Advice to Charlotte Home Sellers With Pets - Neutralize Odors!
This blog post by Andrea Swiedler, Swiedler & Adams in New Milford, Litchfield CT provides GREAT advice to home sellers who have pets, and I just had to share with my readers.
Please do a doggie/kitty odor double/check if you are listing your Charlotte NC home for sale! Pet odors are one of the biggest turnoffs to buyers that I hear when showing homes to buyers.
Take Andrea's advice and neutralize your pet odor to increase your chances of selling your Charlotte home!
Selling your home in New Milford, Litchfield County, CT with pets? Pets and real estate, they can be like water and oil if you aren't careful. I know my old pooch, before he moved on, smelled. And it wasn't a pleasant smell either, trust me on that. There was no doubt, in the words of the Grinch, stink, stank ,stunk! And there was not much we could do about it. (We never told him either) But I wasn't selling my house. Wet dogs, old dogs, dogs that have been skunked... they smell. Clean, dirty, old, young, some buyers are very sensitive to dog odors.
And then there is the cat box issue.
The hardest thing for you may be to smell it yourself. Bring someone over, ask your agent, but be prepared for the answer. You need to know the truth. I hope they don't wrinkle their nose and run out of the house screaming, there are far better ways to deliver the bad news. For instance, yes, your house does smell like pets.
Steel yourself, hear the truth, know it is not a bad reflection on you or your beloved pet. It is just a fact, a problem to solve.
There are many products out there that can help. Go to the pet store and ask, try your vet as a resource. And whatever you do, don't try to mask the odor with smelly candles or heavy fragrances. Try something like Zero Odor, I have found that is very effective in the eradication of smells. It can be a bit pricey, but in the scheme of things it is well worth it.
Important things to remember when selling your home in Litchfield County when you have pets in residence.
- Pets get very upset when strangers come and go out of their home
- Many people are very sensitive to pet odors that you may not realize exist
- Barking dogs are a turn off
- Cats who are escape artists can get out with the best agent
- Dogs that are left running lose can turn away potential buyers
Make arrangements for your pets while your house is listed. If you can't be there, ask a neighbor if they can take the dog out for a while, ask your agent. Crates are wonderful, but if the dog is going to bark the whole time while the house is being shown, forget that.
Pets are part of our families and can often present very special difficulties when putting your home on the market. Make sure your understand the risks, the potential issues that could arise. And be prepared to hear that Fido does indeed smell!
Andrea Swiedler, Realtor® & Liddy Adams, GRI, Broker Associate
Cell: 203.460.1775 Email: andrea@andreaswiedler.com
Swiedler & Adams, we know real estate!
Prudential Connecticut Realty, New Milford & Litchfield, CT
Swiedler & Adams
Call us at 203.460.1775
© Andrea Swiedler, 2009 - 2012
Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. - Mark Twain
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