Buyers are interested in purchasing your house, not your pets

A bad smell greeting buyers at the door is a deal breaker for sure.  Pets in the home can trigger doubt as to the overall maintenance of the home.  It can also be a big problem for people with allergies.  I've left jobs with dog hair all over my socks because I removed my shoes to protect their floors.  I've had cat hair all over my pants from moving a sofa.  A seller with pets must take the extra steps to keep the house clean and hair/smell free.

Bad smell hitting you as soon as you get in the door!!!!!!!!!

Run, don't walk, away   That kind of smell takes a while to build up so you have no idea of what the rest of the house is like.

If you can smell it, you can't sell it!   

I've noticed that even "outside" dogs can be a problem.  They jump all over the sliding glass door, leaving muddy footprints. They tear up the back yard, leaving it a muddy mess. My advice to clients is to get a temporary wire kennel, and keep the dog in it when the house is being shown (If they can't take the dog with them.) Homeowners also need to clean the sliders, patio, siding, outdoor furniture, and any other areas the dogs get muddy. I don't have a dog right now, so this must be a lot of work. But it has to be done if people want to sell their homes! I do like other people's dogs...but they can make a place dirty. Dirt doesn't sell. On a side note: I feel bad for dogs that are left alone all day. Doggie Day Care is the answer!

I just consulted with a seller that had a bird cage in the dining room and an iguana (with chirping crickets in a separate container) in a child's bedroom. While not the same issue as dogs, not every buyer is an animal lover. I advised them to move the pets to the basement when the house was being shown.

To say nothing of those people with pet allergies.  OH my they are miserable.  What a thought to leave your house with, misery and sneezing.

Sharon,

This is so important. Sellers often don't even realize that their house smells like a kennel and even though it's not easy to tell them it has to be done.

    If you don't have the guts to tell your clients the truth you shouldn't  call yourself a full service agent.

You bring up a great point - Pets can be a huge problem when trying to sell a home.  I recently showed a home listed by another agent that turned out to be a showing nightmare due to the pets.  The owner was present during the showing and her four dogs barked and jumped all over us the entire time.  And then there were the parrots that thought that they should join in the madness and were shrieking back and forth constantly.  My buyers could not get out of the home quickly enough!