I ask why because we are located in a little town - not a city like Ottawa or Toronto. Not much to do, and it includes 2 dogs and 1 cat. I wonder why someone would be interested and that’s why I ask. Net sitter (I hope someone else applies), I will ask for a video chat. As far as the 2 that have not replied, I am not anxious to contact them again. I feel proper etiquette, they should have replied. Thanks.
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Right. Most hosts want to know this even if they live in big cities. Most sitters know to provide such in their applications. If some don’t, that can easily be asked during a video call.
Of course, you can do as you like, but since you’re in a place that’s not among the most popular and various sitters have noted how and when you ask might be at issue, repeating that unchanged would seem unwise, since you’ll have limited applicants.
If you just want agreement that they should’ve replied, OK. But that won’t help you get a sitter. Personally, I’d reply to withdraw.
If you’re new, you might not realize that there are more sits than sitters, especially when it comes to low demand locations. That means that sitters can easily move on, whether they’re rude or polite.
Typically, I’d suggest that if you start seeing a pattern and you’re the common element, you might want to consider whether the sitters saw your way of asking or timing as maybe rude, odd, abrupt or such. That would presumably be in your interest, in hope of landing a good sitter.
The best sitters typically have their choice of many sits.
If you carry on with an approach that’s off putting (as various sitters and hosts have mentioned as possibilities), you risk limiting yourself to sitters with little choice in sits and might not be good, or you might risk not getting a sitter at all. Again, that’s your choice, of course.
In any case, best to have a fallback plan, because various sits go unfilled in low-demand locations. Hosts have mentioned such struggles on the forum before.
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‘What appealed to you about our sit’ does seem kind of like a bad job interview question. If I applied, then I’ve already looked at the location and what is nearby. And I assume your listing would have included some info about the area. I also typically mention in my application why I’ll be in the area (that might just be exploring new places). So, asking me that would indicate to me that you haven’t actually read my application.
‘Do you live in your own home’ invites questions. Do you mean do they own their home as opposed to renting a home or flat, or owning a condo, etc. Or are you asking if they are full-time travelers, digital nomads, etc? Does this question mean you don’t want people who do not currently own a home? If you have requirements in this area, that should be clearly stated in the listing. I would find this question a little odd as a pre-call question.
‘How will you get to our place’ seems like something to be discussed in the call. If a listing is in an area without public transit, then I would not apply unless I was bringing my car. When I’m overseas, I only apply to sits that do have good public transit. I assume this would be clear in the listing, so it would also seem odd to be asking as a pre-call question. If a car is required, maybe you could say you want to confirm that they will be either bringing their own car or renting a car.
It’s fine to ask questions before a call and of course, sitters should at least politely respond (if they want to withdraw, they can just state they are withdrawing their application). I would only ask dealbreaker questions prior to the call. Everything else is best as a conversation. You also risk losing good sitters if you put off a call. I’ve had sits confirmed within hours of application because we scheduled a call right away.
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This seems like bad job intw framing. And it’s more than what you shared originally. If I saw this msg from a host, I’d definitely withdraw.
Even while conducting job intws, I strive to make it a conversation and offer the candidates time to ask Qs during our video chat.
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What could one answer then?
I have applied to places that I had never heard of before. Like for example St Cyprien in the Dordogne valley. What could I have written? For me, that was unknown territory. I could hade just as well applied to a listing anywhere in Southern France. (Now I know that it is a great little town.)
So then one wonders what the HO wants to hear. Puzzling question. And then I would probably apply to another sit.
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I had a host thank me for considering her sit and asked me: “You only live an hour away why the housesitting so close?”
I had stated my reasons for wanting to sit in my application: The listing had a welcome feel, adorable pet, and fun activities in the community. Also, I had mentioned that I was touched when the HO mentioned she had adopted her pet. Apparently, these reasons did not suffice and / or the HO had not read my application.
The way the question was phrased was off putting and gave the vibe that I had an ulterior motive for applying for her sit.
Needless to say, I withdrew my application.
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I’m curious why this matters to you. As someone who has been a nomad for 15+ years, I don’t live in my own home because I travel full time. Asking that question seems judgmental to me and it would turn me off.
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You’re got a lot of answers to your question @REH14 , hope you take it for what it is surely intended - valuable inputs to learn and get great sits! It must be somewhat daunting. 
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That sounds very friendly, although if they don’t have their own place they probably think the aren’t at the top of your list anyway, so may start looking for alternatives, without realising you just want to know-know who they are and what they are about, because their profile doesn’t say. So maybe that’s a conversation if you take it to a video chat, once a couple of messages have gone back and forth after a rapport has been built.
We wouldn’t take offence by what you asked, but at the same time you wouldn’t have had to ask those questions with ourselves. We are very forthcoming in our profile in saying how our own home is now a holiday cottage and we mention why we want to sit in their area in the message that accompanies our application. We do that so that there is no questions in the head of a home owner about who we are, so it’s just a case of whether they feel we are the right sitters to care for their pets.
