By : Liz Burrow , REALTOR ®
LISTING TIPS FOR PET OWNERS
" Listing when you are planning to be away on vacation , and taking Fido and Fluffy along for the ride might also be worth considering .”
Let me begin by saying that I am a HUGE pet lover ( my husband and I foster kittens for a rescue in our spare time ), but not all people share my enthusiasm for animals so when selling a home , it is always advisable to try to keep pets , and their belongings , as ‘ invisible ’ as possible . When it comes to home buying , even the most avid of animal lovers is often turned off by homes which show visible evidence , or worse still , smells of pets . People are often very sensitive to house odors and pet smells seem to be the most offensive of all . Even in scrupulously clean homes , animal smells can go unnoticed by their owners , who become desensitized to their own pets . On first entering a ‘ pet friendly ’ home , the scent of animals can often seem overwhelming and is a sure way to downgrade its appeal .
Strange as it may seem to some of us , there are also people who just don ’ t feel comfortable around pets . A past buyer experience really highlighted this for me . Buyers who were discussing writing an offer on a home opened the laundry at the end of the tour and when the wife saw the two ( absolutely adorable ) kittens , she retreated immediately to the car . Her husband was unable to get her to come back inside and even though they both loved the home , they decided against writing an offer . This of course was a very extreme reaction , but it hurt these sellers as it took them a while to find another buyer who loved the home as much as the first couple .
While it is seldom easy or practical , if there is any option to relocate your furry friends to a family member , or board them at some wonderful pet spa , this would ensure your most successful home showings . Listing when you are planning to be away on vacation , and taking Fido and Fluffy along for the ride might also be worth considering .
Failing that , here is a short list of musts : - · Keep cat litter boxes ( and puppy pads ) out of sight and meticulously clean . Air the room in which they are kept before each showing and put the cat box outside or in the garage if possible . · Hire professionals to remove any pet stains and odors from your carpets and if they can ’ t be cleaned , replace them . · Do not try to mask odors with strong air fresheners . Some people are sensitive or allergic . Worse still , buyers wonder what you are hiding and the idea of mold often springs to mind ; the death knell to any sale . · Pick up doggy ‘ litter ’ in the garden . The last thing you want is folks stepping in something unpleasant . · Pack up all visible signs of pets – toys , bowls , cat trees , beds , crates , etc . · Run a quick cloth over those nose smudges on the windows and patio doors . · If at all possible , take your pets for a walk , ride in the car , or to visit a neighbor during the showing . If you are at work , consider hiring a neighborhood teen or pet service to do this for you . · The last resort is putting them in a crate or a specific room during showings , but this often distracts the buyers and worse still , distresses the pets . You never get a second chance to make a first impression so make sure that it is a good one .
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