Pets And Our Homes

I am a dog person. I have an 11 year old Pit Bull named Louie that we rescued just about 8 years ago. You can see a picture of Louie below lounging at my mothers house. Just yesterday I completed the New York Times Best Seller, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein and it got me thinking about our homes and our pets. Since my high school days, my dog’s have been critical in making my house a home. Their joyful greetings at the door, walks around the lake, and lounging in the yard are just a few of the fond memories I have with my pets. However, pets are often an overlooked aspect of preparing a home for sale.
Pet-friendly homes are often accompanied with great features. Perhaps it’s a large, fenced in backyard to play fetch in or hardwood floors for easy cleaning of the cat’s excessive shedding.  However, not everyone likes animals. Be sure your home is fitting for those who don’t like pets. We don’t want the dog to dig holes in the large, fenced in back yard, or the cat to scratch the cleanable, hardwood floors.

With pets, there are a few things you need to be especially diligent about.

Hair-  I remember my aunt having a difficulties spending an extended period of time in our house growing up due to pet allergies. Pet hair can be a leading contributor to flare ups in pet allergies. This is not a sensation you want a potential buyer experience while touring your home.

Odor- If you have pets, a buyer should not be able to assume this based on smell. Enough said.

Damage- Animals can cause quite the commotion at times and even damage your home. Whether scratches or stains, be sure to remedy the situation prior to prospective buyers seeing the property.

If you keep these items in consideration, you can effectively market your pet-friendly home.

Here’s to pets, and all the things that make a house a home.