So, maybe you just haven’t got the best applicants applying, or perhaps they are simply more naive and haven’t put themselves in your shoes as to what you need to know to make a decision.
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You wrote: " If you could give us a bit more information such as what appealed the you about our sit, do you live in your own home and how will you get to our place"
Didn’t realize you’d asked that question!
The “home” question is a sensitive one. A lot of sitters are fully nomadic – which is not the same as being homeless, as they work and have resources to stay in short term rentals/airbnb type situations between sits. Some sitters are traveling for a few months or longer and may be between homes or subletting. Some sitters are combined members or just people who love pets and travel and want to take advantage of free accomodation. But asking the question as your first reply indicates to sitters that you are only interested in sitters who “own” a home and/or they are in for an interrogation if they continue with the application.
So many young people especially in the US do not “own” their own homes and may be at a point in their lives where that seems like an almost impossibe goal. Applying for sit shouldn’t be like applying for a mortgage.
I can absolutely understand why sitters would not get back to you.
If you are adamant about only having other homeowners sit for you, then you need to look at the profiles and see what hints you can get because even many homeowing sitters will be turned off by the question.
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Yes, I own homes and wouldn’t want to sit for a host who’d ask these sorts of Qs, especially the way that OP approached things.
I picked up enough even from the incomplete info presented originally to suspect that something was off. I didn’t think it likely that two sitters would ghost if the interactions were innocuous, and bits of how the info was presented put up my radar as a sitter.
Generally, I suggest that sitters be careful about what’s said or asked, how, etc. To me, better to miss a sit based on a false negative vs. risking a bad sit over a false positive (or talking yourself out of your gut instinct). That’s especially so when many sits are interchangeable or not unique. And to me, the hosts are the No. 1 potential dealbreaker for any sit, no matter how great the sit otherwise.
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I feel I am being attacked and I really don’t want to read any more. We are very kind and have been very kind and generous to pet sitters we have had in the past. We are not snobs - and do not care where the potential sitters lives - again, that question was just because we are confused that anyone would choose Renfrew over somewhere much nicer.
Edited to remove personal correspondence
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This is a reminder of our kindness guidelines. Members come to the Forum for advice and feedback, as they may not be familiar with the intricacies of how TH works.
Before you post a reply, ask yourself, Is this how I would reply to a friend seeking advice?
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I’m sorry you feel attacked. I’m sure that’s no ones intention. But I do hope you’ll take on board the fact that a half dozen or so experienced sitters are all saying essentially the same thing so, while it may be hurtful to hear, it is likely worth listening to.
People go to random places for no reason all the time. It doesn’t really need to be logical to you, just to them. It could just be that you’re filling a gap between sits so are convenient but saying that likely wouldn’t make you feel nice and it won’t impact the quality of the work, so why does it matter?
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And I hope you didn’t think my reply was meant as an attack.
I get the curiosity, especially about local sitters. When I don’t have an idea from the application or the sitter profile why a “local” person is applying, it is something I would ask about. But I wouldn’t phrase it that way. I would just say something more like: What attracts you to local sits? I have asked that question. Some of the answers I recieved are: (1) Young, new grad, living at home, and working locally, so this introduces them to a new neighborhood and some independenc. (2) Between leases and in a sublet pet care situation for a friend who is traveling, but they’ll be back at that time and they don’t want to take advantage, (3) “I can airbnb my apartment and make money.”
But I think the way you phrased it, would put some sitters on the defensive, and they’d just move on.
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It depends how you define nicer. We’re all different. We sit in two main locations within two different countries, because our family is within reasonable traveling distance in both of those locations, not everyone that sits sees themselves as a tourist. For us, we aren’t on holiday, we aren’t doing the tourist thing, we simply get to enjoy staying closer to two sets of family for a longer period, rather than staying with them for months at a time. If we were a tourist we may have stayed for a couple of days at a time, but we’re not, we’re pet sitters and we love it.
@REH14 keep in mind sitters often apply for more than one sit at a time. While you were messaging them with questions the potential sitters might have been completing video chats with potential hosts and confirming sits which might explain why they didn’t bother to respond to your questions. As a sitter I require a video chat prior to confirming a sit to ensure a meeting of the minds and get a feel of the host’s character. Perhaps you would yield a higher response to your questions if you reserved them for a video chat.
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“Do you live in your own home”
I’m not following your thought process with this question.
To each his/her own. You can ask whatever questions you like in order to feel comfortable leaving your pets with a particular sitter but If I were the sitter I would have withdrawn my application after receiving this line of questioning. I have pet sat on 4 continents in too many countries to count and never received this line of questioning.
@REH14 . . . I would always put in my initial covering letter why I found the sit appealing. Did none of these applicants do this? 
(I’ve not had a chance to read through the entire thread.)
No. Just said to check out their profiles.
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