Hi everyone! We are new to this application and applied for our first sit 3 weeks ago. The listing closed shortly after but the homeowner has not responded yet. How long does it typically take for them to make a decision? I feel like I can’t apply for others until I know about this one. I worry about getting accepted to another sit and then getting accepted to this one which I might prefer. I wouldn’t want to back out of anything. Just kind of wondering how to navigate it all. Since we are new I realize we may not be people’s first choice so it might be a moot point anyway! But would love to hear your thoughts and experience. Thank you!
The application does not imply a commitment at all. Feel free to apply for other sits. When I apply for a sit I have no idea if my application will even be read. I’ve had so many over the last several months that never get read, or are read but the listing just sits in ‘reviewing’ status for months. It would be nice if we could expect to at least get an acknowledgement of our application in a timely manner, but that often doesn’t happen. For the sits that I’ve done (20+) as well as upcoming confirmed sits, I have typically been contacted within 48 hours. So, if more than a few days go by I expect that I will never hear from them and move on. If it’s been three weeks already, I wouldn’t wait. They may contact you at some point and you can meet with them and consider the sit then, but you are certainly free to apply for other sits.
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As already said above, you are not committing to a sit you apply for. When I apply for more than one with overlapping dates, if the homeowner offers me the sit on the spot when we talk I will let them know if I need a little time to make a firm commitment. In that case, I will state when I’ll get back to them so as not to leave them hanging. A lot of this process is kind of a dance/dialogue, and I think it’s important to be as transparent as possible to keep the “trusted” in THS.
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Okay, this is good information to know. I am more concerned with accepting a sit and then having something better come along later because they took so long to respond. But it sounds like 3 weeks isn’t a good sign so I should just move on. Thanks for your advice!
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HI @kribec , welcome to the forum. As @systaran and @Treeandcathugger have said, submitting an application does not equate to any kind of commitment. You can submit as many applications as you want at one time. If you get an offer (following a phone or video call – I recommend that you always have one prior to accepting a sit), you can ask for a few hours or a day to think about it. Then you can write to the HO you are really interested in, informing them you have just been offered a sit with conflicting dates but want to give them first choice. But that you need to hear from them by ___ . Sometimes this spurs them into action. You’ll have to decide at that point whether it’s a case of "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush " so may not want to take the chance that you could lose the offer.
Generally, I would expect to hear from a HO within the first few hours or at least within the first few days after sending an application. As has been observed, there are a lot of new owners who don’t realize time is of the essence and leave things hang.
If I were you I would apply to anything interesting that comes along. As long as you don’t have a conflict with the dates of this first application, you can leave it active for as long as you want.
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This has been covered several times in other posts. Three weeks is ridiculous. My advice would be to forget about them. if their manners and consideration for others won’t allow them to respond to you in a matter of hours, let alone weeks, do you really want to sit for someone like that?
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This thread might be useful: Sitters applying for multiple sits at the same time
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Thanks @Maggie8K! That was a good one to read.
Hi @kribec and welcome to the forum. You repeated twice that being selected for a less interesting sit, would be a bummer, and it’s obvious, for all of us. May I suggest only applying to really interesting sits to start with? The ones you’d LOVE to do?
Please please please on behalf of all home pet owners that had a sitter back out last minute: once you confirm a sit, even if the best sit ever comes in, 1 minute after and is 20 times better, (which will happen once you start applying to more), do not back out of your initially confirmed sit.
We would all love to get only stellar sits, our first choices, etc. all the time (and no, not alll sits are created equal), but once we commit, we commit.
I hope you find a great sit and you enjoy it!
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Welcome @kribec. 3 weeks is far too long to wait on a HO. I’d have cancelled my application after a week. They have probably found someone they know to sit or changed their plans without letting applicants know.
Always be applying for sits that interest you. Have a video chat with the HO and if that goes well accept the first sit you are offered.
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Hi @kribec and a very warm welcome to the Community Forum 
I have attached another thread you might also find helpful
For reference, as a member, you can also add your TrustedHousesitters profile on to your Forum profile by following the attached link, should you wish. This will then enable others to offer you helpful advice and feedback.
If you are unsure how to do this, or if you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to ask, we are all more than happy to help.
Also, remember you can use the spyglass symbol at the top of the page next to the TrustedHousesitters logo and search for any questions that you may have as they have most likely already been answered on here and of course if not then please just ask! 
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