Home Selling With Pets: Don’t Lose Money
As you know, first impressions are imperative when selling your home. For most people, this means adding neutral colors to your walls and floors or sprucing up the front yard. However, if you have pets, you need to consider how they will affect the first impression of potential buyers. Here are some things you should do to keep from losing money when home selling with pets.
#1 – Carpet Cleaning
Make sure that your carpets have been professionally cleaned. The point is to get rid of any odors or stains associated with your pet. If the carpet has odors or stains after cleaning, you should consider replacing with new carpet in a neutral tone before home selling with pets.
#2 – Remove Pets
If possible, you will want to relocate your pets while selling your home. This allows you to sell your home without any evidence that a pet has lived there, making your home show ready. This is true of dogs, cats, birds, rodents, and reptiles. Fish may remain as long as the tanks are clean and have no odor.
#3 – Keep Pets Away from Potential Buyers
If you cannot board your pet with someone during the sale of your house, you should do everything you can to keep your pets away from potential buyers before and during showings. This includes:
- No photos of your home with pets for the website and no pet photos displayed inside your home
- Remove the pet from the home during a showing. If this is not possible, then crate the pet to keep them secure.
#4 – Remove Pet Remnants
Even if your pet is still in the home, you want potential buyers to be as unaware of this as possible. This means making sure that pet toys, food dishes, and litter boxes are out of sight before home selling with pets.
#5 – Clean, Clean, Clean
Although you may be used to your pet and the odors associated with it, potential home buyers do not want to inherit these issues. Make sure your home remains clean from pet hair and odors by:
- Mopping and vacuuming daily
- Diffuse a neutral oil to remove pet odors. Be sure to avoid strong scents that can be just as offensive.
- Replace all filters to reduce odors and hair.
#6 – Repair Pet Damage
Pets can be hard on a home. Before home selling with pets, be sure to:
- Repair or replace scratched doors
- Refinish scratched flooring
- Repair ripped screens
- Repaint baseboards
- Professionally clean windows to remove your pet’s nose prints
#7 – Don’t Forget the Outside
You will want your yard to be as pet-free as the inside of your home. Be sure to:
- Replace any grass dug up or burned up from pets
- Fill in any holes
- Remove any pet feces
#8 – Rid Home of Fleas
If your pet has fleas, it is important to rid your home of these pests before home selling with pets. Being bitten by bugs is a sure way to limit the number of offers you receive on your home.
Homeowners with pets are able to sell their homes. However, following these tips will allow you to sell your home faster and for more money. Make sure when home selling with pets that you show it in its best light possible. Feel free to give us a call if you have pets and would like a consultation about the best way to make your home show ready.