In this step-by-step guide to applying for a house sit, I will give you the benefit of my years of experience house sitting around the world. Yes, Hannah and I have completed many international house sits, but we also have had many unsuccessful applications! It can be a competitive market and making yourself stand out from the crowd is vital.
I have always been eager to find out why hosts choose who they do. I’ve never been afraid to put this question to our former hosts. Through my own experiences and talking to others, I have learned so much about the importance of the application process.
This guide will provide you with all the information you need to become a front-runner for any house sitting application
Finding the Right House Sit
When you sign up for a website like Trusted Housesitters, it can be exciting to see the thousands of listings. I remember it well! Five years ago we had just returned from a 2-month trip around California and were eager to go back. However, we decided next time to try and use house sitting. We applied for tons of house sitting listings.
Needless to say, this approach was pretty fruitless, and thankfully so. We may have ended up with a disorganized run of house sits in places we had no intention of visiting. We paid little attention to the responsibilities involved or how easy it would be to get to the posting. It was just the free accommodation in California that caught our eye.
Most importantly, we didn’t get these early sits because it was obvious we were not the right fit. A couple from the other side of the world blanket applying for anything in California doesn’t scream ‘perfect applicant’.
Refine Your Searches
All of the top house sitting websites have filters and search criteria to make finding the right sit easier. Some of them can get specific too, down to exact dates, house type, and nearby attractions like parks and beaches.
So be clear on what you want from a house sitting experience. When it comes to applying you’ll be in a much stronger position if the sit makes sense for both parties.
Writing the Application
The first contact with any potential house sit is through an application. This is done through your house sitting platform directly and consists of sending an short email-style message to the host. Trusted Housesitters requires you to select the dates you wish to apply for and then write a message. You can select multiple dates in one application for the same host if you wish.
It’s very important to write a personalized message when applying for a house sit. I have been told by many hosts that generic applications are always an instant rejection. By all means, have a rough template saved, but take the time to rework it. Ensure everything fits and is applicable for the listing you are now applying for.
I’ve heard many times that hosts regularly receive generic applications with the wrong city, the wrong country, the wrong pet names, and even the wrong dates. Just imagine what you would do with an application like this!
What to Include in Your House Sitting Application
Knowing what to include and omit from an application is also a bit of a balancing act. After all, you don’t want to bombard the host with every detail of your life but at the same time don’t want to seem ambivalent about the listing.
Sites like Trusted Housesitters give users the function to create an all-encompassing profile. This is where you should write detailed information about yourself and give a thorough overview of you, the house sitter. You’ll also be able to upload photos and add character references. Your profile will also show off all of the great reviews from previous sits that you will hopefully build up over time.
In the application, be sure to refer to the sit dates, the location, and any pets or specific responsibilities mentioned. Immediately this shows you have fully read and understood what is involved with this person’s specific listing.
Be Committed
By this, I don’t mean pre-book your flights and tell them you’re coming to house sit for them! Rather, show your commitment to the listed dates. For example, instead of saying ‘We are thinking of coming to San Diego next year sometime‘, say ‘We are coming to San Diego in January, your dates work perfectly for us‘.
For any international listings, I will always check flight details and prices before applying for the house sit. This adds another layer of commitment and awareness to an application. Again as an example, ‘We’ve seen great flights that get us into San Diego two days before your sit starts, those are the ones we’re going to book‘, as opposed to ‘yeh I guess I need to look at flights’.
If you already plan to be in the area, even better! Hannah and I set a specific alert using Trusted Housesitters during our time in North Carolina because we already knew exactly where we would be and when. The perfect house sit came up and we got it instantly. The reassurance a host gets from knowing you are already relatively nearby, can give your application a real boost.
Be Eager
Having found the right house sit and as a continuation of being committed, show a degree of eagerness. There’s a reason you selected this specific sit so tell the host honestly why you want to be considered. As an example, Hannah and I will usually write something along the lines of –
‘We travel the world full time and have always wanted to visit New Zealand. That dream will come true in September and we are currently looking for a 2-month stay in Christchurch. We will be in Auckland for 2 weeks before your dates start and your listing looks absolutely perfect for us. We’d love to be considered.‘
Be Relevant
As already mentioned. Your profile is the place for detailed and thorough information. In your application be relevant to the listing you are applying for. If it includes caring for two dogs, there is no need to mention your vast experience with horses or the fact you are a cat lover.
