Selling a home with pets requires some extra care to ensure the home meets buyer standards and that the process does not create undo stress for pets. These tips advise sellers how to minimize problems when selling and keep a home in show-ready condition, even when furry friends are living in their East Nashville homes.

Get Advice on Staging and Cleaning

People who live with pets have become accustomed to a certain degree of odors and messes. Even homeowners who generally keep their homes very clean might not notice how dog toys or a crate can create a visually-cluttered space for buyers to see. Objective advice is best, preferably from a real estate agent experienced in selling homes that have had pets. Sellers should make a checklist of items they need to remove before each showing, and cleaning tasks they must undergo before the home is ready to list.

Set a Fair Schedule

Accommodating buyers is one of the best things a seller can do, but they should be honest about what they can accomplish to get the home ready to show at certain times of the day. Like humans, pets have routines that make their lives more comfortable. Showings that fall within those routines are likely to cause less stress for pets and sellers alike. People who make sure that they can have the home in ideal condition prior to a showing, adding extra time to get their pets ready to go, will be better able to impress buyers from the very beginning.

Create Safe Rooms for Pets

During the home selling process, a lot of people like to designate a few areas of the home as off-limits, just so they do not have to spend as much time cleaning every room before their real estate agent arrives. For pets, this might mean a disruption in their expectations. If pets will continue to live in the home while it is listed for sale, homeowners should designate safe spaces for the pets to rest, play, and sleep after the day's showings are done. This will create a sense of calm for pets, and ensure that the off-limits rooms are easier to keep show-ready.

Take Pets Out for Showings

Sellers invest a fair amount of time and money into removing evidence of their personal lives from the property, so that buyers can imagine life in a home that is uniquely their own. Pets can interrupt this illusion, creating mess, odors, and even fear for visitors. All pets should be taken out of the home for the duration of the showing, if possible. If pets that have a designated living space that cannot be reasonably moved, such as a tank, it should be clean, clutter-free, and fresh-smelling.

Repair Any Home Damage Caused by the Pet

Pets can cause serious damage to properties over time. From claw scratches on the door to bite marks on the carpeting, many pets leave homes worse for wear. Pet owners may find it easy to overlook these small imperfections, but home buyers do not. 

Replacing worn out carpet and refinishing scratched up wood is one way that homeowners can repair pet damage for buyers. Even in a home where little or no damage has been done by the pet, pets may leave an odor in the air that buyers will recognize instantly. Deodorizing carpeting and airing out the home is another excellent way to prepare a home to be seen by buyers.

By eliminating pet odors, pet owners can make their home more appealing to non-pet owner buyers. In fact, making these small changes may even boost the value of a property, if it's done properly.

Consider Temporary Relocation

Trying to balance the needs of pets and prospective buyers is a heavy load for sellers to undertake, even for just a few weeks. Many experts recommend finding a temporary home for pets while owners are selling a home, to ensure that the pets receive appropriate care without constant disruption of their lives. Sellers often find that taking their pets to stay with a family member or friend, pet sitter, or kennel removes a lot of their own stress and hassle.

Selling a home with pets is a bit more complicated, but does not have to be impossible. By taking advantage of these tips and advice from their real estate agent, sellers can show a great home to buyers, and make sure that their beloved pets stay healthy and happy.