Only 1 applicant in 1 week. Normal?

Owner Questions, Advice & Chat
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Brand new to TS and created profile a week ago. Only one applicant. They chose a different location during same time as ours. Since I am new and have no reviews as of yet, is this normal to have this few applicants? Any other tips for my profile? Our trip is early September and therefore just wondering how long the process takes for applicants. Granted I know our city isn’t some dreamy spot in Mexico, but I thought there would be more interest. Perhaps I am just inpatient and nervous we will not get any applicants. Thank you for any sage advice from well seasoned owners !

(Listing added to member’s profile)

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Welcome to THS :slight_smile: I think your profile looks really nice at first glance. Your house is charming and you give good explanations for care of two kitties. I also have two kitties who don’t tolerate each other well and it really is a “dance” to make sure they both get the freedom and care they deserve. Sitters that can handle this exist but it does reduce your audience a bit.

You’ll get more input from sitters who have a more critical eye for details and dive deeper than I, but I’d:

  1. straighten your kitchen and post a new photo. It should look as clean and orderly as possible, not quite so lived-in with coffee cups out, etc. Otherwise photos are great, house looks clean and comfortable.
  2. Add a photo of the garden where the sitter and cats would spend time
  3. Describe your area a little more for those completely unfamiliar with Hyde Park / North End/ Greenbelt (like me), what is there to do?
  4. Shorten your title, sitters only see the first 5-6 words. Make it stand out as an appealing opportunity.
  5. About applicants: If the applicant you have is great, don’t hesitate to schedule a video call. You only need one. Numbers don’t matter. If they’re not a good fit you can let them know and decline their application. Many sitters consider a homeowner inconsiderate or poor communicator if they don’t respond in a timely manner. They will move on. Many sitters apply to multiple sits at once, and they are also deciding whether you’re a good fit for them, so be proactive and be kind. Some sitters will take any sit and not pay attention to the details so vet carefully and make sure they understand the specific needs of your pets.

The main thing is that you are new and have no reviews so you have to work a little harder to get good sitters to apply. I didn’t look to see what your competition is like in the area but you should do that. I think you’re on the right path, just be patient and make a couple tweaks and you’ll get there!

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Welcome to forum @ptrail !

How long it takes to attract sitters vary a lot.

There are some tweaks you could easily make.

I was unsure initially whether your daughter would be staying in the home. As that could throw some off I would clarify that sooner in the text.

Say something on why I should consider going to your location, as many sitters travel and don’t know your area. What is there to see/ do?

Is your area walkable to grocery store/ cafes and such or do I need a car?

Sights nearby?

How long can the pets be left for outings?

What bedrooms and beds are available - type and measures? Some couples prefer separate bedrooms. Is that possible?

Try to see it from a sitter point of view. The general feel of the listing is nice, though.

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Unfortunately, these four quotes from your listing make it seem like a difficult sit

“Since the cats haven’t integrated well (they tend to fight when we’ve tried)”

“We do our best to give both cats time to roam the house, but it requires a bit of a dance—swapping rooms and securing doors so each gets a chance to explore safely without crossing paths”

“We do feed each cat separately”

“We always supervise them when outside—especially Coco, who has been known to hop the fence if left alone.”

We recently did a sit similar to what yours sounds like and to be honest we found it really stressful keeping the cats apart, remembering which door had to be closed before we could open another etc.

Wild horses wouldn’t get us to do anything like it again.

If you have an applicant, and they seem like a good fit, If I was you I would grab them while you can!

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Unfortunately. But you’re right, only one good match is needed.

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LOL Don’t let Colin scare you. As I mentioned, we have two male cats who don’t get along. For three years it’s been complicated making sure they don’t cross paths without supervision but we’ve had at least five sitters who have managed it with no trouble. Our last THS sitters (a couple) actually devoted so much effort to integrating them. We’ve continued the effort and right now, two months later, the cats are sitting on the grass outside about three feet apart and not killing each other, which is a huge improvement! Those sitters loved it here so much they are returning for six weeks this fall and we are all thrilled, including the kitties. Everything is possible, just make sure it’s a good match before confirming.

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Please don’t take this personal, I’m trying to help, but there’s a couple of really important things in your profile, that tweaking, perhaps that will help. You’ve got a lot of detail in your profile, which is great, but you’ve missed some important things out.

Your title - This is what you have:

Come take care of two cats in a historic Art-Deco house located in Boise, Idaho!

But as sitters, before reading your title we already know you have cats & you’re in Boise, and ‘come take care’ are your opening words, which aren’t appealing, they’re instructional, rather than personable. Then at the start of your intro (which is the section we read first) only Coco is mentioned, not Clementine, so you’ve kicked the whole thing off with confusion straight away and your titled revealed nothing extra apart from it being an art-deco home.

Instead start your title with something that sitters don’t already know, and make it sound desirable, such as…
Lovely Art-Deco Home bla bla bla

Also…
Your ‘empty nesters’ term may not be understood by some sitters under 35 year old, or those where English isn’t their first language.

You don’t mention how many minutes walk it is to a food shop etc and/or driving time to it. It’s vital we know a sitter knows where the nearest food shop is.

You mention both cats characters towards each other… but you don’t mention many nice things about their characters in general, there needs to be a balance. Are they friendly to people, are they loving, cuddly, funny, cute, adorable etc.

