Hello everyone.
I’m new to THS after following the forum for about a year. I joined and landed two house sits coming up soon.
I applied to two more for October. They haven’t replied yet after a couple of days. I’m wondering how long it generally takes for a host to reply. I am trying to fill up my schedule since I have sold my house and put my things in storage.
I understand that there will be gaps and I’m prepared for that. I don’t want to put too many applications out at once but I also would like to fill up my schedule until December at least.
Unfortunately, the response time is highly variable. Since you are new, and you are trying to fill every possible gap on your calendar, I would not necessarily withdraw your applications. The Owners might respond tomorrow.
However, I would apply to other Sits freely.
There was a thread recently on exactly this topic: Strategies of Digital Nomads. Someone will find it and provide a link!
Hi Tekla, We fell into house sitting last year when our accommodation cancelled on us at the last minute. When we are applying for house sits we usually apply for up to 5 plus for that time frame. Because some will answer, some will decline (straight away) and some will reply in their time frame. Don’t be scared to apply for as many as you want, you just need to keep a journal of sits you have applied for, if your like me you’ll lose track. I use a piece of A4 paper with the weeks drawn for the month, as I’m a visual person I do it this way and when I get a house sit for those dates I use a highlighter to block that week or dates out. And I go back into the other sits I have applied for at the same time and withdraw my application and send the pet owner a message. They love this and it makes you look very professional. If you need anything else please feel free to reach out. Sally
Apply for any sit that appeals to you and doesn’t overlap with a current one. Don’t wait for HOs to respond.
Sometimes you’ll get offered a sit that would prevent you from taking one you’d prefer, and you’ll have to weigh the bird in the hand vs. the one in the bush.
It is my impression that some HO wait quite a long time before they answer, and some seem to regard is as necessary to not answer before they have at least five applicants.
I apply freely as long as I don’t get any feedback, and it has happened that I got another confirmed sit and then withdrew my other application where the HO didn’t answer.
I do find it both «good tone» and smart to answer for a HO - it could be just «Thank you for your application, I will come back to you on Thursday» or decline immediately if they see that it is not the sitter they are looking for. But I just move on, and make a mental note that maybe I will not apply there again.