Selling a home is a fairly difficult task, but it becomes even more challenging when you have pets involved. Here are some tips that all pet owners should follow as they get ready to put their house on the real estate market.
Remove The Pet During Showings
You may be tempted to leave your pet at your home during showings and open houses, even if they are very good with people. Unfortunately, some people do not want a dog or cat roaming around the home as they are trying to get a feel for if they like it or not. They could have existing pet allergies, or just find the pet to be distracting. Even leaving a pet in a cage or crate is not a good idea, especially if they start barking or making sounds at guests to make them feel unwelcome.
Make a plan for where your pet is going to go during any type of showing, even if it is as simple as taking them with you in the car or dropping them off at a friend of family members home.
Hide All The Pet Items
Chances are that you have a lot of things related to your pet that are throughout your house. You'll want to consider hiding them for when you have guests that are over for a showing. These items can have an odor to them that is unappealing and make the potential buyer feel negatively about your home. For example, they may smell a pet's food bowl when walking into a room, or be overwhelmed by the smell of a litter box.
Fix Pet Damage
It's also likely that your pet has caused some damage to your home over the years. They may have had an accident and left a stain on the carpet or scratched up a wall or portion of a floor. You'll want to take the time to fix these places where your pets have caused damage. You don't want a potential buyer to think that you neglect the care of your home. Consider having the carpet cleaned or replaced to eliminate any traces of your pets, and give walls that are scratched a fresh coat of paint.
Change Your Air Filter
It is a good idea to change your HVAC system's air filter if it has been awhile. This will help remove some of the pet odors that are in the air and make a home showing a more enjoyable experience for others.
In the end, a safe bet is to contact your local real estate agency for help and advice.
Anyone can buy a home, but purchasing the right property is a little more difficult than some people make it out to be. I started focusing on buying my first home about ten years back, and although I had a few ideas about where to start, I knew that things were probably more complicated than I was making them out to be. After narrowing down the home search to the parts of town that were growing the fastest, I had a good idea of where I wanted to be. Now I can honestly say that my home is worth more than ever, and I am happy with the progress I've made. Check out this blog for more information.