Hello! This is our second attempt to use Trusted Housesitters. We did not find a sitter the first time and had only one applicant who didn’t work out. After a fair amount of hesitation we’ve decided to try again. We’ve had our dates up for several weeks now and, again, ZERO applicants. We’ve worked hard to improve our listing, adding more pictures and details. We are quite frustrated with the TH experience so far. It feels a bit like people only get applications if they live in a “destination location.” Maybe that’s not true, but it really feels like that right now. I’m not sure how to share our listing for feedback, but we would greatly appreciate any help we can get!! We do want TH to work out. Thank you!
@FloryRobertson I just took a look at your listing and your home looks cosy and welcoming. I especially love your large front terrace.
There can be a variety of reasons for no applicants. A few I could mention- lots of different animals with different needs- although they all look cute. We have done a few multi animal sits but tend not to anymore. They do often appeal to families. What is there to do in your area? Why should sitters choose you? Your location in mid US is totally unknown to me. Might be good to give more info. Personally I think you’ve posted too many pictures- I only got to about 25 and stopped scrolling. 46 is really a lot. I would simplifiy them. Choose a couple of shots of each animal and show main room shots, not featured bits of rooms. Sitters just want to see where they will live & sleep and what the animals look like. Also does the bedroom have blinds?
Are you able to offer a car? Or are you able/willing to collect sitters from airport/train Station etc? Think of anything/everything you can do/offer to attract sitters. I’m sure others will offer further tips/suggestions. I do wish you good luck.
The first thing I noticed is how small the bed is. A lot of couples require at least a queen. Does the master have a bigger bed and can you offer that? It looks like a good sit for families with all those animals and interesting things to do in the area that you listed. Do you have room for a family? Could you make room? I do think you have a lot of pictures that are of no interests to sitters. I do think a family would love this sit.
Your listing looks cute, the tone is welcoming and it sounds flexible, even though it could appear there are a lot of animals at first glance. A few things that might help. Change the title to “Comfy home, easy pets, fresh eggs & time to explore.” as that clarifies the 6 hours away from the animals. Add the other bedroom pics for families and bed sizes to add appeal. Remove all the pics that are just a flowerpot or a piece of wall art and have 2 of each pet max as another member said, 25 is plenty. Key images for sitters are bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room and garden. I don’t understand the phrase “we love our pets and herbs” so you might need to explain. The US sits seem to be struggling more as so many international sitters aren’t visiting but hope you find someone as it sounds chilled and easy for a change of scenery. #bestofluck
Lots of animals…. that’s a pass from me.
You need to think what’s in it for the Sitters, what would tempt them to take on all the work involved especially all the watering of the vegetable garden. Please maybe buy an automatic irrigation system…and maybe offer that a friend/neighbour could take on dealing with the chickens, both of these might reduce the workload sufficiently to attract a sitter.
I think your listing is fine, but agree with @Cuttlefish mostly. (I think you could afford the extra photos of just sunflowers!) Making it “family friendly” was great as I definately see this as a great stopping off point for a family traveling around this summer. This would have been my summer dream when I was a kid, so maybe there is a way of emphasizing that.
Part of the problem is the search engine because a sitter would need to check off a number of boxes in the pet categories to find it! Part of the problem is that not a lot of sitters are thinking “Kansas,” and some sitters don’t want multiple pets.
Frankly, I know I couldn’t handle this alone, and my partner now has to return to office and can’t spend this much time away; otherwise, I’d apply and Kansas wasn’t even on my must see list before.
Things you might try:
A little more about Witchita for the uninitiated.
You are offering a car – awesome. You are near public transportation - awesome. I’d say a little more about bus options as some people aren’t crazy about driving and/or if you bikes.
I would think about who the sit would appeal to, and write it with that family or those individuals in mind – the artist who gains inspriation from the garden and the pets, the children who just feel so much joy around animals, the city dweller who can enjoy the pets and garden and peace, but also explore Witchita.
Attractive interesting title: “Bunglalow” may sound too small and rustic. How about something with “summer” in it? I don’t think I’d use the word “Riverside” unless there is a view of the riverside which I didn’t see in the photos.
The main bedroom bed is a queen. We have ordered blinds, so they are on their way. There are two other bedrooms, as well with double beds, with pictures coming soon.
