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