Be Honest and Raise Any Concerns
Keep your application positive and eager but don’t be afraid to mention any concerns or issues that you foresee.
Hannah and I don’t travel with a car, and it’s often too expensive to hire one if a house sit requires it. Therefore we always draw attention to this in our application. It makes no sense to waste everyone’s time if this is a pivotal point for us.
Listings may reply confirming that a car will be available or that public transport/local amenities mean you don’t need one. Alternatively, you find out nice and early that the sit is not for you. Just to note, many listings advertise the use of a car but even if they don’t it is worth asking. We have completed sits where in the listing no car was mentioned, but following a few questions from us the host gladly offered up their vehicle for our use.
If you have any concerns over the responsibilities or are unclear exactly what is involved from the listing be sure to mention it in your application.
Sending Your Application
By clicking send you have thrown your hat into the ring. It will now be up to the host to review the applications they have received and select the right house sitter for them.
Be patient and allow hosts time to review all applications. It’s an important decision for them to make, so they need to be sure they are selecting the right person or people to care for their beloved pets.
Reviewing Applicants
When we first started house sitting, Trusted Housesitters did not have a limit on the number of applications a host could receive. This meant that often by the time you got to a great-looking listing, 50+ people had already applied. Subsequently, your chances of even being considered were slim to nil.
This has now changed for the better. THS will close the listing after five applicants. If the host rejects on of these five applicants or an applicant withdraws from the process, the listing will go live again until the five applicant threshold is met once more. Although this way of doing things requires applicants to be quick, I believe it gives everyone, especially new members a fair shake at being considered.
It also makes things a lot simpler for hosts. I can only imagine what trawling through 50 applications must be like for a single house sit. At least with 5, and the option to receive 5 more if the first group is not what you are looking for, the process is much easier while still allowing great applicants to be found.
Further Communication
Of all the house sits and exchanges Hannah and I have attained, there are only a couple that have not involved a video call chat before being accepted. These calls usually take the form of a WhatsApp or Zoom video chat.
I remember feeling at first like these were job interviews, and we could both get pretty stressed about them – especially if a big house sit was on the line. More often than not though, these calls are just friendly chats to put faces to names and talk more about the listing. So be calm and enjoy chatting with someone new.
A key thing to keep in mind is that you are still considering the house sit too. So don’t be afraid to ask questions or raise any concerns at this stage if you have them.
The Waiting Game
Unfortunately, my guide to applying for a house sit can’t predict how long each host will take to respond. There is no time limit on their part to get back to anyone.
From my experience, it can take anywhere from a few minutes to months. Hannah and I got accepted for our house sit in Bath, UK within 2 minutes of applying, the owner said she did not want a long drawn-out process and was more than happy to choose us. On the flip side, we’ve had applications on the burner for over a month.
Ultimately if you as the sitter need to move on and find another sit you should do so. I generally leave a week between applying and sending a friendly follow-up message to find out if we are in the running.
Being Offered the House Sit
If your application is successful the host will send you an official invitation through your house sitting platform. Be sure to read Hannah’s article 5 Things We Wish We’d Known About House Sitting to understand exactly why having a sit confirmed officially is so important.
Accepting a listing comes with great responsibility, so be sure you are 100% committed before fully signing on. Canceling a sit can lead to negative feedback and pose a risk to your future applications.
As the start date approaches stay in contact with your house sitting host and communicate arrival and departure times to ensure a smooth exchange.
Conclusion
I hope my informative step-by-step guide to applying for a house sit has helped clarify the dos and don’ts of the application process.
It’s an important phase of the entire process that shouldn’t be taken lightly. It is your first introduction to the host or pet parent and first impressions can have a big impact.
Good luck with your applications and get in touch if you have any follow-up questions or thoughts on applying for house sitting jobs.
Getting Started as a Trusted Housesitter
I recommend getting started with a free Trusted Housesitters membership to see just how far and wide house sitting could take you. There’s no obligation or pressure to become a paying member, simply sign up with your email and start exploring.
If you decide to become a full member, click this link and use the code BEACHES25 at checkout to enjoy a 25% discount on any THS membership.