You are ready to sell your home! Potential buyers are going to be visiting. Selling your home with pets can present some challenges. Here are our top tips for pet owners who are selling their home:
Do you smell that?
It sounds strange, but when people see pet items like a pet crate or food bowl they will instantly smell “dog,” or worse, a kitty litter box. We love pets, but they’re animals, and they smell like animals sometimes. Be sure to clean and remove any lingering pet odors from your home.
Before a showing here’s a trick: Do a quick run through of the house and toss any pet toys, bowls, beds, brushes, etc. in a laundry basket and tuck the basket in your car’s trunk! If you have a large dog crate, ask a neighbor if you can store it in their garage during showings.
Buyers will often walk around the backyard, if they have kids- then they will definitely take a stroll through your yard. Pick up the dog poop in the backyard. Nothing bums out a buyer worse than stepping in a pile of dog poop.
Schedule a puppy playdate
If possible, stash your dog at a friend’s house, have a neighbor walk them around the block or put them in a crate before the visitors arrive. Many people are afraid of dogs, and some people trigger strange reactions in dogs. Even if your dog has never met a person they didn’t love, it’s best to clear them out of the house before a showing. Your dog may be upset by all the people coming into their house!
If you have cats, they will probably hide during a home showing—but put their litter boxes in the garage inside a black trash bag until the guests leave. A litter box will trigger that funny smell reaction in buyers, plus many people are allergic to cats.
Some people just don’t like pets- and that is their choice!
Just because some people aren’t fans of the four-legged, doesn’t mean they are not great, qualified buyers. Keep up the appearance of a pet-free home to make your house attractive to a wider pool of buyers. Don’t be discouraged if you are selling your home with pets – with our tips you can successfully sell your home!
Whether you have pets or not, buyers will expect a clean and tidy home so be sure to use our laundry basket trick – and you can get your hands on our Show Ready Home Checklist.
