Hello World! Welcome Friends! Tonight, please welcome Jessica Kane to the blog.
If you are a pet owner, and if you have plans to put your residence on the market, there are some steps that you must take as part of the overall staging process. The stark reality is that even other pet owners are likely going to be at least somewhat reluctant to seriously consider a residence that is home to people and pets. Non-pet owners definitely are going to be reluctant when it comes to taking a close look at buying a home in which companion animals reside.
Take Your Pets Offsite
If you are putting your home on the market, you need to have a plan in place to remove your pets from the premises during a showing or an open house. You need to be proactive and make arrangements for your pets to be able to go somewhere else. In addition, this needs to be a situation and location that you can access in a fairly short period of time.
There are real estate experts who go so far as recommending that a pet owner take companion animals away from the premises during the time period the house is on the market. Because the vast majority of people consider their pets part of the family, this strategy is unworkable.
In addition to taking your pets out of the house in advance of a showing or open house, you also need to eliminate all real traces of them. In other words, if you have a cat, get rid of the litter box. Eliminate pet beds and toys.
Pet Stains on Carpet and Floor
A major task that you must undertake if you are a pet owner and are putting your home on the market is to make sure that the carpet and floor is in top shape. If you have pets, this typically means making sure that all pet stains are eliminated from flooring.
Because pet stains of different types can be challenging to remove (if they weren’t difficult to eliminate, they’d already be gone) you need to consider professional assistance. Yes, hiring a professional to deal with pet stains on the premises does cost money. However, the cost associated with a professional will represent a solid investment in ensuring the best possible asking price for your home.
If your flooring is older, and if you have lived in your premises for an extended period of time, consider obtaining new carpeting and having wood floors refinished. Again, this represents some expense, but it is less of a cost than lost market value in regard to your home when you put the property up for sale.
Do the Sniff Test
Not only do pets impact the appearance of a residence, they can impact the smell of a home as well. The problem is that because you live in the premises with your pets, you may not particularly recognize their odor. This particularly is the case if you maintain a clean residence and any pet associated odor is minimal. What is minimal to you, however, represents something that can really stand out — really smell — to a person who is not a pet owner.
With this in mind, do what can best be called the sniff test. Once you think you have your residence cleaned, invite a trusted friend or neighbor into your home for the sole purpose of honestly assessing whether there is an odor that is evident of pets.
If it is detected, you need to take even further action to rectify the odor issue. This very well may include professional intervention. As mentioned before, calling in a professional represents a far better solution that losing money on the market value of your home.
State or Local Laws and Pet Disclosures
You need to do a bit of research if you are a pet owner who plans on putting your home on the market. There are some states and municipalities that have enacted statutes or ordinances that may require disclosure of pets in the premises. You need to make sure that you are in compliance with the law. You cannot lie to your Realtor about the presence of pets, or he or she can run into professional trouble.
Even if there is a disclosure requirement in your state or city, you do not have to broadcast that you own pets. You can take the steps outlined in this article to minimize or even eliminate many signs of pets residing in your home. By employing these tactics, you will be in the best position to sell your home and be on your way to your new home with your companion animals in tow.
Jessica Kane is a writer for Handicapped Pets, your most trusted source for dog wheelchairs and harnesses.
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