When it is time to sell your home, you will encounter at least a few challenges during the home selling process. Selling a home with pets adds several additional challenges for a home owner.
While furry friends are extremely important to most homeowners, they also add some extra stress that requires additional preparation before selling a home. If you’re a pet owner, make sure you take time to prepare your home before you list your home for sale, and also understand what selling a home with pets may involve. Here are few tips.
Deep Clean your Home
Potential home buyers are easily scared away by foul odours. Pets can create some less than desirable odours and potential buyers will definitely pick up on that. Before you list your home for sale, it’s very crucial that you give your home a thorough cleaning.
Cleaning should cover those tough to reach areas, such as behind all furniture, underneath all area rugs, and inside each closet. Dust and pet hair can find their way into those hard to access areas. Consider having your duct work cleaned as pet hair and dust can make it’s way into the ducts of your home. By ensuring these “hard to reach” areas are cleaned, it can make a huge difference in removing any pet odours.
Hiring a professional cleaning service is a good option to ensure your home is looking and smelling its best. In addition to the fact that these professional cleaning companies clean homes frequently and should be great at what they do, it’s also not a bad idea to have an unbiased opinion of whether your home has pet odours.
Clean Up Your Pets Belongings
One of the most inexpensive ways to prepare your home for sale is by decluttering. When you have pets and you’re preparing your home for sale, it’s important to clean up after your pet’s belongings, such as toys, beds, blankets, and litter pans. It’s difficult to remove all of your pets belongings, however, making sure their belongings are organized neatly and tucked away in a closet or a basement during all showings. Litter pans, pet beds, toys, pet food, pet dishes etc., should all be out of sight.
Clean Up The Exterior
Making sure that the exterior of your home is prepared for the sale is important. If you have pets it should be something you take extra special care of. First and foremost, make sure you pick up after your pet if they use your backyard to do their business. The last thing you want is for a potential buyer to step in an area where you have forgotten to pick up after your pet.
Other considerations to make when selling your home with pets is the condition of your lawn and landscaping. Some pets like to dig holes in the yard or landscaping. Make sure that you have filled any holes that your pet has made, these things may seem trivial but they can make a huge impact on a potential buyers outlook of your home.
Repair Any Interior Damage
This may not apply to every pet owner, some pets can cause damage in a home. Correct any damage your furry friend may have caused. Flooring is one of the most frequently damaged areas. If your pet has damaged your carpet or floors, make sure you have this addressed before potential buyers begin walking through your home. Other possible pet damaged areas to consider in a home may include; scratched hardwood floors, trim work around doors, ripped screens, kitchen cabinet doors, lower trim work and furniture.
Be Prepared — Don’t Restrict Showings Because Of Your Pets
One of the biggest mistakes a seller can make when selling their home is restricting the times it can be shown. Have a plan of action in place if you’re selling a home with pets. In the event of a showing that isn’t convenient for you, do your best to accommodate all showings. Restricting the times your home can be shown can be detrimental, a buyer will not stop their home search because they cannot get into your home.
Relocate Your Pets
You don’t want your pets to negatively impact the sale of your home. Relocate them. It’s not always ideal for a pet owner to have their pets live other places than their home, however, it may make a big difference. If possible ask a friend or family member to take care of your pet during the selling process, it can make accommodating showings that much easier if you don’t have to worry about your pets. Other possible places to relocate your pets while selling your home is a kennel or a day care service for animals.
Remove Your Pets During Showings
If you are unwilling to relocate your pets while selling your home, the next best solution is to make sure you remove your pets during showings. Not everyone is a pet lover, just because you love your dog, doesn’t mean that every potential buyer who walks through your home is going to love your dog. Take your animal for a walk or pack them and their belongings and take them on a car ride. Another option is hiring a walking/pet service. If you happen to have a dog, you can hire a company or person that will come to your home and take your dog for a walk for a period of time.
Secure Pets In Pet Crates
If you are unable or unwilling to relocate your pets and you cannot remove your pets during showings, securing your pets in crates during showings should be the last resort. It’s not a good idea to allow your pets to wander free during home showings as it can make some potential buyers very uncomfortable. By not placing your pets in crates you run the risk of your pet escaping or even worse, injuring a potential buyer or Realtor who is walking through your home.