Selling a Home with Man’s Best Friend and Other Furry Animals

We are a nation of dog lovers and there at least four canines within the Waymark team.  However, not everyone will share your enthusiasm for “man’s best friend” and with the wetter weather, the pungency of a damp dog might not be a welcoming smell for prospective buyers!

First impressions are very important and smell can often proceed sight when it comes to dogs so we have come up with a few hints and tips before and during your time on the market.

We know, (from painful experience!), that both dogs and cats like to chew or claw at skirting boards, wall corners and the occasional kitchen cupboard.  So first off, make good any pet-related property damage around the house.  It is probably worth mentioning the garden at this point, especially if you have a dog who either digs up plants or insists on burying bones and the occasional slipper.  If you do have an animal that spends a lot of time outside, it is really worth making sure that the lawns and pathways are clear of anything onerous.  You really would not want a potential buyer leaving with more than they bargained on the sole of their shoe!

Back to the inside and it is a good idea to double check any floor coverings for pet stains and if need be, consider having them professionally cleaned.  It is easy to get used to the smell of animals around the house, so ask a friend or neighbour for an honest view, promising that you will not take offence and that you just require their professional opinion.

There are plenty of products on the market to help mask or get rid of unwanted pet smells, including a few “life hacks” involving apple vinegar and baking soda.  It goes without saying, that you should proceed with caution if you are planning to make your own smell busting remedies.  

Having already mentioned that not everybody is a pet lover when it comes to people viewing your property, it might be worth considering taking them out.  This is easy enough if you have a dog, who is bound to welcome the extra walks while we do the viewings for you.  Not so easy when you have a cat that disappears for hours and then also seems to reappear at the most inopportune moment.  More exotics pets such as birds, lizards and arachnids which can not necessarily be removed need to be housed securely and it would be polite to warn viewers in case they have some sort of phobia.  Also, it is a good idea to get litter trays and pet toys out of sight.

Finally, pets can be great conversation starters.  If a possible buyer is a fellow pet enthusiast, then highlighting the secure garden and great walks are really going to appeal to dog owners.  If the property is set away from main roads, then it is great for cats.  Either way, here at Waymark, we have yet to be surprised or bitten by any of your pets yet and welcome the opportunity to appraise your property with or without furry friends!