Having pets is a great part of life until you have to move. The process of selling your house is challenging enough as is but when you add pets into the mix things can get hairy. Having pets can either make or break a possible sale but many people do not know how to navigate that area of real estate etiquette.
Paying attention to your own senses can help in getting your house ready to sell. Here is a list of things you can do to help buyers feel comfortable while still providing the quality of life your pet is accustomed to.
Sight
Pet hair makes a home look like it is constantly dirty. Invest in a decent vacuum that will pick up all of the fur from carpets, capture runaway tumbleweeds in the kitchen and remove fuzz bunnies from the furniture. The cleaner your house is the more people will realize that it is not difficult to keep clean. A house that always seems dirty will steer potential buyers away post-haste.
If your pet constantly makes trips inside and outside, put down plastic on the entryways to help keep carpets clean. Another trick is to make sure you scotch-guard your carpets in those areas so that stains won't set in from the constant wear of both pet and owner.
Paying attention to entryways will make dividends when selling your home with a pet, after all, that is the first thing people see as they walk in.
When you have people coming to look at the house, make sure that you put away any pet related items. Potential buyers are thoroughly impressed when they find out afterwards that there are pets in the home.
It re-emphasizes that the house is easily maintained even with added stress. If possible, take the pet out side of the house while the showing occurs so that the animal is not distracting to the buyers.
Smell
What was the first thing you did when you walked into a house you were looking at buying? Best guess is that you took a nice deep breath before moving your eyes to the vaulted ceilings and stainless steel appliances. If your breath resulted in a sour taste in your mouth, chances are the house you were looking at moved about three numbers down on your personal rating scale.
Studies have shown that people usually tie smell to emotional events. With all of the emotions of buying a house, whether you are a first time homebuyer or an experienced pro, smell plays a huge part in capturing a bid.
If your pet stays inside most of the time, make sure the litter box is changed frequently and does not become overpowering. On the flip side, if your pet it outside a good deal of the time, make sure you bathe them regularly and open your windows to give the home a chance to air out.
Plug-ins and sprays mostly mask odors; if you are able to spend money on a decent candle, go with a light smell. The flame will help to dissipate some of the smell by breaking down chemicals in the air while the scent of the candle spreads around the house.
Opt for a soft fragrance such as linen or some type of citrus. A traditional cucumber melon scent will also help to brighten up the room while making the house welcoming.
Touch
The feel of freshly cut grass under the feet of first time homebuyers is a great feeling. It is a feeling of owner-ship, accomplishment and security until they step on a land mine. We all know what this means.
While we cannot control the natural urge for our pets to do what they have to do, we can control whether it stays in our yard. Make sure you walk the grounds of your house each day and pick up any presents your pets may have left.
Remove any chew toys or other pet related items from the back yard when a showing is scheduled. This will give the appearance that the yard is kept neat even though there are pets in the house. A good-looking yard will impress any potential buyer but a cluttered yard will steer them away.
No matter what kind of pet you have, pay attention to how your house looks and feels. Go through it with your own senses first, before another is forced to go through it. If something just doesn't look, smell or feel right, adjust it until it does. Paying attention to these little details will ensure your house sells fast and Fido still has room to reign.
