Admin

Pets Can Make Selling A Home A Little Challenging

By
Real Estate Agent with Hoang Realty

According to the 2017 National Association of Realtors Animal House: Remodeling Impact report, in 2016 61% of households owned a pet or planned to own a pet in the future.

We do love our pets!  

Personally, I'm a dog lover.  I have a Chocolate Lab named Lexi who loves the snow.

There are some features that we pet owners have in our homes that can make our house more appealing to other pet owners. First, fenced yards are usually a big selling feature for a pet owner, so if your yard is fenced that's a bonus.  Easy to care for floors, like tile or laminate, can be a plus for a pet owner, too.  (A mud room with access to the yard is on my personal list of "good pet features.") 

If you own a pet and are planning on selling your home, there are some pet-specific things you'll want to consider to put your home in the best shape for a top dollar sale.

1)  Repair or replace anything that has been pet-damaged. Things like scratches on window sills or doors (Or walls!  Yes, I've seen that!), damaged flooring, cabinets (I've seen that, too!), etc. - that stuff needs to be fixed.  Carpeting might need to be replaced.  You should also fill any holes your pet may have made in your yard.

2)  Check that smell.  Clean, clean clean.  Make sure pet bedding is washed.  Don't forget to clean any carpeting and furniture.  (You might want to consider having your home professionally cleaned to make sure the pet smell is gone.)  Have a friend come through after you've cleaned to see if the pet smell is gone.  (Sometimes we get so used to our pet's smell that we can't pick it up anymore!)

3)  When the cat's away.  For showings, it's best to make arrangements for your pet to be out of the house.  You'll want potential buyers to be able to roam freely through your house without having your pet under foot.

Even though I have a huge soft spot for dogs, I know that having a pet in the home can make selling a house a little challenging.  However, it is possible to minimize any potential pet-related issues.  If you'd like some advice on making your pet-friendly home ready for a sale, just give me a call.

 

Lexi in the snow

This is Lexi.

 

 

Posted by

                                

 

 

                                  

Lisa Hicks

MaineRealtor®  Hoang Realty

yourmaineoasis@gmail.com

(207) 592-5374

www.yourmaineoasis.com

Search Maine Real Estate Here

 

                 

****************************************************************************

 

Serving the Maine counties of Kennebec, Waldo, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Cumberland and Androscoggin.

 

Information and content in this blog is original to Lisa Hicks.   Copyright © 2017 by Lisa Hicks

Show All Comments Sort:
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Lisa, fenced yards are big items, and even when buyers don't have dogs, it keeps the kids in.   Lexi is very cute!  

Feb 17, 2017 03:33 PM
Lisa Hicks
Hoang Realty - Augusta, ME
Serving Central and Southern Maine

Hi Joan - thanks for responding! And thanks about Lexi.  :-)

Feb 17, 2017 03:53 PM
Kim Fox
kimfoxhomes - Pearland, TX
Pearland Specialist

Great tips Lisa Hicks 

Feb 17, 2017 06:19 PM
Lisa Hicks
Hoang Realty - Augusta, ME
Serving Central and Southern Maine

Hi Kim - thanks for reading.  :-)

Feb 19, 2017 10:35 AM
Jane Peters
Home Jane Realty - Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles real estate concierge services

I remember my clients and I chasing a dog down the street which got out. Thank goodness we caught it, but it doesn't make the home showing process easy that's for sure.

Feb 19, 2017 04:00 PM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

I'm not a pet owner Lisa, but I understand that people love and adore their pets.  But it's important for them to understand that not everyone is an animal lover and leaving a pet unattended during showings, in some cases, hampers the mood for potential buyers.

Feb 20, 2017 12:14 PM