While we love our animals and consider them as one of the family, not everyone is as enthusiastic about our pets as we are.

If you are a homeowner and have at least one pet, even a fish, you might want to consider the following before you list your home to sell.

Clean Fabrics

Depending on what type of pet you own, cleaning all textiles within your home is must. Carpets, couches, curtains, chairs and bedding should all be washed and/or steam cleaned either professionally (depending on the magnitude of smell) or do an extensive clean yourself. You might wish to rent a carpet cleaning/ steaming machine which can be done through various houseware businesses. All pet fabrics (dog beds, blankets, lining of crates or cages) should be washed as well. For items that cannot be washed or steamed, consider opening your windows for a spell and Febreeze (but please keep in mind this is short term solution and should only be used as a last resort- a thorough clean is 10x better!)

Repair and/or Replace    

Take a walk through your home and inspect furniture and other features from a buyer’s point of view. If furniture, baseboards, doors or carpeting looked chewed on, scratched, stained or snagged, you may want to consider replacing or repairing those items prior to listing to ensure that you get top dollar for your home. Items such as couches or chairs may need to be reupholstered, or you can purchase removable slipcovers that can be taken off once your home has sold.   If you have cats or birds, it would also be a good idea to check curtains, blinds, and other window treatments to make sure they are in the best condition. While it may take extra time and money to rid your home of any issues, it will be worth it in the long run as your home will show better, potentially sell faster, and for a higher price.          

Trip to the Groomers (A Special Consideration for Dog Owners)

The best way to make sure that you can keep your home smelling and looking fresh and pet-free is by taking your dog to the groomers before you list your home. By having Fido washed, trimmed and tidied up, you are eliminating a great deal of the fur removal you will have to do on a daily basis once showings begin.

Hide the Litter Boxes (A Special Consideration for Cat Owners)

Any realtor will tell you that litter boxes are a big issue when it comes time to sell a home. The smell and the sight of them is an instant turnoff for buyers. This is why I recommend placing a litter box in an area of the house that is not a frequented living space. Areas such as a mudroom, the laundry room, a spare room in a basement, a cupboard under stairs, etc, are places that can still be easily accessed by your feline, but are not generally considered high traffic areas where buyers will want to spend a lot of time. I suggest if your litter box is not already in one of these spaces that you move it a few weeks prior to when your house is due to go live on the market. This gives your cat time to get familiar with the new washroom setup, and if they decide that they object, you have ample time to clean up the results of their displeasure and try to relocate the box to another area. Don’t forget to place your furry friend into the box as soon as you move it so that they know where to find it.

Other ideas include getting a litter box with a removable lid, or placing the box in a cupboard with a swinging door and/or curtain. Please do not attempt to switch to a “better smelling” litter at this time- the majority of cats greatly dislike their litter being changed, and it has been my experience that people who are sensitive to animal odours will smell the litter box anyways, regardless of litter type.  Better to keep the box in an isolated space-out of sight, out of mind!

Clean the Backyard

As with the inside of your home, your backyard will also require a check in order to survey any damage that your pet may have inflicted. Holes should be filled in, feces picked up, and any patches or bare spots (due to your dog’s bathroom habits) should be replaced with new sod. It is also a good idea to inspect your fences as you never know if there are any escape tunnels that may be in the works, from your pet or from other animals.  I also advise looking for scratch marks on a fence or gate, and making sure that it is not leaning over due to the pressure of a pet pushing against it (this is more so the case for owners of larger dogs) and that the gate still catches and locks properly.

Inform Your Realtor

Always let your realtor know if you have any pets in your home. That way, they can potentially offer useful tips (like this article!) for how to proceed with showings and can prepare the viewing instructions with your pet in mind.  While ideally your realtor will be the one showing the house to potential buyers, most of the time it will be the buyer’s real estate sales representative taking them through. Your realtor can ask that appointments are made with enough notice so that the pet can be removed from the home (e.g. one hour’s notice), or to follow specific instructions if the pet is in the property at the time of showing (e.g. “do not let cat out,” “Sparky is in a crate in the kitchen”). Please see the article “How To Show Your Home With Pets” for more information regarding what to do with your pet when your home is on the market.

Special Note: Some realtors may advise that you remove all photographs where your pet is present, to further prevent buyers from making assumptions about your home due to the presence of an animal.