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As a pet owner, I am fully aware of the enjoyment that pets can bring to the family home. However, irrespective of how treasured a dog or cat may be, when a pet owner is attempting to market a home, the animal’s presence can create unforeseen difficulties.

When buyers and their agents wish to visit a house, the presence of a pet can introduce problems that make it appear less appealing than other competing properties. Here are some examples of typical situations which may arise when animals are involved.

1. If sellers would like to be notified prior to a showing so that they can make arrangements for their pets, potential buyers may lower the house’s priority on their list of properties to visit. It’s basically more convenient to view a home when there are no scheduling issues.

2. Similarly, if sellers have special instructions for dealing with pets, such as “put the dog in the laundry room” or “don’t let the cat go outside”, buyers might decide that it is more convenient to view different properties first. In today’s very competitive market, anything that makes a showing complicated could be a negative factor.

3. A barking dog will, of course, be a potential detriment. Irrespective of how friendly the dog actually may be, buyers who are not comfortable with dogs may have concerns about their personal safety. Even calm dogs who are overly friendly may be stressful to potential buyers and might reduce the amount of time they spend within the house. The longer that a buyer stays in a home, the more likely they are to be considering making an offer.

4. The presence of a pet on the property can negatively affect a showing. I once had a showing of a home where the sellers went out but did not take their dog with them. Instead, the dog was left in the fenced-in backyard. The house was ideal for my buyer since his hobby was woodworking and the home included a separate woodshop building. Unfortunately, since his wife was terrified by dogs – and the woodshop was located in the backyard – they never even took a look at it.

5. Pets may create odor problems irrespective of how spotless the house might be. Pet owners get used to these odors and might not even notice them. But, buyers who are unaccustomed to living with pets may be turned off for fear that they could never completely eliminate the offensive smell. Ask your friends or your agent to give you an candid assessment of any smells that they notice upon entering your home – then take steps to eliminate them.

Naturally, not all pets are a potential hindrance to the sale of a home. An aquarium or caged birds may enhance the decor and ambiance and might even be considered as exotic. And, of course, if you’re selling a farm or horse property, having horses would definitely be a positive factor.

While pet lovers may not find the presence of pets to be a drawback, it’s wise to do everything possible to make sure that buyers who aren’t “animal people” aren’t unintentionally excluded from the pool of potential buyers.

Filed under: Pets and Animals