Thank you for your feedback and helpful suggestions! There is a ton to do in Wichita, and a lot of it is close enough to walk to. I found links to the museums and will include them in our description, along with some screenshots. I see what you mean about too many pictures, and plan to cull out and simplify them.
We have a small car we plan to leave while we’re away, although we have never offered it to people we don’t know. I wonder how our insurance would handle that?
If you are lending your car, you can definitely ask sitters to provide their driver information and you can add a driver to your insurance. Just discuss it before confirming the sit. It’s also quite possible the sitter will be doing a road trip and have their own vehicle.
Candidly, you have a lot of animals. That can work if you are in a location that many people want to visit, or you offer amenities that can make the high number of pet responsibilities worth it.
You are in Wichita Kansas, which, by the numbers, is not really a highly sought after tourist or visitor destination. You have to think about what you are offering to potential sitters. Sorry, this has been frustrating for you. But THS is a sitter/sit marketplace, so it is true that destination locations definitely pull in more applicants.
Youve been given some great tips already. The house looks cute and pets are adorable! I have suggestions to improve the photos:
1 - kitchen - very cluttered looking with stuff on all counters, stove top. Its fine if this is how you live when you’re home on the daily ( i know I do…), most sitters want a place clear of clutter. Is it possible to roll the center cart full of small appliances somewhere off to the side for sits (if not just clearing the countertops will help a lot)? Clear off the counters and stove top and put things away, then take new pics.
2 - Bathroom - Clear off the sink area, step back further and retake the pic as the reflection in the mirror is making it look cluttered. I assume there arent doors to close and those are open storage shelves in the reflection. Tidy it up a bit if possible.
3 - Living room - there is a bunch of random stuff on the floor under the windows, if you can put this away do so. Remove the blankets hanging on the back of the chair. The side table to the couch looks cluttered also, put it away.
4 - Dining room - clear off the table except for the flowers/vase and it will look much more serene
5 - Quiet Hangout Space? Is this in any of the pictures? Make the are tidy and include a pic or remove the mentioning of it.
Have your home like the new pictures you post up so when sitters arrive its not misleading.
No advice, just I feel your pain and wish you lots of luck finding the right sitter. We have been advertising for 2 months and I have had 2 applicants who never responded to my first message and 3 who decided the sit wasn’t for them after our initial convo. I have sent invites to about 40 sitters across three different sites and no one is either interested or available for the dates. This is a first for us as we have had no problems getting sitters for the past 7 years. Quite disheartening.
In addition to the suggestions made by @Cuttlefish, it may behoove you to “invite” sitters in your state to apply. Perhaps put feelers out to 5-6 a day after thoroughly reviewing their page in THS. They may be more familiar with a rural/multi-animal situation and given the price of gas and airfares now, they may be more inclined to do something local.
Even getting a couple of hoses and sprinklers (if you don’t already have them) and setting them up in the garden area so all the sitter has to do is turn the faucet on/off for a specified amount of time, may be an agreeable solution.
Coming back with one more suggestion. I usually don’t think that sending invites is a good idea, but this sit just seems so great for kids. It’s manageable but it would give kids a lot to explore, and I know families sometimes have issues getting sits, so I would look on the app (which has a filter to include families) for sitters maybe not just in your state but driveable (Texas for example) for a family looking for a getaway. The only thing it’s missing is a place to go swimming, but it looks like those exist nearby.
Your listing looks great! And, it is well written. I like how you say you travel regularly. Perhaps list all your sits (if already scheduled) at the same time (assuming you do one sit at a time), so sitters can strategize how they fit you into their schedule.
The use of car, music room, garden, and chicken eggs are enticing!! However, perhaps explain what kind of “noise” (and when) the chickens make. Somethings that might help is to expand the airport journey to/from your home as well as the public transportation; highlight the use of your car. If you have room, consider letting them arrive a day early and staying in your guest room (that’s a big ask, but just an idea).
Personally, I don’t look specifically at destination cities per se; I actually look for long term stays and considered Wichita for another homeowner. So I wish you the best of luck, and hope as your dates get closer, you get more applicants.
Really appreciated your response, Marion, because we too are not getting applicants. This is my first time using the Forum. If you are willing, I’d love to hear your suggestions about my post. It’s long in the future, so I can delete and repost but would appreciate your feedback first. Unfortunately I don’t know how to provide info so you can see our lising? And how do I know if someone replies to a post I make in this Forum? Thanks much!