I am new here requesting a pet sit in my home in Providence, RI. So far, only someone that had NO REVIEWS who I couldn’t vet any other way !!! responded . I rejected that offer.
No other offers came in. What is wrong? Why would I pay $299- just to get no good responses? I am getting worried.
I don’t feel just a verified name alone is good vetting. Probably Trusted Petsitters doesn’t have any recourse or reimbursement if their sitter is a no show or a bad person.
I CAN provide reviews and ratings of myself so potential sitters can see I am a responsible .
If you post your listing here (link it in your forum profile), we acn make suggestions on how to improve the listing. You need to look at your photos critically - is the place tody? Are the photos clear and bright? Are you showing every room that sitters will use?
Are your pets high-maintenance? Is your tone friendly and welcoming? There is so much that can affect your appeal to sitters. You have to sell your place as somewhere that people will want to visit.
It might help to fill out the amenities section of your listing. Also, clear picture of where sitter will sleep. Personally, I will not accept a daybed or sofabed. Do you have an actual bed you can offer? Is your Airbnb in the same house? Will it be occupied? The sitter willing to accept uncertain accommodations in exchange for generous extras you offer may not be the experienced sitter you hope for. Good luck and welcome.
The fact is that every sitter on THS had “no reviews” at some point. People have to start somewhere, and new sitters can be especially careful to do a great job since they’re trying to build their reputation on the site.
Often the advice to these new sitters is to seek out last-minute sits with hosts who have low applications and/or no previous reviews of their own, as they may be more amenable to giving you an opportunity.
I guess one could say they’re bootstrapping each other: a win/win.
I’m seeing a listing in Cranston with April & June dates. Is that you?
Couple of thoughts: it needs some more hype about the area. Suburban sits where everything is driving seem to be trickier. Consider mentioning if anything is in walking distance if there is. (Seven Stars maybe???)
I’d also hype the many great coastal and historical communities that are in driving distance–Newport, Narragansett, Jamestown, Little Compton, etc.
Mention great seafood in summertime and art & cultural events and exhibits all year long.
If you’re near any of the rails to trails bike paths and would offer up your bike, mention that.
How close are you to PVD? The train station?
Also, I’d provide a clearer schedule for your puppy so people can easily figure their exploring time.
@JMW-PVD-RI You’ve received excellent constructive feedback so far from some experienced members. I suggest you take your listing down, work on the needed improvements, and then repost. It will then show as a new (fresh) listing.
I’ll just mention a few things (as a sitter with 10+ years on this site):
Your initial photo does nothing to make your listing stand out, or draw me in.
Including dependable and responsible in your title is ineffective. Most of us think we are that anyway (even the not-so-good ones).
Amenities section is essential.
If you are only providing a daybed (hard to be sure without the Amenities section), many quality sitters will pass you by.
A photo of the bathroom is one of the mandatory photos apparently (yet another new listing slipping through, @Mark_B)
Clarify whether the Airbnb is operational (hopefully not) during the sit.
Note that text accompanying your photos only displays on the app, not on the website. Anything you feel is important from those should also be listed on the website.
Avoid the term 1st floor as it’s not universal (different meaning in different countries). This is a global community. Use the terms ground floor and upper floor(s).
If you have no reviews yet on PS … - correct that or clarify the PS.
The observation about maybe attracting the wrong sitters with your enticements is unfortunately true, especially with the rapid growth of the website and deceptive marketing by the company.
Given you are a host with no TrustedHousesitters reviews, requiring more from new-to-THS sitters (who may be experienced from outside this company) may be offensive. Having a good video chat can be more productive and more respectful.
If @temba is correct about your listing dates being in August then you should know that Pit Bull Terriers are banned in the UK so that might put off some British sitters. However, a lot of British sitters have been put off travelling to the US because of Mr T, problems at immigration and now the Middle East war isn’t helping. So it will likely be that local sitters apply.
As someone mentions, you are new to THS also and therefore have no reviews from past sitters.
As @Snowbird says, ensure your listing is written in a welcoming tone. Your post here doesn’t come across as very friendly at all. Take on board the useful criticism here.
You need to think outside the box on this one. The term beggars can’t be choosers comes to mind.
Some highly reviewed sitters can be poor and a zero review sitter can be the next THS superstar. Everybody knows somebody. Ask for references from parents, friends siblings a high school English teacher. Get their social media information and reach out to people there. Rather than simply decline out right there are other methods that may work for you.
Looking at your listing the photos could work a lot harder for you for kerb appeal, plus an amenity list is essential for sitters so please add asap. Especially bed size and a strong image. You have a fair amount of competition around your dates so making your listing more friendly in tone and less specific as a new host would also help you attract sitters. As others have said, we all start somewhere so a new sitter is not a bad one, schedule a video call and chat with them before ruling them out. #picsandamenities
Ok I found it, the issues for me would be:
*the tone of the listing…
*the x2 poos on each of x3 potty breaks!
*separation anxiety even from one room to another….
*no guest bedroom or shower photos
I would kindly suggest that a paid sitter is maybe more suitable for this sit.
@Smiley I access the website using a Macbook Air and I don’t see any of the captions under photos that I see on my iPhone. If you look at this poster’s listing (by now you may have sleuthed it out), under the fourth (dark) photo, on my phone I see the following caption.
You may have better luck if you make some changes to your listing. First, sitters need clear photos of the spaces they will be using. I’m surprised that an Airbnb host wouldn’t know to provide good photos. I see a room with a TV, is there a sofa or is that the same room with the daybed? Also, does the daybed have an actual mattress or is it more like a futon or sofa bed type mattress? You are also limited to solo sitters if you are only offering a daybed. Be sure to complete the amenities section too.
The Airbnb situation needs to be explained. Will there be guests during the sit or is the sitter staying in the Airbnb part of the home? Personally, I won’t sit in a home with Airbnb guests during the sit, I have done so and I won’t do that again.
You are insisting on reviews but don’t have any yourself. Keep in mind that this is an exchange of equals, it’s a partnership, sitters need to vet you too. When I see a listing that requires sitters have reviews but the HO doesn’t have any, I scroll on (and I have 68 reviews). My first sit was with an HO that was also new, we both took a chance on each other. I linked my Airbnb profile when I was new to THS so people could see my reviews as a guest, you might want to see if you can link your Airbnb profile.
I would also remove the part about offering a stipend. That sounds like an offer of payment which is not allowed on THS. You could maybe say something like you will leave a gift card to a local restaurant or grocery store.
Providence is a really nice area so with some revisions to your listing you may get more applicants. If you can offer an actual bed and can accept couples you might get more applicants. There is still a lot of time to secure a sitter for August.