Hope that helps, but it’s great you’ve included as much detail about certain things that you have.

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First, your house is lovely. That being said I would pass on this sit and I am a cat lover! It seems stressful to me. I would feel bad one cat is in essence locked away and can’t always enjoy common space. Does he meow a lot because he wants out. You said in the basement. Are there windows for him to see out? It sounds like a dungeon. Then if they do meet they fight. I am very sensitive to violence except when animals kill for survival (food) Does not sound enjoyable at all. Then I have to remember which cat can go where, when. You also said he sometimes escapes the yard. What happens then. Is sitter responsible to find him? Do you have a relative or friend that will take one cat to their house for the time you are away? Then post what is enjoyable about the cat the stay is for.

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Looks lovely, but would also pass. Regardless of belonging to a family member, a neighbor, or a friend, it’s essentially a pet you’re looking after for someone else. That would typically require separate memberships.

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Great job integrating the notes given so far! The home and sit seem lovely, and I’ve favorited it for the future😊 As someone who travels without a car, I wouldn’t have expected a sit in Idaho to be so walkable, but this sounds great. I would not personally be put off by anything I’m seeing here; I’ve done several sits with new HOs and am not bothered by a lack of reviews, as long as the tone and details in the listing and in the video call don’t give me any red flags.

If the cats would be ok and you wouldn’t mind this scenario, consider adding a line like this at the end of the paragraph about door-swapping: “If this is something you’re uncomfortable managing, however, they can remain in their separate zones throughout the sit. Our main priority is that they each get plenty of love!”

A few other notes to consider:

:backhand_index_pointing_right: “suitable for remote work” is ticked, but I see no photos of a work area. consider describing what it’s like working here (how’s the wifi? is it quiet for calls?), and/or if you have a specific desk space, maybe add a photo

:backhand_index_pointing_right: if you have any, consider including a photo or two of the nearby scenic parks/hikes you mentioned. also consider a photo of the boise skyline or main street or something – these can help a sitter get a feel for what it’s like to stay in your area.

:backhand_index_pointing_right: try experimenting with the title. the current one is very good, but you might experiment with other variations that communicate further appeal. for example…

  • Art-Deco Home Near Downtown & Nature Trails with 2 Sweet & Spunky Cats!
  • Art-Deco Home Walkable to Downtown & Nature Trails with 2 Sweet & Spunky Cats!
  • Historic Home Near City & Nature with 2 Sweet & Spunky Cats!
  • Charming Art-Deco Home in Friendly City Community - No Car Needed!

Timeline to get a sitter can vary a good deal by location and sit duration; however, several others have been posting recently about slightly slower-/lower-than-normal applications. (Seems to be a “sitter’s market” at the moment.) But as others have mentioned, all you need is one! Good advice from @Shafofo about responding early to each applicant.

It is also always important to have a plan B ready to go, just in case.

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Great suggestions! Already made a lot of changes. Feel free to look at my new edits.

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Thank you. Incorporated your suggestions into my new and revised profile.

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Thank you for pointing all of this out to me. I was in such a rush to get profile up that I have now completely revised it. Love to know if you think it reads better!

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Thank you for your input. I did make some slight revisions. No, it is not a dungeon in the basement. It is another bedroom and one that she retreats to when she wants as that was her base camp when she first got here and she knows it is her space. We do have her in there at night (complete with her food and litter box) but during the day, we have both cats out in the house with some light refereeing. If one cat seems to be getting too anxious, we resort to separating them into different rooms, per our vet and other cat behaviorists recommendations. No, we do not let them have full on fights. They are getting better at being together and I am hopeful that by the time our trip rolls around they will be fully integrated. If you re-read my revised text, it will make more sense.

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Great tips. Did change title and added more photos/text.

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Super suggestions. Made a bunch of new changes. I think it is better? Agree?

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I think the listing is so much better, @ptrail .

I do however miss info on

how long the pets can be left for outings. Many have 4+ hours as a minimum, and with 6+ or 7-8 hours to leave the pets at a time, you will have most cat-sitters in your possible pool.

What bedroom (-s) and beds are available to the sitter, with type and measures. Some avoid pull-outs and such, some couples prefer separate bedrooms. So this is important in regard to how many would consider a sit.

These two factors are vital to attract sitters, as they are criterias for many sitters to apply for a sit or not.

Many sitters will also have criterias regarding sleeping with the pets. Where do the pets sleep? If they sleep in the bedroom with the sitter or in the bed, it should be mentioned, so that you get the right applicants for that. Many will however avoid such a sit.

It is important that vital information is in the listing, as otherwise the sitter will have grounds to cancel (or leave) a sit. It seems that you have managed both to keep information and word it differently, which is great.

Don’t do anything you are not comfortable with. What you need is a - one - good match. But on the other hand, it would be a shame to miss out on a good sitter if it is something you would happily accommodate had you known.

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Thanks for being so receptive to everyone’s feedback @ptrail :heart: and thanks to those who have been popping on to share some feedback about the listing!

Wishing you lots of luck finding a sitter @ptrail - the cats are super cute!

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The changes you’ve made so far have greatly improved it, now, as we all see different ways in which a listing could be better, then each time anyone mentions anything on here, just consider what they have said and enhance it each time and fingers crossed you’ll have more applicants. That way, next time around, you’ll already have a great profile anyway.

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