Tip # 1
Pets are wonderful! I love all animals, but right now just have a cat who has been with me for 12 years. My husband would love a dog, but with two kids running around, that is quite enough right now.
We love our pets, and treat them as one of the family. That puppy you just got is so darn cute. Who couldn't resist?
Well, if you are trying to sell your Minnesota home, a cute little dog may not thrill everyone.
Yesterday we took a lunch break to view a home that looked amazing on-line. It had much of what we were looking for and was also in our price range. The listing company let us know a dog was in the home. This usually means the dog will be crated or in the garage. As we walked to the front door, I noticed the dog was in the front window, sitting on the back of the couch. He was a small poodle and immediately started barking when he saw us.
Ok, no big deal. So I opened the door. The dog rushed me and if I hadn't reacted quickly and shoved my foot and leg in the way, the dog would have run outside. When we were finally inside, the dog started jumping on us. My husband hates dogs that have not been disciplined and trained to not jump on people, so this was not a good sign for the home. We then began looking through the main level, the whole time having to endure the dog's non-stop barking. My husband finally shut the dog in a room to leave us alone.
But the damage was all ready done. We were so annoyed by the dog's behavior, that we became annoyed with the house. All the flaws now showed themselves more brilliantly and made us disenchanted. The dog was still barking in the other room. We just couldn't look past this bad experience and notice the good things anymore.
Our solution? We left before seeing the rest of the home...that's how mad we were. Of course we had to let the dog out of the bedroom. He proceeded to run over to my two year old son, jump on him, and nearly knock him over. My son wasn't expecting this and got scared, started crying, etc. Now I was really mad! (don't hurt a mom's kid in front of her)
So seller's, take the time to lock up your pet because they might just kill your sale. It did in this case. Here are some tips to think about should you have a family member with fur:
- Put your Dog in a Crate when your home is being shown.
- Don't rely on an agent to keep your pet inside if not crated. If the animal gets out and is injured, it is nobodies fault but your own.
- Put up the animal's food so kids don't get into it.
- Make sure the litter is fresh and clean. Poop on the floor is disgusting!
- Take into consideration that kids might be at the showing and be scared of the animal
- Check for pet odors before you sell and get rid of them.
Doing all of these things may not sell your home, but at least the buyers will be able to look through the pet's behaviour and actually SEE your home. If you really want your home sold, put yourself in the buyer's shoes and be respectful. Make the showing as perfect as possible!
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