6 Tips for Home Sellers With Pets

Texas Real Estate Podcast with Gloria Buck

If you own any pets, there are six additional steps that you need to take in order to have a successful home sale.

There are many steps involved in the home selling process. If you own pets, there are a few additional steps you should take in order to have a successful home sale:

1. Check your insurance. Although you know that your pets would never hurt anyone, they could mistake a potential buyer for an intruder and scratch or bite the buyer. You would be held liable for any harm that your pet causes, so make sure that your homeowners insurance protects you.

2. Prepare your yard. Buyers will walk through your yard, and that stroll will be ruined if they step in a mess or roll their ankle where your dog likes to dig. Make sure that you double bag the waste before disposing so that your garbage cans don’t smell when buyers walk past. Fill all of the holes in the backyard and sprinkle grass seed on top.

Before you put your house on the market, make sure that your yard is a green oasis. Pet waste can create brown or yellow spots in your lawn. Aerate the lawn, seed worn spots, or replace ugly patches with new sod. Then, train your pet to use a different spot or take them for long walks.

3. Remove odors. This is one of the biggest challenges for pet owners. It is easy to clean the cat’s litter box and put it away, but it’s harder to erase years of piddle from rugs and hardwood floors. If a bacteria-eating pet odor remover doesn’t quite work, you may need to hire a professional to clean your carpets. In extreme cases, you may even need to replace those carpets. You should also clean turtle, hamster, or guinea pig cages before showings, and make those fish tanks sparkle.

4. Clean up the hair. Not only does a layer of pet hair on the floor make your house look messy, it can also trigger allergies and send buyers sneezing out the door. Before each showing, vacuum and dust to remove settled hair and dander. If your pet sheds, brush them outside so you don’t have hair flying around the house. Regularly grooming your pet helps reduce shedding, too.

5. Hide the evidence. When you have a pet, you tend to accumulate a lot of stuff: sweaters, toys, leashes, food, and more. No matter how adorable you think everything is, buyers will only see clutter. Stow your pets’ items in a closet or cupboard, put dry food bins in the laundry room, and wash pet beds to remove odors.

"Set up a play date for your pet during home showings."

6. Say goodbye to your pets, just for a while. If you decide to leave them at home during showings, crate your pets or confine them to a special area of the house. Make sure the agent knows where they are! Keep your pets busy with long-lasting treats or interactive toys. However, it is best for everyone if you make a play date for your pet or send them to grandma’s house during the showing.

If you have any other questions about the home selling process, just give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!