No matter how much you love your furry friend, it's wise not to expect potential homebuyers to share the same affection. It's not because homebuyers dislike animals and, in fact, many of the buyers who visit your showings will have pets of their own. Their real concern is the potential for tough-to-clean odors and hidden damage around the home caused by pets. It's crucial to eliminate odors and repair pet-related damage before you show your home and to continue with cleaning throughout your search for a buyer.

Don't Let Fido Throw a Wrench in Your Deal 

One thing that many homeowners don't realize when selling their home is that sense of smell can be a relative thing. A persistent pet odor that smells harsh at first will eventually smell more mild simply because you're around it every day. In other words, the scents that have become normal to you will smell harsh to a buyer visiting your home for the first time. The good news is that with a little elbow grease and planning, you can keep pet-related issues to a minimum while selling your house.

• Out of Sight, Out of Mind – On days you'll be showing your house, it's best to find alternate accommodations for your furry friend. A friend or relative who will watch your pet for the day is ideal or a kennel works if you don't mind the cost. Keeping your pet out of sight will keep potential buyers from automatically assuming that the pet left messes behind.
• Fresh Air – Pet odors can be especially harsh when seasonal weather leads to spending more time indoors.  A bit of fresh air will do wonders for smells in the home. Ventilation helps with pet odors and with the chemical smells from cleaning products.
• Clean Carpets – Carpets tend to hold onto smells. Before you show your home, rent a carpet shampooer and go to town on your carpeted floors. In addition to eliminating odors, a thorough cleaning refreshes the look of your carpet. Take the time to clean and repair wooden surfaces too.
• Wash Fabrics – The fabrics around your home also pick up pet odors, even if you do your best to keep Fido off the couch. So your furniture, curtains and decorative fabrics should be cleaned before you show your home. If a particular piece of furniture has seen more than its share of pet damage, it may be best to simply remove it from the home.
• Pleasant Scents – There is a very fine line between making your home smell pleasant and making homebuyers think you're trying to hide an unpleasant odor. Preparing refreshments before a showing is an easy way to create pleasant odors or you can go with a mild but pleasant artificial scent. The key is to avoid overdoing it.
• Prepare Your Pet – In between showings, it really helps to keep your pet out of the most important parts of the house. You don't have to restrict your little friend to a closet, but it's a good idea to restrict them from key areas you have already cleaned.

Keeping a pet is one of the perks of being a homeowner, but it's important to remember that not every buyer will share your enthusiasm for pets. Keep your home clean, keep your pet out of sight on show days and contact our team at Wright-Patt Realty when you need help buying or selling a house around Beavercreek, Ohio.