How to Sell a House with Pets?

I want to repost this to my facebook. What are the rules?

Asking some people to do those items is like asking them to hide the presence of their children. Its a constant battle, at least for me, and sometimes it goes my way and other it does not.

Even if you can get rid of the signs of the pet you should still disclose the fact you had pets.  However, getting rid of the reminders of them will help sell the house.

Great suggestions, Sherry, and I appreciate the thoughtful comments as well from your other readers. Definitely some good points to remember, and to pass on to clients with pets!

Wow... I'm on the pets' side this time.  Yes, odors, stains, animal clutter, etc have to go, and pets need to be contained during showings.  I have never even heard of anyone not wanting to see a home because the owners have pets, though.  Usually people brag about their pet doors!  LOL!  Perhaps it's just the difference between southern California and the rural mountains of southern Oregon.  :-)

I posted this on facebook. Real good advice! I have NO idea why agents have cats in the MLS pics. I suspect that even devout cat lovers would discount a house with cat hairs etc.

Thank you very much. 

I believe I'm on the pets' side also regarding some of the suggestions.  I could not imagine making a loved family pet relocate and be isolated from its family. 

I do agree that unattended pets in a home during a showing, particularly dogs, pose a liability.  I will not enter a home with a client when, after unlocking the front door, a dog alone in the house appears with his/her muzzle at the door.

My advice would be to arrange for someone to remove the pet during the showing appointment time, but relocating the pet for the entire time the home is being marketed is not something I would suggest to a client, unless the pet could be relocated to a familiar and loved environment by the pet.

Dogs are like dirt. They're fine when they're at your home, but you don't want to see them when they're at somebody else's house. Anyway, why try to fool the public? I don't show any house that has a dog (call ahead so the owner can put the dog away (no way), or caution: large dogs (ha ha)). As far as I'm concerned, those homes can just sit on the market -- forever.

Sherry, I didn't realize that California has a disclosure requirement for pets.  We have no such rule here in Florida.  But I side with the pets also.  There have been a few homes that the pet smells turned the buyers off, but never have I had a buyer refuse to see a home that had pets.

Great ideas and love to read all the comments.  Took a buyer last week to see a property, the seller was at the house with the dog trailing behind, the buyer didn't want to see the property with the dog following us and the seller didn't want to leave or put the dog in its crate, once all sides calmed down we were able to see the house, but buyer decided he didn't not like it, I wonder why????  Although dogs are great and some are very friendly, we can't forget that some people do not like dogs and we should be sensitive about that.

I'm on the pet's side too and disagree with you and many of the comments.  I would never "get rid of my pet" during the season of tyring to sell my home nor would I ever ask that of anyone of my pet loving clients. I think it's ridiculous! For many people, their pets are part of their family. I have never had a problem selling a home with a doggie door either or with dogs in cages or on leashes out back.  I'm not sure what bad experiences you have had, but other than the stains and odors (which is a given) I couldn't disagree more!

Mary (#99), I think there are pros and cons with what Sherry says.  Not mostly negative, as you are saying, as every situation is different.  I view the comments to help protect the sellers and their pets as much as the buyers.  Every situation is different and should be treated that way.  

I have seen people that make a bigger mess than any pet ever did.  Removing pets during the whole selling process is like asking the people to leave.  I think the pets should be removed from the home during showings and open houses, just like we ask the home owners to do.  My reason for the pets is so the pets don't "escape" without someone seeing them and some buyers may be allergic to per hair.  Both could be a huge problem for everyone.

I don't think removing a doggie door would help, as there are too many other things that would say, an animal lives here.  The buyers, might need it too.  Don't replace a carpet for stains from animals, as humans spill things and make stains too.  Replace the carpet only if you would do it if you weren't selling the home.  I would suggest, giving the buyers a credit towards new carpet, if it comes up.

The main thing that needs to be cleaned up is the smells, as no one wants them.  I have shown homes where the smell was so bad, the buyer walked about 2 feet in the front door and turned around and left.  This goes for both pet smells and human smells.  

Personally I don't care for pets, esp dogs, but I understand those who have them.  For buyers, even if they are dog lovers, I've found they prefer not to see a lot of pet clutter in the home.  Best to remove and be sure there is no pet odor in the home.