This article discusses how to create the perfect house sitting listing. The first thing potential house sitters will see when searching for house sits is your listing. Making it sparkle can be the difference between receiving a full quota of excellent applicants and not receiving any.
Hannah and I have been house sitting for years and have racked up over 30 reviews on Trusted Housesitters. A big part of our travel planning is searching and reading house sitting listings and deciding where our next adventure will take us.
Subsequently, we have developed a detailed eye for great listings – and ones we should avoid! So in this article, I will be sharing all the things we look for and what you can do as a homeowner/pet parent to ensure your house sitting listing doesn’t get lost in the mix.
How to Get Started as a House Sitting Host
There are several great house sitting platforms, read all about them in my previous post – The Best House Sitting Websites. But the one that we default to more than any other is Trusted Housesitters, and that is the one I will be focussing on in this post.
As the biggest platform of its kind with thousands of active listings always available, Trusted Housesitters attracts more qualified potential house sitters than any other site. Other house sitting platforms offer free membership for homeowners, but the small annual fee with THS is worth it.
Host membership starts at $149/year and includes unlimited house sits. What’s more, use our exclusive referral code BEACHES25 to save 25%! Click here to get started. Signing up is easy. Once you’ve done that, you’ll then be set to follow this guide to create the perfect house sitting listing.
Why is Creating the Perfect House Sitting Listing Important?
Creating the perfect house sitting listing is essential because it’s your first opportunity to make an impression on potential sitters. A well-crafted listing not only attracts quality applicants but also ensures you’re matched with someone who aligns with your needs.
A detailed and appealing listing helps filter out unsuitable sitters, saves time, and creates trust by clearly setting expectations. Ultimately, a strong listing can make the difference between a stress-free trip with peace of mind and scrambling to find a sitter at the last minute.
Create the Perfect House Sitting Listing
So you’ve just signed up with Trusted Housesitters and are compiling your listing. You want it to get noticed and ideally attract a host of excellent candidates. Here are the key things you should consider when putting together your house sitting listing.
Craft an Inviting Title
Aside from the location, a bold title will be the first point of attraction for your listing, so make it a good one! It can be difficult to summarize everything in a few short words but have a good think about what important features of your home, region, or pets would appeal to sitters.
We always use the Trusted Housesitters app, which restricts the number of words visible in the title when searching on mobile phones. To optimize the appeal of your, keep your title short – around 4-6 words – so it can be seen in full. Don’t worry, you will be able to provide much more detail later on.
Some examples of great titles that I have just found while scrolling through the app include ‘Explore Wine Country’, ‘California Home on the Beach’, and ‘Come Visit Music City!’. If I was in the market for these regions and dates, I would certainly be clicking on them for more info.
Use a Great Main Photo
You will get the chance to add lots of photos to your listing and I’ll be discussing this later on. For now, select a great photo of your home as the main image on the listing.
Lots of people use photos of their pets as their primary photos. This is understandable, but most sitters are drawn to the home, as it will be their next base for a while. All pets are adorable, so among thousands of listings, a strong photo of the accommodation as a lead image will help your listing stand out from the rest.
Ideally, if you can get a shot that highlights your home and pets, then you are on to a winner! Take the time to snap the best photo possible and don’t settle for a random one already on your phone.
Highlight Your Home’s Key Features
The perfect house sitting listing has to highlight all the great features of your home. Don’t be bashful, include as much cool stuff as you can think of.
Trusted Housesitters gives you a separate option to list all the amenities of your home. You can be as specific as showing that you have space to park to whether you have a toaster in your kitchen. So, in your main listing description, focus exclusively on what makes your home special.
Okay, so not everyone is going to have a pool or a cinema room, but every home will have a unique quality that makes it inviting. It can be as simple as a cozy living room, a well-stocked pantry, or the proximity to nearby attractions. Find selling points and promote them.
Describe Your Wonderful Pets
Talk about all the lovely characteristics of your pets. Examples might be that they love cuddles, are great on walks, or are easy to care for. Refer to key issues vital to your listing. For example, if you have pets in need of special care or a pup that needs a lot of walking.
As well as an amenities section, your listing on Trusted Housesitters will have a separate section for responsibilities. Therefore, in your main description don’t get bogged down with tons of unnecessary information. Save the details for the specific responsibilities section.
When compiling this section, honesty is key for a smooth and successful house sitting exchange. Pulling punches or sugar-coating responsibilities helps no one. Be clear and thorough when outlining exactly what is expected from your house sitter. Most will appreciate the detailed info!
Upload Lots of Great Photos
I mentioned earlier about picking a great main photo for your listing, but adding additional photos of your home and pets is equally important. It baffles me when clicking on listings to find there are just 1 or 2 photos. Sometimes, it’s 1 close-up photo of a dog’s face!
Put yourself in a travel mindset – would you book a hotel or Airbnb without looking at photos? I know I wouldn’t, and haven’t. The same rings true with house sitting. If I can’t see where I might be staying, I am very unlikely to pursue things further.
Your listing allows you to upload dozens of photos, so use this opportunity to show off your home and pets. Don’t be misleading but ensure you include nice, clean photos, and again don’t just settle for ones that you happen to have on your phone, go and take some new ones!
Big Up the Location
Traveling is very much about the places, and a lot of house sitters will use house sitting as a means of exploring the world and new destinations. So, wherever you live be sure to include all the nearby attractions and features of the local area that make it a great place to visit.
Again, not everyone lives by the beach or 15 minutes from Times Square, but every home will have an attractive feature that will make it appealing to prospective house sitters. This could be as simple as a park, a street of bars, or even excellent transport links/accessibility for day trips.
Always include a few main features in your initial description. A separate section is available to go into greater detail about these geographical aspects. So, use this space to highlight all the great things about your region that you think house sitters will enjoy.
Get Reviews
Aside from the main description section of your listing, I have already discussed the other separate areas that allow for more in-depth information. To recap these were the amenities, responsibilities, and home and location sections. The final stand-alone section to talk about is sitters and reviews.
First-time hosts won’t have any reviews so crafting the perfect house sitting listing is vital. But once you have started to welcome house sitters, make sure they leave you a review. Trusted Housesitters only allow a short window to write one, so make a point of getting this done quickly.
Future sitters will be able to read these on your profile, they will also be able to see if sitters didn’t leave a review. If I see empty reviews, it’s a cause for concern, as it could suggest that rather than saying something negative they opted to say nothing at all. Be a great host and get a great review!
Conclusion
Creating the perfect house sitting listing is crucial for attracting the right sitters and ensuring a positive experience for everyone. By taking the time to craft a clear, detailed, and appealing listing, you increase your chances of finding a reliable house sitter who aligns with your needs.
A well-thought-out listing saves you time, builds trust, and gives you peace of mind while you’re away. You can set off knowing that your home and pets are in capable hands.
For further homeowner and pet parent support on house sitting, head over to our dedicated Hosts Advice Page. You’ll find all the information you need to get started and ensure a smooth and successful house sitting exchange.
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Owner’s consent is given to use all photos in this post.