How to Sell a Home With Pets

Your pets are your world...we get it. We're pet people (specifically, dog people!) here at Hendrix Properties and we love our furry friends just as much as you do. Unfortunately, potential buyers might not feel the same way. Don't let your pets kill a potential sale!

How can you ready your home for market when you've got pets? Here are a few suggestions for making sure buyers see your home, and not your animals.

First, Plan Ahead

You'll need to do something with your pets during showings...what will that thing be? Does your animal do well in a boarding facility, or do you have a friend nearby you can drop him off with? Can you take your pet to work for a few hours? If your animal won't handle the back-and-forth all that well, consider having someone watch him for an extended period of time while your house is on the market. Keeping Fido at your sister's for a few weeks and visiting often might make him less anxious than constantly shuffling him out of his home. 

Consider the Allergic

Some people don't like cats, but some people are really, truly allergic to them. If you have cats, the last thing you want those people to do when they think of your home is sneeze and get teary eyes. If you can have someone else watch your cat for a few weeks leading up to and during your home's time on the market, that might be a good solution. That way you can work on the dander and hair while your pet is away.

Handle the Hair

Odds are, your pet probably sheds. If you've got a hair issue, the time to deal with it is before you list your house, not frantically an hour before a showing. Start with your furniture, where hair has likely collected over time and use a lint brush or squeege to remove it. Then, look for hair in less noticeable places: your air vents, the corners, and even on your welcome mat! You may not notice it anymore, but buyers will.

Remove Odors, Stains, and Poo

Your pet smells! No really, he does. You've probably gone "nose-blind" to it but it's usually pretty easy to tell when a home has animals living in it. Do everything you can to freshen your home's scent: open windows, Febreeze fabrics, and have your carpets deep cleaned. Along the same lines, clean thoroughly anything that's got pet stains or damage like chew marks. When in doubt, throw it out! And that poo? It's in your yard, and you don't want buyers avoiding landmines in your yard. Pick it up, and be diligent about doing so while you're on the market.

Have a Pet "Audit"

Think you're in the clear? Have a trusted friend come over and give you some honest feedback about how well you've done removing any signs of pets from your home. In an ideal world, buyers won't notice any signs you've got a dog or cat - they'll just see your home. Does your friend still smell an odor or did you forget to remove that huge dog crate from the laundry room? 

We can't stress enough how important it is for your pet to be off the property during a showing. You may think it's far fetched, but there are even liability issues to consider when your pet is interacting with strangers inside your home. Of course, some people will love to play with your pet, but is that how you really want them spending their time at your home? Some people really, truly don't feel comfortable about animals and the sight of a pet - even a crated or gated one - might make them extremely uncomfortable. Don't be "in the dog house!"