You're selling your home and you have pets. What do you do with them while potential buyers are walking through your property? Keep reading to see my advice.
No Distractions
Keep animals and their things out of listing photos. Period.
Don’t let pets run around while potential buyers are viewing the property. Crate them, put them outside, or have a friend or neighbor take them during the showing. You don’t want to be liable for any accidental bites, etc., and again, you don’t want potential buyers to be busier petting your animals than looking at the house you want them to buy. (I try to pet every cat I come across, so this applies to agents as well. 😉 )
Extra Clean
Yes, it’s more work, but it can literally mean your house doesn’t sell if you ignore this advice. I listed a home for clients who own two cats and the best feedback we received was that the home smelled amazing. The sellers were meticulous with taking care of the litter box and keeping the floors clean between showings. It paid off; the home was under contract in less than four days!
People tend to mistrust the home if they smell animals or see a mess made by the pets that wasn't cleaned up. It resonates as laziness, even though that's not always the case, and it makes the potential buyers wonder what else in the home the sellers haven’t taken care of. We want potential buyers to trust their experience at the home, which leads them to fall in love with it, which leads to offers.
Communicate
Agents have the ability to post instructions regarding the pets in several locations. I can let agents know what to expect in the listing, in the showing appointment information, and in the home. Make sure your agent is doing this!
This is also helpful for agents who may be working with a buyer who’s allergic to certain species or breeds. We want them to know up front, if that’s the case. The buyers may or may not still want to view the home, but we don’t want to cause allergic reactions from lack of communication.
What experiences have you had with pets and showings? Was it positive or negative?
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