Local Sitters Rationale

Hi! I'm an HO and curious about joining THS. The platform's main benefits for sitters are for those who would like to travel to/live in different cities/countries without having to pay for accommodation. But as I discover in these forums and as well as going through sitters' profiles, a lot are "local sitters". OTOH, I would feel more comfortable with local sitters b/c they are familiar with the area and can meet in person ahead of time. A sitter from a small town in France might be overwhelmed when living in a small apartment in NYC, for example. But on the other hand, I am curious as to why would a local person want to live in another person's place in the same area? What's wrong with their own place? Are they generally un-housed? Wanting to be away from their roommates, family...? I would love to hear the local sitters' rationale on this. And as for HO's, which do they have better experiences with, a local sitter or one from another city/country? Thanks!