If you have a cat, a dog, more than one of either, or some combination thereof, it’s assured that your furry friends are part of the family for you. However, if you are selling your home, pets present a particular nuisance. You don’t want them to get in the way during showings - or, heavens forbid, for someone to accidentally let them outside - and some buyers will have allergies or other sensitivities to pet fur or odors. What things should you know about selling a home with pets? Read on to find out.
First of all, you should make plans to remove pets during showings. This is for a number of reasons, some of which have already been mentioned. Part of the psychology of selling your home is enabling buyers to picture themselves in the house with their family and their things. Having a pet underfoot detracts from that illusion. There could also be liability issues that arise if your pet bites or scratches a curious child during the showing. If you can’t take the pet out of the house, your best bet is to either shut it in a room and let your Realtor know or to put it in a cage for the duration of the showing(s).
To get a competitive price for your home, you will want to remove any signs of pet damage or odors before putting the home up for sale. Got a kitty who has scratched up the rug outside your bedroom door, or a pup whose nails have gouged the hardwood flooring? You’ll want to fix all of this before you even list the house. Pets can destroy doors, window treatments, furniture, turf in your yard, and/or fencing. Unless you want to face a reduction in price, you will have to make your home look as though Fluffy or Fido never lived there. The same goes for pet stains or smells. If your pet have the occasional accident on the carpet, you might think that spot cleaning fixes the problem. Over time, however, these odors add up and can negatively impact a prospective buyer’s image of your home. Your best bet is to have your flooring professionally cleaned, preferably by a company with expertise in getting rid of pet scents.
All of this goes for the yard as well. You want your yard to look attractive to prospective buyers, so that means picking up pet messes and neatening any landscaping that may have been destroyed by a rambunctious animal.
As a last reminder, keep in mind that if you have a pet, your homeowner’s insurance agent needs to know. Some policies will have exclusions written in that mention dogs, or pets in general. Some restrictions may be breed-specific, such as pit bulls or Rottweilers. Check with your agent to be sure.
