Jennifer Lee Mazeika

ABR, GRI, CRS

“Home is where your story begins, I’ll help you get there.”

Selling Your Home If You Have Pets

We all adore our pets and make our homes as comfortable for them as it is for us.  But even if a potential Home Buyer is a pet lover, they don’t want to smell or see any damage your pet might has caused in their possible new home.  Here are a few simple things to keep in mind when selling your home if you have pets.

Remove Pet Odors and Stains
Pets have accidents.  You have probably gotten used to the pet smell over time, but new visitors to your home will be sure to notice the smells. 56% of all homebuyers have said they are “turned-off” by an odor and have listed that as one of the top reasons they will pass on a home.

Avoid this by having your carpet and flooring professionally cleaned, with a focus on removing pet odors. If the staining or odors are too bad, you may need to replace the carpet in the problem areas.

Repair Any Damage Your Pet Has Made
Pet damage is never attractive when selling your home. Dogs and cats will inevitably destroy something, including carpets, furniture, hardwood flooring, walls, trim, doors, turf in your yard and your fence.

All of this damage should be repaired prior to listing your home. The value you will get for your house from making these repairs will be well worth it.

Cleanup Your Yard
Pick up any messes in the yard and have any damage repaired. You may be the kind of person who picks up after your pet regularly or you may have a cat that causes very little impact to your yard. Remember the yard is just as important to some buyers as the inside of the home.

Remove Your Pets and Their Toys During Showings
When selling a home with pets, you should remove them from your home when you are showing the property.  All the cute things your dog or cat does will not help you sell your home and will only remind the potential homebuyer that the house has contained pets previously.

Ideally you should have your real estate agent showing the home while you are out. Having a pet in the house or yard can create complications for your agent and puts your pet at risk of accidentally getting out during the process. There are also liability issues to deal with as well.

Maybe due to your job you can’t come back and remove your pet at the time of the showing. The next best option is to put them in a contained space and let the agent know about it ahead of time. Also don’t forget to remove the litter box if possible or if you have to leave your cat in a confined area, leave a just cleaned litter box.

The potential homebuyers might be pet lovers like I am but why take the chance?  By removing any obstacles, you are helping your real estate agent show your home in the best possible conditions and make the best possible impression on your homebuyers.