Selling a Home With Pets? Read These 4 Essential Tips

When selling a home, every homeowner wants to do whatever they can to help ensure that it finds the right buyer. However, some things can make selling a home a bit trickier, especially selling a home in a buyers market. Selling a home with pets in residence is a common home seller conundrum.

But how can a seller make their home the best it can be to sell without resorting to something drastic like giving up their beloved pets? Keep reading for a few strategies homeowners can use to make their home appealing to all buyers while keeping pets where they belong.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Repair Damage Left By Pets

It’s a fact of owning a pet that all pets will leave their marks on a home in some way, shape, or form. As buyers go through a home, they will be looking for signs of damage. Before they have the opportunity to scrutinize every scratch and stain, be sure to repair the damage caused by pets. This can include things such as scratches on hardwood floors, fur on carpets and furniture, smudges from noses on windows, and so on. The less of an impression pets leave on a home, the better the home’s chances are of going over well with buyers, so it’s important to clean up after those furry friends.

How to Get Rid of Pet Stains and Odours Before Showings

• Have spot treatments done by a professional cleaning service or try DIY pet stain treatments
• Launder fabrics like slipcovers, curtains, comforters, etc. that hold smells
• Clean habitats for fish, birds, reptiles, and other small animals
• Clean or remove litter boxes and potty pads
• Replace the HVAC filter and optionally add a HEPA filter
• Steam clean carpets, floors, furniture, etc.
• If the odour persists, check if the carpet pad or subfloor may need to be replaced
• Avoid trying to mask an odour with scented candles or air fresheners

Remove Pets From the Home During Showings

While finding a place for a pet to stay during showings may seem like a hassle, it’s well worth the effort. There are many different reasons to keep pets out of the home while having visitors over:

• Pets can get stressed out by strangers in a home.
• Visitors may accidentally leave doors open and let pets outside.
• Visitors may be allergic to pets or afraid of them.
• Visitors may bring young children who don’t know how to properly interact with pets.

Homeowners can take pets to a kennel or to a neighbour’s home during showings. Not only is it safer for the pets to be away from the home during a showing, but it can also create a more peaceful environment for buyers to view the home.

This also includes pet paraphernalia such as toys and bowls. One of the key elements of staging a home for sale is depersonalizing, and having pet items visible can impede buyers from seeing themselves (and their own pets) living there.

Take Care of Pets That Can’t Be Moved

Some people have pets such as dogs that live for rides in the car, and some people have pets who aren’t quite as mobile, such as birds, reptiles, and fish. Even dog and cat owners may find they need to keep the pet at home in a kennel during the showing for one reason or another. In cases like these, homeowners should post a sign on the door of the room the pet is located in clearly warning visitors that there is an animal living inside.

It can also be a good idea to include another sign closer to the pet asking visitors not to stick their fingers in the cage or try to touch the animal, especially in the case of reptiles and birds. If possible, try putting a sheet over the cage to give the pet some privacy while buyers are visiting the home, but be wary of doing this if the cage has a heat lamp, as it may be a fire hazard. One last-minute thing to do before the home show if the pet is prone to being noisy is to leave treats or quiet toys with the pet to keep them occupied.

What to Do if the Problem Pet Isn't Yours

Many homeowners have dealt with an overly talkative neighbour dog at some point. If there's a loud or aggressive dog nearby, buyers can be turned off from the home, so it's worth checking with the neighbour to see if anything can be done. Some pet owners may be amenable to sellers who offer to pay for doggy daycare or a dog walker.

Home sellers can also try installing a small water feature or countertop fountain to create white noise, or they can insulate the home from outdoor noise by closing the windows or using heavier curtains. If time allows, more intensive ways to soundproof a home might come in handy.

Get Your Home Ready for Sale—Pets and All

Selling a Kettle Valley home with pets can be a bit more tricky than selling a home that has never had pets in it, but by keeping these four strategies in mind and using them as necessary, homeowners can help improve their chances of finding the right buyer. For more advice about selling a home, be sure to consult a skilled real estate agent who can provide even more tips, related to pets or otherwise.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.