Finding A Great Real Estate Agent

Posted on: 10 November 2017

If you have a pet and you want to sell your house, be prepared for a few challenges that homeowners without pets may not face. Take the following measures to ensure that the presence of the animal in the house doesn't alienate your potential buyers:

Eliminate Pet Odors

When selling a home, you want it to smell nice and welcoming, and pet odors don't fit that description at all. Therefore, get rid of the pet odors so that they won't assault your potential buyers' noses. This involves thoroughly cleaning and airing out the house; don't just use an air freshener to mask the odor. In fact, relying on air fresheners can worsen the odor in your house because it will mix with, instead of masking, pet odors.

Get Rid Of the Pet Stains

Stains are just as bad as odors, so you need to get rid of them too. In most houses with pets, it's the rugs and carpets that experience the most pest stains. Maybe you have gotten used to the stains and don't think of them as a big deal; you can bet that your potential buyers will see the stains as a big deal and a turn-off.

Get Rid of Pet Accidents in the Yard

Your potential buyers should be satisfied by the house right from the gate; pet "accidents" in the yard can mess up their experience. Imagine a buyer coming into your home and stepping on pet droppings in your front yard; it's likely that the accident will be forefront in their mind for the rest of the viewing session, which is terrible for your sales process. Make sure that your yard is clean and pet-waste free.

Relocate the Animal Temporarily

Ideally, your buyers should have no idea that you have any pets in the house. This can only happen if you relocate the animal temporarily, for example, you can loan it to a pet-loving friend (maybe the friend that sometimes plays with the animal during their visits). If you succeed in doing that, take the next step of putting the animal's rugs, toys, and house – virtually any signs of the animal – out of view.

Fix Signs of Pet Damage

Lastly, you should also fix any damages that the pet might have meted out on the house. The torn carpeting, chewed cables, and scratched furniture will mar your potential buyers' view of the house. You don't want such things topmost in their minds as they drive home from the viewing.