Developing A Real Estate Niche Around Pets

Pets are a great niche to focus on when selling real estate. Americans spend billions of dollars on pets every year and some of that could go into your pocket if you know how to market to the pet owners in your area looking for a home.

For the purposes of this article, I am going to focus on the most commonly kept pets: dogs and cats. Cage and aquarium pets generally dont cause a problem for home hunters, as they are necessarily limited to their enclosures. However, many homes are not suitable for dogs or cats because of rules or because the home has or lacks other features that pet owners are looking for.

The agent looking to specialize in pets would do well to compile a list of condo and townhome complexes that accept dogs and/or cats. Most condo associations will accept cats, but many do not accept dogs or require that all pets be under a certain weight limit. When people are looking for homes that accept their large dog, an agent who knows what complexes accept them would be more than worth their commission.

Some pet owners are looking for specific accommodations for their pets, like a securely fenced yard.(Keep in mind that a fully fenced yard to a seller without pets may not mean the same thing to a buyer with escape artist pets.) Others might be hoping to settle close to a certain veterinarian, dog park or perhaps a popular spot to walk. For indoor cat owners, secure screens that allow breezes in but keep the cat from getting out are considered a positive thing.

For people looking for pet-friendly property on a larger scale, you will need to know what goes into making a good, solidly built kennel or cattery. This is a lot more specialized than homes with pet-friendly features, as the kennels and outbuildings are just as important as the actual home, maybe more so. You may find that you will have to do a lot of reading on kennel/cattery management in order to market these effectively.

If you are trying to establish a real estate niche for pet owners, it helps to go above and beyond. If you are a real dog or cat fancier, getting involved in local clubs can bring you leads and knowledge about the area, according to pet people. Showcase local pet events on your blog and/or website and perhaps get involved in advertising local rescue pets, which might bring in people looking for pets but who end up leaving with a home. Maintain a list of local pet supply shops, pet sitters and grooming facilities.

There are many ways that you can build up a niche around pets. The beauty of focusing on pets is that there are many ways you can gather leads, from an ad in your local pet-related magazine to sponsoring a rescue pet. You also have the choice to focus on multiple types of pets or just one (dogs, cats, etc.). This could end up being extremely lucrative for you.