By Chris Matthews (and Blu!)
Let’s talk about preparing your home and selling your home if you have pets.
Deodorize
The most important thing that I see as a Listing Partner on Team Callahan is to remove any smell that your home might have because of your pets. Think dog pets, litter boxes, etc. If you do have a lingering odor, you definitely want to deodorize that or consider using an ozone machine along with a deep cleaning. Smells can be off-putting to potential buyers and we don’t want that.
Remove Any Signs of Your Pet
Additionally, I highly recommend you put away any signs of a pet when we’re bringing the photographer out. We know you love your fur babies, but a lot of buyers don’t have pets so that could be a negative for them if there’s signs of an animal in the house. (This goes for showings too). Consider tucking the food bowls in a cabinet, the kennel in a closet, or just load it into your car before you leave for a showing. We’re going to be honest about your pets, but we just don’t want to advertise them.
Remove Your Pets For Showings
During showings you want to make arrangements for your dog to be out of the house, especially if they are the kind that bark when people walk through. If your job allows, come take them for a walk during showings or if that’s not a reality (because for a lot of people it’s not) you could have the dog stay with a friend or family member or put it in Doggy Daycare. If your cats are escape artists, consider putting them in a bathroom or spare bedroom and closing the door. Be sure to put a sign on the door so the showing agent and/or buyer don’t accidentally open it and set them free.
If you have any questions about what we successfully do to help our Sellers who have pets get their home sold, please give us a call at 912-200-3897.
