Dogs, cats, birds, snakes, monkeys, ferrets, rabbits, bobcats, goats, pigs, horses, spiders, roaches and termites just to name a few I’ve encountered showing real estate.

When preparing to sell your home or property you will likely have a discussion with your real estate agent on how to handle these living creatures.
Household pets are very common, but there are two types of buyers, the “likes” and the “don’t like”.
I suggest to the owner if possible to take the pet on an outing when a showing is scheduled.
It helps the “don’t likes” stay around check out the property, and it helps with distractions so the buyer stays focused on their checklist and doesn’t miss any great features.
Another advantage to this is the safety aspect. The most pleasant pets can become protective or irritated in the absence of an owner on their property.  An owner should act on the side of caution even if they are doubtful a pet may behave this way.  I also want to mention the odor some pets may cause, it’s always a good idea to eliminate it, by removing the pets’ bedding, blankets, and food dishes will help.

Pest control is a must for the interior of a home and any porches or any outdoor living areas.  Anything crawling on floors, walls, or cabinets give a buyer the creeps. There are many nontoxic, do it yourself recipes for the most common household pest, if you prefer to handle this yourself.
Termites or other destroying insects common to your area should be inspected for by a qualified person. Treatments and inspections reports readily available to a buyer is useful and sometimes required for mortgage financing.

Critters…..well they can be anything from your nightly raccoon that visits or the frequent snakes that come out of a nearby pond. Whatever it may be it is always a good idea to disclose this information before buyers start walking the property. Buyers are sometimes relocating from an area that they would never imagine a confrontation with anything more than a squirrel or rabbit. Any outdoor animal pens that are off limits should also be disclosed before a showing.

Home sellers put this tip on your home selling checklist.  If you are a buyer and pets are important check with your local zoning, condo association or homeowners association because they may have restrictions on the type or amount of pets that are allowed.

Happy home selling and home shopping 🙂

Alice

photo compliments of:

https://pixabay.com/en/users/kabaldesch0-553126/