Selling problems

C - Pets and Showings: Do you have to remove your pets?

 Removing pets before showings could literally make you thousands of dollars.

Animals, primarily cats and dogs, can be a huge stumbling block to selling your home. (We won’t even bother with the obvious: mice, snakes and other reptiles.) Over a period of time, owners become unaware and immune to the odors of their pets. Even if your pets truly don’t smell, it doesn’t matter. If buyers see a pet, they’ll imagine they can smell Fluffy. 

Cats are particularity offensive to allergy sufferers and have been known to “attack” buyers. Strong scented candles and plug-in odor emitters throughout the house are too obvious; spray-on odor killers may do the job.

If you previously owned a cat, get rid of those plastic boxes that held cat litter. These large pails make great storage containers. Buyers are a suspicious lot and when they spot pet containers, water bowls or feeding dishes, many will convince themselves that you have a cat but that it’s hiding under some bed or has deposited some classic clues somewhere in the house.

A barking dog is incredibly distracting and makes everyone feel uncomfortable. Houses with barking dogs hold all the records for the fastest showings–and being on the market the longest.

                                  Homes that are listed

If your home is listed, the convenience of keyboxes (lockboxes), means these homes are subject to being shown anytime throughout the day.

If you aren’t home during the day and the weather is permissible, pets could be temporarily (and comfortably) restrained, such as housing them in the garage, with an appropriate note attached to the (locked) door. 

A last bit of advice: in addition to adequate food and water, have a radio playing music in the area with your pet. This way, Cujo won’t get alarmed from hearing voices during a showing. When buyers request a second showing, make arrangements so that all areas are available to show.