireland and have a car, or others who are willing to pay the high cost of hiring a car, would be able to do your sit. If there are public transport options, both to your area and from your home into Shrule, it would be helpful to mention them. Good luck, your sit and pets sound lovely!
I love your listing. My spouse and I have considered listings in other countries but that’s one of the topics we consider- is a car available? It would definitely help people consider it, if it’s an option for you of course. If not, then an airport pick up/drop off and perhaps a bike or scooter would be a big help.
Always remember that if you do consider allowing access to your car, you can request to see a driving abstract/license/etc to make sure your car is in good hands.
Your listing is great. Maybe a little too much detail about feeding and plant-watering, but some people like that detail. I prefer to leave it for the Welcome Guide.
The size of the house will appeal to families, so you can emphasize that in the headline. Only the first few words will show in search results, so start with, for example “5-bed house near Galway…” Many foreign visitors will have heard of Galway.
I’m from Ireland and think that you will find sitters in time for the trip. You might find an Irish family looking for a getaway. If 9 people have saved the listing already, it must be appealing.
Your listing looks great and I agree with some of the points brought up by other sitters.
I would also add that saving and favouriting a listing doesn’t mean the sitter is available to apply. I have saved and favourited many listings which look and sound great but I may not be a fit at that moment (I might be busy with another sit or in another country) but I save them to get notifications for a future occasion.
Great profile, but you’ve made a couple of very basic things that could be improved.
In your intro you give the impression you are a 20minute drive from humanity and incredibly isolated, but in your location part you say you are only a 5 minute drive from a village, plus you don’t mention it until lower down in that section too. So straight away any sitters that don’t want total isolation would click away at thought of driving 20 minutes for a pint of milk, so you have narrowed your market as some would have clicked straight away at that point. So you really need to mention 5 mins as a selling point in your intro too (it’s a huge bonus), so a sitter knows they can get to a shop for food… and a pub.
Also, move the responsibilities craic into the responsibilities section, not in your Intro, ie ‘caring for our pets’ and ‘maintaining the house’. Stick to the fun and interesting things about you and your place in the intro. You need to sell yourself in the intro before sitters click away, so don’t put your expectations there.
Hi @Jellybean
While I can’t help you as am already booked, I am planning to travel and Housesit around Ireland next year so will be looking out for you!
As @Lassie says there is no need to mention all the feeding requirements as the correct place for that is in the Welcome Guide.
The fact that people have favourited your sit means that when dates appear that they can do they will likely apply then. Presumably none of them are available for your dates.
Good luck, I’m sure someone will apply
My 2 cents a lot of times I will favor a sit for a couple of reasons. 1. I’m interested looks like a good fit but I’m unsure about travel so need to look into it 2. The dates don’t match right now but hopefully in future so going to favorite it. 3. This is one of the places I want to travel but can’t right now but this pp profile looks great for possible future
It is not even all that likely. I do not have that many sits marked as favourites, and still I get push notifications quite often. Maybe from Brazil etc, but such sits are mostly an exotic dream.
Hi @Jellybean , how great to see someone from Ireland here. I know where Shrule is, as I lived in Galway previously. These dates don’t work for me, but maybe we’ll meet in future!
If there is a bus stop in the village, perhaps you can choose the label “accessible by public transport”. It’s technically true and might attract more sitters.
I am currently in a small place in England and public transport is super basic, but the owner said that public transport was available, which attracted me, so the label can make a difference!
Hey there,
Looks like you’ve gained plenty of great advice already, and I strongly agree with all the above advice! I really love your listing overall though - it sounds and looks very appealing.
The only thing I would struggle with as a sitter for this sit is that the dog cannot be left for more than 4hrs at a time - that’s quite time limiting, especially if getting somewhere further afield could take up to an hour, let’s say (an hour there & back again is already 2hrs, which only leaves 2hrs to see a place!) Can the dog go on car trips? I would mention this, as it allows sitters to have more free time to explore - 4hrs really isn’t long and leave sitters quite house bound. Besides that, it reads very nicely!
Hi from Ireland also but a much less sought-after part of it! You really could not be anywhere more stunning. I am sure now you have put the offer of a car in you will get someone (be aware adding them to your insurance is a bit of a faff as you need all their details up front before you will even get a quote). It’s a good sign that people are favoriting it but that doesn’t necessarily translate to applications as others have said. One thing I have done in the past with sone success if I have been tight on time is to reach out to newly-joined sitters in Ireland who may be looking to build up reviews. But your listing is so good you may not need to do this. Hope it works out!
I’ve just looked at your posting and it looks fab. You’ve got bikes should anyone want to use them. We don’t have much in the way of public transport here and I put it on my listing and we don’t have bikes to use. As it’s said, offer to collect from a station (if there’s one nearby) or near bus stop. As for putting someone on your insurance….what a faff! I wouldn’t bother. You’ve still lots of time to get a sitter. Don’t worry.
Just one more note about favoriting. When a sitter favorites the result is that they will be notified right away when you post future dates, a little before those who have matching searches set up, giving them an advantage for applying first/early. Given the current 5-app restriction this is huge. I will only favorite sits that I think I would apply for should the dates work out in the future.
