Don't Let Your Listing Go To The Dogs!

I regularly deal with listings that have pets.  One of our early conversations is always how to handle the pets during showings. Many folks have already thought about this, but for others, it is surprising to recognize that not everyone is going to be happy to see Rover as he jumps up to greet them.

For crate-trained animals, the solution is usually pretty straight forward. If they are not accostomed to being crated during the day, it is still a relatively easy adjustment. Find an out-of-the-way place and  the problem is solved.

During temperate weather, putting a dog in the garage with plenty of water and a baby gate across the door allows the prospective buyers to see the garage and still keep Bowzer contained.

As the weather turns warmer, it is usually necessary to keep the dogs inside. I often recommend finding a room such as a powder room or mudroom that can be gated-off during the day. By keeping your dog in the gated-off room, the purchaser has the ability to see the room, but can still avoid the enthusiastic greetings that many of us are accustomed to receiving from our pets.

This sort of planning can make the difference between selling your home and not. I always tell the story of the day when my personal house was on the market and I needed to run to the grocery store for milk--less than 2 miles away.  It was just after 9/11 and the real estate market was incredibly slow in the Washington D.C area.  I started to walk out the door thinking to myself, 'no one is going to come by anyway, why put away the dog?'

I caught myself, went around switching on lights, put the dog in the mudroom and locked up before heading to the store.

You know what happened next...the purchasers and their agent came by, called from the street, when they got no answer, they came in with the lockbox and that night we had a contract on the house.  I know for sure, because the buyer later became a friend of mine, that if our dog was loose, she would not have come in the house. She is terrified of dogs and while our gentle dog would never jump, she did weigh 75 pounds and looked a little like a wolf.

Each of us loves our pet(s), but not all of us love all types of pets--or even other people's pets.  Make sure that you have a plan in place to deal with your animals, even if that plan is to take them for a walk during showings.  Planning ahead can make the difference between selling and not!