Four Tips for Selling a Home When You Have Dogs
You love your dogs. They're members of your family, so their hair and body odors don't bother you one bit. Sadly, if you're trying to sell your home, potential buyers may not feel the same way about your furry friend. Having a dog in the home may turn off certain buyers before they even come in the door. Luckily, there are some things you can do to make a home with dogs more appealing to buyers.
Clean up the yard.
Nobody likes stepping in dog poop when looking at the flowers or inspecting the garage. Spend an afternoon picking up the messes in your yard. Also check for areas where your flowers and landscaping have been dug up by your dog. Smooth them out and fill them in to give your yard a more pristine appearance.
Have the carpets cleaned.
Vacuums only do so much when it comes to removing dog hair, and they're just not that effective at removing odors. It's worth your while to pay a professional to come shampoo the carpets before you put the home on the market. This will give the whole home a fresher scent and also eliminate any telling stains.
Get rid of smelly furniture and dog beds.
Dog beds can accumulate a lot of dander and smelly oils over the months. Buy a new dog bed and throw away the current one. Your home will have a much fresher scent. Similarly, if you have a chair or couch that your dog spends a lot of time on, you may want to put it in storage or send it over to a friend's garage for the time being. Seeing an overly hairy or stained chair can turn off some buyers.
Keep the dog with a friend.
If you have a friend or family member who knows and appreciates your dog, see if they'll let the dog stay with them for a few weeks while you try to sell your home. This way, you won't have to be constantly cleaning up after the dog each time he makes a new mess. You don't have to worry about him barking at and turning away unsuspecting buyers, either.
Many dog owners sell their homes each year. Ideally, you'll find another buyer who also loves dogs and is not turned off by the occasional hair left on the carpet. However, with the tips above, you should be able to make your home appealing even to non-pet-loving buyers.
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