I Know You Had Pets, They Left Clues

Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366 - looks like you are reading my mind! Just had an inspection at home with lots of patches in the carpet!

I'm with you Tom.  Pet smells are not only obvious and gross, they can hinder the sale of a home.  I love all animals, but I don't love the smell they often leave behind!  

Tarzan was able to tell you who visited, when and what they did in his neck of the woods...Animals leave spoor...and they reveal all things associated

Tom- in one of the homes I consulted on, their 5 dogs loved the white tile in the corner of their family room.  That tile was an ugly stained yellow. (and that is only the tip of the doggie iceberg)

I'm always amazed when owners can't smell their pets. Ok, maybe you are use to it (i'm probably guilty as well) but why defend and say it isn't there when the professionals are trying to tell you it is. LOL  

Tom, I had an experience years ago where I brought my buyers into a house and the stench of the kitty litter box actually seemed to poison the air where we could hardly breathe. The owner left the house when we entered and I have at times wondered how she could possibly have wanted potential buyers to enter her house under those conditions. It is actually the very worst smelling home I have ever been in.

Many good points Tom. A seller we once had owned an elderly, and very obviously incontinent cat. I noticed it immediately but the owners had apparently gotten used to the smell. In the end I convinced them that if they were to have a prayer of a chance of selling, that the carpets had to go. We also contracted with a professional cleaning company to treat the sub floors. New carpet and no smell made all the difference!

Pets often leave their marks in homes. some obvious and some not so obvious. Buyers and sellers alike need to be on the look out for these signs as they can be used as negotiating points for both sides.

When it comes time to sell, listen to an objective opinion because the owners' noses and eyes have become accustomed to it. 

I love this.  From now on, I'll tell people, "Fido left a clue!"

Pet owners don't realize how many "clues" indicate they have pets.  I myself am allergic to dogs and can tell immediately if they have a dog even if the house is spotless.

Many people can tell right away that a pet has been living in a home, especially if the ducts have plenty of hair clinging to them.  Pet owners either overlook these telltale signs or grow so used to them that they do not phase them any longer.  

LOL! I see this all the time and it makes me cringe. I've walked in many homes and refuse to take my shoes off!

Whether it's people or pets the phrase "Love is Blind" rings true Tom. I know we've got some feathers hiding around the house also.

Tom, pets can do a ton of damage to a house, and you are correct: we can all see/smell the clues :-)

You are right on target with this one.

I had buyers turn away from a "cat house" recently. Litter boxes everywhere ...I can only imagine what any buyer would find after they move in! I am a dog owner, and I know how much dog hair gets caught in baseboards etc...

I have been in homes that I had to turn around and walk right back out, I don't understand how people can't smell that when they leave and come back whew!

So true. I think everyone should change the carpeting in a home they are buying when they buy it even if it appears newer or in good condition. We took carpeting up at a home in Moraga CA, upscale house and the new buyer was shocked at what they found under that brand new carpeting. We ended up taking up most of the underlayment and replacing the covering.