We love our pets… but when selling, there’s a good chance this won’t be the case for the buyer looking at your property. Even buyers who have their own pets, will have reservations about buying a house from pet owners, particularly if the pet was indoors. But, if you are a pet owner thinking of selling, there simple steps you can take to ensure you furry friend is no turn off.
Relocate temporarily
In a perfect world, you would relocate your pet while your home is on the market. We realise this isn’t as simple as it sounds, so if this is simply not an option for you, ensure you give your pet limitations and keep on top of cleaning duties daily. When selling a home with pets, at the very least, you should remove them from the property during home open times.
Litter trays and pads
Keep pet mess areas impeccably clean and on home open day, out of sight! Nothing turns off buyers faster than pet smells.
Pet stuff
Whether you are selling a home with pets or not, one of the most inexpensive ways to prepare your home for sale is by de-cluttering. When a pet is involved, a big part of this is cleaning up their belongings. A pet’s belongings can include their toys, beds, blankets, water bowls, leads etc- if its for your pet, pack up for the home open.
Tip: Purchase a large plastic tub that you can easily store away in the garage, shed etc. On the day of the home open, chuck anything that suggests “a pet lives here” in there. Once the home open is over you can easily bring the tub back out. It can at times be frustrating and time consuming but once you sell your home, it would have been well worth it!
Carpet and floor stains
If you have carpets ensure they are professionally cleaned prior to the home open and that any stains are removed completely. If the staining or odors are impossible to remove, you may need to replace the carpet in the problem areas.
Deep cleaning
Surface cleaning when you own a pet is simply not enough. Doing a through clean which includes behind all furniture, underneath all throw rugs, and inside each cupboard is a must. Pet hair and dust have a habit of finding their way into those hard to reach areas and you will be surprised what you find when you go looking. You may also wish to consider having your air ducts professionally cleaned out as pet hair and dust can be trapped in there and contributing to pet odours around your home.
Furniture
Make sure you give any soft furniture a good vacuum and clean. You may not be selling your couch with the home, but a couch covered in dog hair will be off-putting. If any furniture has been damaged, ensure you repair or remove. Do not allow the buyer to wonder “what else has the pet had destroyed?”
Air out your home
Make sure you air your home out daily, and of course, on the day of the home open in particular. It might pay to fragrance your home with a light coconut or vanilla scent to add some freshness. Consider lighting a candle during your home open to send a pleasant aroma throughout your home.
Often we become accustomed to our pets odour, so have a friend or neighbour come over and ask them the big question “can you smell my pet?”