Image courtesy of Pixabay
Written by Cindy Aldridge
Pet ownership is fulfilling and offers tremendous rewards. However, one of the few downfalls involved with owning pets comes when it’s time to sell a home. Unfortunately, most potential buyers are put off by the prospect of purchasing a home that housed pets. With proper staging, you can make your pets invisible for a quick and successful sale.
Pets are problematic. Being a pet owner is a wonderful thing. Coming home to a furry, feathered or scaly friend means companionship and caring. However, while you may know your pet has terrific house manners, prospective buyers will picture the worst case scenario. Images of fleas, soiled carpeting and destructive behavior can mean losing the sale of your property. In fact, some studies show leaving any evidence of pets can mean a loss of as much as $30,000 off your home’s price.
Deodorize. The first step for pet owners staging a house for sale is to eliminate odors. Odors tell a prospective buyer immediately there was a pet in the house, even if you remove everything else. Also, odors can be difficult to get rid of, so it’s vital to work on them early in the process and then stay on top of them. One suggestion is to start with any spots where your pet had accidents. Deep clean the areas with an enzymatic cleaner. Then, move on to your other items. For any items that are machine washable, The Humane Society of the United States recommends adding a pound of baking soda to the laundry load. Carpeting should be shampooed with a commercial cleaner. If you struggle with locating the source of an odor, you can use a blacklight and outline areas with chalk to treat afterwards. Also clean upholstery and linens, and then air out your home.
Pass the test. Once the cleaning process is complete, ask a friend to drop in to do a sniff test, since living with an odor sometimes means we stop noticing it. Odors that are really set in require more thorough work. You can hire a professional cleaning service as your next step, and then arrange for another sniff test. If professional cleaning doesn’t resolve the issue, HouseLogic suggests sealing and painting walls and replacing draperies with new window coverings. If that still doesn’t do the trick, it’s sometimes necessary to actually replace drywall and wood surfaces.
Keeping up. After deodorizing, you need to keep your home from developing pet odors all over again. If your dog uses puppy pads, dispose of them outdoors in sealed containers immediately. Kitty litter boxes should be cleaned completely every day. Also vacuum daily, and place candles or potpourri in strategic locations. When it comes time to show your home, take your pet and all his belongings with you. That includes cages, aquariums, litter boxes, leashes, bedding, bowls – everything. Some pet owners find it’s best to temporarily house pets with a friend or boarding facility until after moving into the new home. Finding off-site housing is helpful throughout the process, as pets don’t need to deal with coming and going for showings, and aren’t subjected to the chaos of moving and packing.
Educate yourself. Research homes for sale in your area as soon as your property is on the market. Moving quickly into a new home means you won’t need to prolong the stress on your pet. Being educated on what is available will help you make decisions quickly. For instance, a vintage home in Sacramento, CA, has a median listing price of $350K.
Invisible means successful. For pet owners, staging a home for sale can be challenging. Your first priority is to make your pets invisible. Careful planning can mean a quick and successful home sale.