Pets are wonderful, and an integral part of the family when they are planning to sell or buy a home.  From a REALTOR’s perspective, the loyal family dog can turn into a tiger at the prospect of strangers entering a home which they have been left in charge of.

I have seen even golden retrievers, known for their great dispositions, feel threatened by my presence when showing a house and react accordingly. While we always suggest to owners that they leave the house for showings so the prospective buyers can be comfortable viewing the house and can feel free to provide feedback, it is equally important that dogs be removed from the house as well.

Cats are usually curled up somewhere or hiding under the bed, but dogs tend to want to follow you everywhere even when they are just being friendly, and this is a huge distraction when we want the buyers to focus on the house and how it would work for their family.

I had a listing assignment and the owners of the house assured me the dog would be tied outside when I arrived because he was not particularly friendly. Well he was not tied out and was not friendly. He jumped up and solidly bit my arm, which, frankly, hurt like hell. Although I had to purchase a new shirt and spend the morning in the medical clinic getting shots and cleaning the wound, I had to be grateful for the fact that he bit me in the arm, which was at least not totally embarrassing on top of everything else.

Crate them, contain them or take them with you. It significantly helps to be able to concentrate on selling your house and avoids the possibility of disaster.

We love to list homes with pets. Call Despres and Associates, Inc. for help and guidance through the process.