Hi @Els As you correctly mention, when a homeowner confirms a sitter, the other applicants do get an automatic email letting them know, and it does disappear off the website to make place for all the new current listings. All listings stay open until there is a confirmed sitter. If a homeowner hasn’t replied in a long while, please do let us know so we can email the homeowner and encourage them to read and respond to applicants, as well as guide them as to how to pause a listing. We are well aware that sitters are also busy trying to plan their lives, and we really want to create a win win for all.
I hope this helps
Kind regards
Therese
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@Colin - But what if this particular sit is a big No. 1 on my wish list and all the other sits offered for the same time period are a long way further down the list? Exactly this was the case with the 3 months sit on the Greek island, I really wanted it, and so I waited for three weeks and did not hear a beep from the advertiser, just saw the number of applicants growing and growing. After three weeks of hoping, anticipation and emotions building up, and frustration, I finally applied for another sit and got accepted the next day.
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Thank you @Therese-MembershipService!
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I think you misunderstood my comment -that is what I said 
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I think that this is definitely the case. It would explain the “unread” applications.
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@Romana - I would say if a home host thinks it is acceptable to keep you waiting for so long then they would quickly slip down my most wanted list on that basis alone. Your best bet is not to wait - apply for all that interest you. If you miss the one you really wanted it is disappointing but also comes with a tinge of pleasure and satisfaction with the knowledge that they have also missed out on you!
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Reading it again….you are right 
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Hi Romana, yes i used to feel like that too once i had applied for a sit i would wait and feel reluctant or unfair to apply for another until I had a straight yes or no.
Now i give it just afew days and really take it as a no if the HO doesnt get back to me within that time frame.
If the HO then chooses you and you’ve moved on to another sit, then I suppose it maybe wasnt meant to be.
It may also encourage the HO to be quicker in future, though maybe not🤔.
I think the sit you have agreed within a day will work better for you though.
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@meow and other HO’s im just curious as to the benefit of receiving say 40+ apllicants.
I completley agree that we manage things in different ways and I also appreciate life is busy, for some more than others.
But id like to know if HOs find a benefit to waiting & receiving more applicants.
Its sometimes good for sitters applying to understand reasons why they arent getting a response. Thanks
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For my dates in July I waited for about 6 weeks, because all of the sitters applying were kind of ok, but not exactly what I was looking for. They also weren’t unsuitable, and this is why I didn’t decline them right away…you never know if what I am looking for will apply.
I received 7 applications altogether and Number 7 was the sitter couple I almost immediately confirmed. I am usually a quick decider when the right person comes along, but I don’t want to make a decision when this is not the case.
What I wouldn’t do, however, is not answering the applications as soon as possible, and not telling the applicants, that I want to wait and, please, move on if another chance of a sit comes along.
I actually guess that the HOs, who have received 40-50 applications and don’t answer them, simply have other platforms they use and probably have completely forgotten about it
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Thanks @anon39388349. I dont think 7 is an unreasonable amount to choose from and the fact that you let the applicants know is definately being considerate.
I completely agree that sitters and HO often just need to find a “match” that works.
Thank you 
I don’t think that those HOs waiting without responding to applicants are to be found here on the forum.
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I’m still pretty new to this platform. I’ve liked a lot of homeowners, and hope some dates open up that I can apply to.
However, I have applied to 4 sits in the past 3 weeks. None… not one has even been read. They all still say “unread”. And it’s not like there are tons of applicants. Most have a handful of applicants.
So… my question is, do homeowners not check on their possible sitters? Why aren’t they as proactive as us sitters? Am I missing something?
Very baffled and curious about this.
I contemplated joining THS for nearly two years… but knew I wasn’t in a place to fully be available. But now I am… and I’m trying to not get discouraged.
Advice? Answers? Similar experiences?
TIA.
Hi @Suebeehb Just a couple of things to keep in mind. If you ‘like’ a listing on the website, you will not be notified of any later listings they post. However, if the homeowner has a standard (which you can’t tell) or a premium (which you can see) membership, they will know that you’ve liked them. However, if you want to be notified when they next add a listing, ‘favourite’ them on the app and set your phone for notifications (see details in the link below) and you will receive immediate notifications. Being one of the first (or the first) to apply can give you an advantage with some homeowners.
Setting notifications on your phone (see #14 & #16 entries)
As for ‘unread’, note that if the message is read on the app/phone, it will still show as unread on the website. This has been reported to the THS product team for review.
Also consider setting ‘saved searches’ on your phone, to again receive phone notifications for areas that interest you.
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I used to obsess about unread messages. So now, immediately after applying, I archive the message. Out of sight, out of mind. And then I move on to the next application. If the HO is too slow to respond and I’m already booked, that’s unfortunate, but on them.
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Thanks for this information. I set the settings on my phone as the link showed. Also, when I said I “liked” them, I believe I am saving them using the heart option. If there is a different step to that I’d like to know. Thanks!!!
@Suebeehb Yes, I used the word ‘like’ as well, and many of us seem to use it. On the website the heart shows to ‘save’ it but then shows as a favourite. On the app when you click the heart it’s then saved under favourites.
@Suebeehb I wander if its worth you sending an email to member services just to check your applications have sent through ok if they all show unread.
@CreatureCuddler gives good advice, if you dont hear move on. Dont miss out other possible sits.
So I have a situation after reading this entire thread where I have “liked” (Favored by clicking the 
) a sit and from my understanding IF the HO is a premium member I should receive a notification when they post a new sit. I just went through my Favorites and see this one has a last minute sit but never received a notification about this one. So I’m assuming that the HO is not a premium member, then I lose out on any notifications because of this. Why was this developed this way??
I Don’t use my cell phone, just my iPad for THS. I find it redundant to use both.