A recent post from a homeowner who couldn’t find a sitter in Lisbon has me ruminating about the apparent motivations of both homeowners and sitters when engaging with this service. I realized that for me, when I use THS, my primary choice - my decision point - is: “Do I stay in a three-star hotel, or do I apply for this sit?”
I look for sits only in areas I would be traveling anyway. Typically when I travel I stay in 3-star hotels. I can afford fancier hotels but that is not important to me - I just want to be safe and in a clean environment. And I love cats.
So for me the bottom-line decision is: “Will this sit be more enjoyable and comfortable than staying in a 3-star hotel?”
It seems clear from many listings, like the Lisbon one, that the homeowners/pet parents assume a very different motivation or choice point on the part of the sitter. I can only assume that the Lisbon poster assumed that the choice point was based on finances - like, “Will this sit be less expensive than staying in a hotel?” The expense is not on my radar much at all.
So I wanted to ask other sitters: What is YOUR choice point? What decision are you weighing? Just for fun I put a “point” system below to see kind of how I weigh things. Positive points mean my decision leans toward that; negative means I lean away from that. I randomly allocated 10 points per criteria
What I would get in a three star hotel:
A comfortable bed +10
Complete freedom to do whatever I want, when I want: +10
Housekeeping included +5
Breakfast included (usually) +1
Good location +5
Peace and quiet (and the ability to address the issue in a reasonable manner if that is not the case) +7
Safe Environment, working locks, etc. +10
Privacy +10
No access to washer/dryer - 5
No cats -10
What I would get in a typical Sit:
Iffy bed that I can’t try until I get there: -3
Have to clean the house myself -5
Locked down to a schedule for the pet: -7
Grocery shopping on my own +5 (because I can get what I want, so higher rated than hotel)
Less Desirable Location for Touring (score depends on the sit but rarely is a home or apartment as conveniently located for touring as a hotel)
Iffy noise situation: -3
Iffy safety situation: Depends on sit but I’ve been on too many where windows or doors don’t lock. I give bonus points for a security system
Privacy: -3 (Too many homeowners get too personal)
Access to washer/dryer: +5
Cats: +20 (yes, I know I said 10 was the max but cats get double points!)
I am curious about other sitters’ criteria and how they weigh them. I bring this up because I think many homeowners write their posting assuming that the main thing a sitter wants is free lodging. That is not the main thing I want - I can afford lodging. So the posting has to outweigh my personal 3-star hotel analysis. Like in that Lisbon posting, the “Locked down to a schedule for the pet” would have gotten a -10 rating, as the HO made it clear the sitter couldn’t do anything except watch the pet. So even though I was going to Lisbon, the 3-star hotel would have won out.
How about you guys? What is your “point system” and what is your choice point? I’m deciding hotel vs. sit. Are you deciding sit vs. no trip at all? Sit vs. AirBnB? Sit vs. Stay with Friends? Sit in Florida vs. sit in New York? (I always choose location first, then sit) I’d love to see your criteria and the weights associated with them!