REMOVING YOUR PET’S’ PRESENCE Simply put, pets are messy and of no help at all in selling your home. Pets are near the top of all the elements in a home that can cause damages. While they might be adorable and lovely companions, they also don’t have qualms about relieving any of their bodily functions and hair around your house.
If you’ve taken the necessary steps of cleaning and removing pet dander, youmay also want to consider removing the pet entirely by leaving them with friends, relatives, or neighbors, or even boarding them during an open house. Animals can present liability risks while showing your home, not only for bites and personal harm, or allergies, but an unknowing home buyer might let your animal out, which can cause you to miss out on displaying what’s important: your house for sale. Remove food and water bowls and pet toys and accessories from the home, as some home buyers may equate this with lower standards of cleanliness. Not everyone loves reptiles or spiders, so keep cold-blooded animals away during the open house. However, fish kept in clean fish tanks are acceptable (just be sure to get rid of any odors and to scoop out any dead fish ahead of time). Finally, some home buyers will preface their decision solely on their pet allergies. You should do your best to cater to them, but know that fully eradicating your home to a person with acute sensitivities might be beyond your reach. KEEP IT CLEAN While on the market, your house is a model home. It’s a challenge to keep your home clean while selling it if you still have to live in it. It’s important for best results in sale price to remove traces of your daily life. Little messes that are part of living (i.e. cooking, piles of mail, kids’ toys) can be distracting and leave an unkempt impression.
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