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The majority of homeowners today have dogs, and as a professional home stager, I get asked all the time if this is a problem when selling a home. The answer is yes. Most sellers crate their dogs for showings, but this may not be the ideal solution. If the dog is barking the entire time the buyers are in the house, it will not be a pleasant experience, and may be too distracting for the buyers to give your home the attention they should. In order to test whether your dog will bark, ask your agent to come over when you are not home. Quite often, your dog does not behave the same as when you are present. Leaving the dog loose in the home, even if it is as non-threatening as can be, will still turn off buyers who have a fear of dogs. Or, if you have a particularly cute and friendly dog, they could very well upstage your home, when it comes to the attention it is given by buyers.
Another option some sellers choose is to put the dog in a laundry room or garage. This is limiting the buyers access to areas they have a right to see, and will want to see. Many times the size of the garage is a determining factor on whether a home will work or not. It is crucial that buyers have free access to all areas of your home, including the backyard. If you have a pen or kennel outside where your dog will be safe and secure, and buyers will not be fearful, this is an acceptable solution. It is not recommended that you chain or tie your dog up, as this could create a negative response from buyers.
The most desirable solution is to remove the dog from the home during the time of showings. There are different ways of doing this. If you are home during the day, you could take the dog for a walk or put him/her in the car and leave for the duration of the showing. If you are away at work, you might look into daycare for your dog, either at a reputable professional daycare facility, or perhaps a friend or family member could watch Fido. Another option is to find someone in your neighborhood, who would be willing to take your dog during showings.
Even if you wind up paying for someone to care for your dog, it will be well worth it, to allow buyers to have a pleasant experience viewing your home.
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Absolutely cats can do more damage, and it’s mostly the kind you can’t see. I have a black light I use, and any pet stains are obvious under the light. Clients are always shocked by what we find.
I agree with you, that if the pet isn’t there for clients to see, they can concentrate more on the home, and not be concerned with allergies. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!
I had a client with a dog… I would take the dog out for her prior to the showing. Then I would stake his leash to the ground with my listing sign. It worked.
I believe that most people who are not pet lovers - or “allergic” - will find offense in any house that has a pet. I only “” allergic because I know many people who only have reactions when they SEE the pet - but none when the pet was not visible! My uncle was that way… now he has 3 golden retrievers and oddly no allergies!
Cats are worse than dogs in many ways. They lurk about and there are many more “allergic” people concerning cats. Also while both pets may require the carpet or other flooring to be changed out entirely - male cats that spray the walls with urine could necessitate drywall be removed and replaced.
That’s funny…we both used the name Fido. I find that male buyers especially are very interested in seeing the garage, so I can’t recommend that dogs are kept there. But, I liked your post, and I agree that cats can be unpredictable too. Thanks so much for the comment!
A little different from my analysis, but definitely an important issue for Sellers.
Check out my article, which also mentions cats.
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That’s a great idea for my next post! Owners being home during showings! NEVER a good idea. That’s a shame about the house, but sellers need to get a clue, if they want their homes to sell! They might be taking the dogs with them, but stains and odors remain! Thanks for your comment!
When i was looking at houses recently we came upon a VERY nice house that was everything we wanted. the problem?
the sellers never took care of the dog. you could smell urine and dog all through the house. and the owners (and the 4 dogs!) were there. the owners actually turned us off the most.. she kept talking over our agent and the dogs were barking the entire time. hopefully more people will read this when they try to sell a home. Thanks!
There are a lot of safety issues involved, including the dog’s. Better to play it safe. Thanks for the comment!
I love my dog like she is part of the family, but I know that it is a turn off for buyers. Good post.