Pet-Friendly Home Updates for Home Sellers and Landlords

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Pets and real estate have a complicated relationship. The hard line used to be to hide away any sign of a pet living in a home that was being sold in hopes of attracting all types of buyers, pet owners and otherwise.

This absolutely holds true today when it comes to cleanliness and odors, but because the majority of people in the U.S. own a pet, there’s been some wiggle room when it comes to finding the next buyer or renter, especially when it comes to showing off pet-friendly amenities in the home.

 

All Those Pet Owners Need Homes Too

Take a look at his statistic from a Realtor.com survey describing Millennial home buying: 75% of home buyers with pets would pass on a perfect home if it didn’t meet the needs of their pets.

This is a significant stat for home sellers and landlords to ponder. 75% percent of those pet owners would walk away from a property that didn’t inherently work for their pet’s lifestyle. That’s a lot of people who really, really, love their pets.

As a military homeowner, what changes can you implement to attract the best and most reliable pet owners who want to buy or rent your house? If you’re a home seller or a landlord, keep these updates in mind; they might just bring in some extra cash.

 

Customized Mud and Laundry Rooms

Not every house has the benefit of a dedicated mudroom, but most have laundry spaces that could accommodate a lifestyle with pets. Large utility sinks outfitted with handheld showers makes bathing small pets easy. Adding accessible storage shelves to hold bathing necessities like shampoo and towels is an inexpensive way to expand organization capacity, not just for pet owners, but for anyone who seeks “plenty of storage space,” which includes most home shoppers.

For the ultimate in pet bathing, however, relatively small walk-in showers or washing stations are ideal for bigger pets. The cleanup is much easier inside tiled walls instead of chasing a wet hound through the living room while he rubs his soaked fur on the furniture.

Even if your mudroom can’t accommodate plumbing, the opportunity to have a pet friendly space exists. Many families choose to have their animals eat in a room separate from human dining rooms and kitchens. Creating a dedicated space for food and water bowls keeps these pet messes from the main part of the house. Food drawers can be built to tuck away site unseen until feeding time, if you’ve got a little DIY background.

Built-in crates, racks to hang leashes, perches under windows, and plenty of storage for food and accessories are all are options to customize a utility space for pets. Pet loving buyers and renters will find it hard to turn down these time and money saving options in the home.

Easy to Clean Flooring and Paint

Hardwood flooring remains the most requested flooring type among home buyers, and the trend appears stronger than ever. It’s a safe bet it’s going to remain popular long enough to get your return on investment. Sure, there are reasons to have some comfy carpet, but many buyers and renters would much rather deal with the clean-up pets require on solid floors.

True hardwood floors are expensive and can be finicky in their maintenance. Very dark floors show dirt and pet hair immediately, and some highly finished wood planks scratch under the normal circumstances of everyday life that could include the dog chasing a ball through the house.

Faux wood flooring in all of its variations (even tile!), high end to low cost, have improved exponentially over the years. Affordability, water resistance, hard-to-damage coating, and a variety of fashionable finishes make the option hard to ignore. Remember, the choices that are pet mess resistant are also kid mess resistant!

Renters and buyers, more times than not, are going to be thrilled not to have to inherit the previous family’s invisible and–no matter how many times you try to clean—always there messes. Not to mention the germs and odors that permanently lurk in cheap carpeting bought at the big home improvement store.

The micro technology found in today’s paint choices are similar to the qualities found in wood flooring as related to durability. The best brands offer low odor and environmentally safe options, but also sell formulas sturdy enough to scrub dog drool and pet water splashes from walls and trim. Those tricked out, pet-friendly mud and laundry rooms could use a coat or two as a finishing touch!

More Pet-Friendly Amenities

A new mudroom or floor are two worthwhile ways to attract pet owners, but there are many other projects that would please potential buyers and renters.

• Fencing becomes a big deal when you don’t have any on the property. Although leashes do the job for pet relief, it is so much better to open the door and let the dog run free.

 

• Quality pet doors are must-haves for some families, especially if the animal is alone all day.

 

• Antimicrobial grass-like turf is becoming more popular for its low maintenance and savings on water bills.

 

• Side yards, previously unused, can be outfitted with dog washing areas, custom dog houses, and shaded space for pet lounging.

 

• Window seats upholstered with pet-friendly fabrics are in demand, as are the outdoor, yet enclosed cat playgrounds, aptly named “Catios.”

 

There is so much that goes into preparing your home for sale or for rent. Given the fact that more than half of the population owns a dog or cat, upgrading to attract the best pet owner/buyer/renter is a wise idea, . Updating your home with one of these options is likely a win-win situation because they are desirable not only for animal lovers, but non-pet owners too.