Our four-legged companions are part of the family and the best friends anyone could ever ask for. It’s hard to imagine anything can compare with the joy of coming home to friendly cuddles, purrs or wagging tails. However, when the time comes to sell your home, having pets can make it more complicated.
Some pets can feel nervous and out of sorts when strangers begin to walk through. In addition, having animals around can make it challenging to keep your home in pristine condition.
And no matter how friendly or loving your pets are, some potential buyers won’t have the same affection for them and may even be afraid.
How Can You Make Selling Your Home Easier For Your Buyers and Your Pets?
Professional Level Cleaning is a Must
When selling your home, a deep clean is always an absolute must. The house should shine from top to bottom. When you have pets, cleaning becomes more critical because the odours can get everywhere. Since you love your pets, you quickly become nose blind to these smells, but a potential buyer will notice them right away.
You want to make an excellent first impression, which means the last thing you want is for a buyer to be greeted with the smell of pets.
One pro-level cleaning tip to help eliminate tough odours is to add baking soda to your laundry, along with your regular detergent. Enzyme cleaners can do wonders to remove stains and smells from carpets and upholstery.
For the best results, you might want to consider having your home professionally cleaned by a company that specializes in moving.
Preparing your house for sale can be challenging, even without pets. Luckily, we have even more resources to make it easier for you:
- How To Sell a Home With a Busy Family Life
- How We Support You With Our Full-Service Home Selling Process
- Marketing Your Home for a Successful Sale
Maintaining a Show-Ready Home With Pets
Once your home is pristine, the trick is to maintain it. Cat owners should keep litterboxes out of sight whenever a buyer walks through. To be safe, scoop them out twice a day and sweep up any litter scatter. The house should appear as though no pets live there as much as possible. All pet toys, bedding, and food bowls should be stashed away before a potential buyer arrives.
Unless you’re selling your home in the dead of winter, you can consider opening the windows for a few hours before a showing to ensure the air is fresh and clean.
If the weather isn’t cooperating, it might be a good idea to invest in a high-quality air purifier.
Assess For Damages
Most homeowners want to freshen up the house before listing it on the market. Minor improvements now can lead to better offers on presentation day. When you have pets, you should factor in their damage as well. You may have become accustomed to the sight of scratched up carpets and furniture, but these damages can be an eyesore to a potential buyer.
It’s a good idea to have an objective third party walk through your house to point out the flaws you no longer notice.
Relocate Your Pets if Possible
If possible, removing your pets from the home is the best solution. For example, some dogs love to go on road trips or to visit friends or relatives. If someone you trust is willing to look after your pets for the short term, that is the best solution until your home is sold. It’s easier to keep your house clean and show-ready and makes the situation less stressful for all parties.
Of course, this solution doesn’t work for every pet owner. Some animals will suffer a lot of anxiety whenever you move them or disrupt their routine.
If you can’t relocate your pet, confine them to one room of the house during the showing, and let your agent know. Showings will be much smoother when the buyer is aware that there are animals in the home ahead of time.
Clean Up The Yard
Curb appeal is often one of the most overlooked aspects when preparing your home for sale. However, nothing makes a better first impression than when a potential buyer pulls up and sees beautiful landscaping before even entering the house.
Creating curb appeal might be more of a challenge when you have pets.
If your pet likes to dig, consider resodding the lawn or planting a flower bed. And, of course, make sure to clean up all pet waste each and every time a buyer walks through to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Ease Your Pets Anxiety
Despite your best efforts, your pets will inevitably feel some anxiety when you’re selling your home. Animals are highly intuitive and can also pick up on any stress or sadness you’re feeling throughout the process. It’s important that you take the time to relax in between viewings so that everyone can unwind.
Once all is said and done, be sure to shower your pets with extra affection and treats. You’ve worked hard, and you both deserve some love!
Are you thinking about buying or selling a house in Toronto and want to know more about the neighbourhood? Check out some of our community guides right here!
Do you have questions about selling? You can book a free, no-obligation meeting with us.
