Tips for Showing Your House with Pets- by Olivia Brion, Showing/Listing Assistant

December 24, 2015

When selling a home with pets it is important to think how you would respond if you were the one visiting someone else’s home who had a cat or dog. If you notice a smell, would that turn you away? If you see damage caused by an animal, would that be okay with you or a deal breaker?

There are times where it may not be possible to remove a pet from a home. Maybe due to your job you just can’t come back and remove them or you can’t find anyone who will help take care of them. If this is the case your next best option is to either put them in a contained space and let a buyer and their Real Estate agent know about it ahead of time or buy a pet friendly cage to keep them in. While your pet may not be accustomed to this, and you love treating your animals like one of the family, sometimes this is what is necessary when you are making selling your home a priority.

As much as we love our pets, they are still animals, and pet damage is never attractive when selling your home. Dogs and cats will inevitably destroy something, including carpets, furniture, hardwood flooring, walls, doors, and potentially your yard. All of this damage should be repaired prior to showing the home. This may require some investment on your part, especially if the animal has damaged expensive items like your hardwood flooring or walls in your house.

Having a pet in the house or yard can create complications for the showings agents as well while they are trying to show your house, and puts your pet at risk of accidentally getting out during the process. As uncomfortable as it can be to think about, there are also liability issues to deal with as well. While your dog or cat may be friendly, it is important to remember that not all pets may be friendly. The last thing you want is Meeko taking a chunk out of a buyers are or ankle.

Lastly, if you notice any odors we would suggest making an appointment for your carpet and flooring to be professionally cleaned, with a focus on removing pet odors. If the staining or odors are too bad, you may need to replace the carpet in the problem areas.

If you or someone you know is thinking about buying a home and/or selling your current home, contact The Better Living Group today! We are here to provide you with information on purchasing a home and a free market analysis for the home you are considering to sell. The Better Living Group are Real Estate professionals in the Twin Cities and Greater Metro areas who are ready and able to assist with all of your Real Estate needs and goals and to provide only the best Real Estate service to all of our clients past, present and future.

The Better Living Group

Realtors- GRI, ABR, CDPE

cknutson@kw.com or 763-496-2903

Keller Williams Classic Realty NW