Sixty-eight percent of U.S. households, or about 85 million families, own a pet, according to the 2017-2018 National Pet Owners Survey However signs of pets living in the home is not a selling point.

To Do List To Get Your Home Ready

• Scoop the poop, gross but true, no one wants to walk into poop when walking the property, make sure it is picked up every day
• Have carpets cleaned and try to keep home swept or vacuumed, especially if you have a dog that sheds a lot. Having the home deep cleaned (this is important whether you have a pet or not), HVAC vents cleaned, bathing your pet regularly, and adding an air purifier can help with pet odor, although you may not notice it, someone looking at your home (especially if they don’t have a pet) will.
• Repair any damage done by your pet – chewed moldings, scratched up doors, etc
• Remove signs of pets – put water/food bowls away, toys, leashes, cat scratching posts and other pet objects into a cute box or closet
• Make sure litter boxes, hamster/bird cages are cleaned regularly so that they don’t get stinky. If possible, tucking the litter box away, into a closet or garage is best

What to do with my pet during showings and open houses?

For showings, if you are home, you can step out and take your dog for a walk while the buyer and their agent tour the home. If you are away during the day, it is important to keep your dog in a kennel or drop them off at doggy daycare. Although that may be an added expense you do NOT want to leave your dog out during showings. They may be sweet but having strangers coming into their home when you are not home can not only give them anxiety, but they could become aggressive, and you don’t want anyone getting hurt.

During open houses I would recommend taking them with you. It may be too stressful keeping them in the kennel while having people coming in and out of their home for several hours, and if they like to bark it won’t be a good showing experience for potential buyers.

If you have question give me a call/text or email, I would love to hear from you!