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A Pet Owner’s Guide to Selling Your Home

How to Properly Stage Your Home So Potential Buyers Can’t Tell You Have a Pet

Sure, when you look around your house, you know it wouldn’t quite be home without your furry, scaly, or feathery best friend. However, if you want to sell your home, you have to remove yourself from that way of thinking. In order to sell your house, you want it to appeal to the most amount of potential buyers possible. When they walk through the door, they should be able to see your house as a blank canvas on which they can paint their own lives. Having pets around may not be in that picture for them. Some people have particular phobias when it comes to animals. Others have allergies or simply just don’t like pets. If you want your house to appeal to those people, hiding the evidence that you have a pet is your best course of action.

Should You Advertise Your Home as “Pet-Friendly?”

On the other hand, in certain markets your pet-friendly home may appeal to certain buyers. People moving to dog-friendly cities like Portland, Colorado Springs, or San Diego may appreciate a little information on how much your pooch loves the abode. Some people look especially for homes that advertise things like a fenced-in backyard, doggy doors, and other pet-friendly amenities. Talk to your realtor about whether or not advertising your home in a way to attract other pet lovers is right for your market.

Preparing Your Home to Show

However you describe your listing, there are certain things you will need to do before inviting potential buyers into your home. If you have a dog that is aggressive or territorial, hire a pet sitter or boarding facility to watch him when you have a showing scheduled. He’ll be out of sight and safe without having to stress about protecting his home from the strangers walking in and out. For other pets, keep them in a designated area that doesn’t get as much traffic or attention as spots like the kitchen or master bedroom.

Once you’ve figured out where your pet or pets will go during a showing, you want to stage your house so that it is clean and free of any pet evidence including dander, stains, and smells. Here are some tips:

  • Have your carpet and upholstery professionally cleaned. Keep a portable carpet/upholstery cleaner and solution on hand to take care of emerging pet spots.
  • Vacuum your carpets and rugs daily or consider buying a robot vacuum that does the job for you at regular intervals.
  • Declutter the house including pet accessories such as toys, leashes, and bowls.
  • Maintain your home’s curb appeal by filling in any holes your dog may dig in the yard, retouching the trim on your house, and planting flowers in bare patches.
  • Consider getting an air purifier that removes pet dander, hair, and odors from your home’s atmosphere.
  • Cover pet smells and fill the entire house with warm fragrance by whipping up a batch of stove top potpourri.
  • Fix scratches and marks left by your dog on the back door or any other entrance. For wood doors, you need some sandpaper and matching paint. Glass doors or panels, on the other hand, take a little more work.
  • If you have a cat, clean his litter box daily and sweep around the perimeter. Always give it an extra scoop before a schedule showing.

If you have pets but plan to sell your house, it’s in your best interest to hide all the evidence that they are there. Your potential buyers need to see your house as a blank canvas on which they can paint their own lives. While you may want to advertise your home’s pet-friendly amenities, it’s still best practice to keep the place clean and free of allergens, hair, and smells. If your pet is territorial and doesn’t like strangers, consider boarding him during showings. A thorough cleaning of the house from top to bottom should help with staging, but don’t forget to do the little extra things like taking care of pet stains and covering odors before a showing.

Article provided by Medina at DogEtiquette.info