How do man’s best friend & real estate get along? Great until it’s time to sell. In today’s “buyers market” any challenge for a seller becomes even more challenging. Pets can make the sale of a house much harder in so many ways.
1. Pet Smell – yuck! that’s what buyers think too.
2. Special Showing Instructions – if your house is hard to show it will get shown less (and in a buyers market you want as many people through as possible – think “numbers game.”)
3. Pet Hair – constant cleaning and you better keep it clean all the time if you’re wanting to sell it.
4. Allergies – if buyers have pet allergies they are going to want new carpeting before they move in, someone has to pay for this and in a buyer’s market, it’s usually the seller.
5. Carpet – hope there aren’t pet stains on it.
6. Fears – hope your buyer isn’t afraid of dogs and the dog gets out or is barking in the backyard – can you say “deal-kill.”
7. Dreaded Neighbor’s Barking Dog – need I say more.
Read this great article for more info – http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20080627_petsell.htm