5 Tips For Selling A Home With Pets
Many homeowners have pets and they’re a part of the family. When it’s time to put your home on the market you need to consider that not everyone loves pets. Having your home deep cleaned to remove any pet odors is something you’ll need to do prior to listing your home for sale. You want buyers to see themselves living in your home and that doesn’t include with your pets.
What should you do when you have pets and it’s time to prepare to sell your home?
Make Repairs –
Pet damage isn’t a selling point for your home. Dogs and cats at some point in their lives, no matter how well behaved they are, are going to damage something in your home. Whether it be carpet, hardwood floors, walls, or grass in the yard it’s bound to happen. Repairs need to be completed prior to your home going on the market. Some repairs can be expensive but, correcting them will pay off in the form of an increased bottom line.
Remove Pet Odors –
Even the biggest animal lover doesn’t want a home that smells like pets. Your furry friend’s favorite place to lay takes on their scent over time. Accidents also happen and you never want your home to be remembered as the house that smelled bad. One of the top reasons a home buyer will pass on a home is a strong odor. Having your carpets and floors professionally cleaned will in most cases remove the odors. There are some homes that will need to replace the carpet if the odor cannot be removed.
Cleanup The Yard –
Pick up any messes that are in your yard. That’s not a surprise any buyer wants if they’re walking in your yard. Look at your yard and see if there are any spots that need new sod laid or damage repaired. Outdoor space is a big selling point for many buyers and because of that, you need to pay equal attention to the yard as you do to the interior of your home.
Erase Signs You Have A Pet –
Your pet’s bowls, beds, toys, food, etc. will all need to be put away. Pet accessories are not staging items and look cluttered when left out for photos and showings. Aside from an aesthetics standpoint some buyers do not like pets and in turn, you want to avoid leaving signs out that you have pets in your home. if a buyer asks you’ll need to answer honestly but, you can often avoid the question ever being asked if your pet's belongings are put away.
Remove Your Pet For Showings –
If there’s one tip you take away from this post, it needs to be this one. There are far too many risks that come with a pet being left in a home for showings. Buyers and their agents are strangers to your pet and that creates a liability for you. When pets are scared or unsure of what’s happening they act differently. Pets can also get out during a showing and no agent wants to be looking for your pet if they escape. Leaving your pet home during a showing is asking for trouble. If you can’t get home from work to remove them have a neighbor keep them or consider hiring someone to come and remove them from your home before a showing starts. It’s a liability to have a pet in the home during showings and simply not worth the many risks that come with it.
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