5 Tips to Selling Your Home with Pets

Pets  are part of the family, we love them, care for them, walk them and clean up after them.  When it comes to selling your home, pets may present a series of different challenges and considerations home owners must consider prior to listing.

1.       Clean!  Give your home a deep clean up and down.  You want to make sure that your remove all pet hair from every nook and cranny, as well as any smells that your furry friend may be leaving behind.  Be sure your home sale does not go sideways because you put off a potential buyer who has allergies.

2.      Hide the evidence!  Purchase a plastic bin, or use a cardboard box to house any last minute items you need to hide prior to showings.  This includes; pet toys, litter pans, food dishes, leashes, and any of your pets outfits – should they have outfits 😊

3.      Tidy up your exterior!  This is more true for dog owners.  Before your listing photos, and prior to any showings you must be sure to head outside with baggies in tow to do some through poop-scooping.  If you have a feline who likes to hunt and bring home his catch, be sure to include this step as well.  Nothing can turn a home buyer off faster than a dead mouse on the driveway.

4.      Fix it up!  Before you list your home, be sure to fix any damages your pets may have caused.  Scratched floors, chewed up baseboards, ripped furniture, torn screens – if your pet has destroyed your home you need to fix it.

5.      Be prepared!  Your pets should not cause you to pass on showings, or restrict showings based on our

schedule.  If you are not able to accommodate home buyers for showings due to your pets, consider alternatives such as, putting them in a day care, taking them with you daily, have someone on call who can walk them during showings, having a friend or family watch them for you.

When it comes time for showings, be sure to take your pets with your – this is most true for dog owners.  Showings should not include greetings from Fido.  Some people looking at your home may have allergies to pets, or may simply not like them, in either case having a four-legged pooch tag along during their walk through is not a good idea.