The Barking Dog and The House for Sale!
I need to preface this post by saying that I LOVE dogs. All kinds, shapes and sizes.... but, here is my story.
A warm Sunday afternoon and we get the call. "I need to sell my Bellingham MA home!" Over we go with market analysis and marketing plan in hand.
The home is lovely. A young multi bath colonial. A classic home for the area. Well maintained. I know immediately we are going to get a lot of showings. It should sell quickly. We do our thing, establish a price. I get out the camera and take some great photos of the home and get the marketing started.
On line it goes, into MLS and the showings begin! That's when it starts!
The neighbor's dog is a barker. Now these homeowners did not know that as they were out working all day. Their very next door neighbor tied the dog up on the deck and bark it did. Incessantly for hours on end out there on that deck. Well... I am not quite sure about that, but the feedback I got from every showing had to do with how obnoxious the barking was.
We are never going to sell this home with Fido over there barking to beat the band!!!
So, What is an agent to do??
We informed the Seller of the situation and asked them to speak to their neighbor. They did.
The barking continued, and continued. I went over to meet some buyers and heard it for myself.
Oh! This will never work. I walked next door to talk to the homeowner. "Please", I say, "is there anyway we can bring the dog inside when you see a showing happening next door?" I went on to explain to her that this could ultimately effect her property value if my listing ends up staying on the market longer than it should.
The homeowner didn't realize that the poor pooch on the porch was barking all day, having a negative impact on our showings!
She promised to bring Fido in when the home was being shown. In fact, she wasn't going to leave him out there all day anymore.
With Fido happily inside, the offer came in.
Here are My Pet Tips for Selling your Home.
- If you have pets, establish a showing plan that includes them.
- When at all possible remove pets from home for showings.
- Asking an Agent to keep Houdini the Cat in, can detract and distract from the showing, find a way to corral him.
- Make sure the showing agent knows there are pets in the home and what to expect.
- If possible, crate your pet to keep him safe. A "friendly" pet might not remain friendly when there are strangers in their home and you aren't! Buyers young children are either looking to pet your "baby" or they are petrified. Either one is not good for a showing.
- Keep litterboxes clean and odor free.
- Make sure the back yard free of debris, if you know what I mean!
- Let your neighbor's know that you are selling.
Selling you home is stressful for everyone in your household. That includes your Pets too. You know what is going on, but they don't! Make it easier for them and you will have a higher degree of success in getting your home sold quickly!
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