You can’t imagine living without your pet but when you’re selling your home in Scottsdale, it’s in your best interest to make your house look like a pet-free environment. Many buyers don’t want to see – and certainly don’t want to meet – your non-human family members; in fact, they don’t want to see any evidence that a pet is in residence at all. So how do you stage your home when you live with pets? This guide explains.
5 Tips for Staging a Home When You Have Pets
Some buyers find a home with pets to be an instant turn-off, and because you don’t want to alienate anyone when you’re selling your home in Scottsdale, you have to learn how to make it appear that you’re in a pet-free house. You can do that by first removing any items your pets use on a regular basis (such as pet beds, food and water dishes, and toys) when you leave the house for a showing. On top of that, you should:
- Look for and get rid of stains or damage from pets
- Vacuum your floors every day
- Clean out your vents
- Air out your house
- Clean up your yard
Here’s a closer look at each.
Tip #1 for Staging Your Home When You Have Pets: Handle Stains and Damage From Pets
Over time, any home with pets will have a few stains and maybe a little damage. Go around your home fixing up anything you know is there and looking for damage you may not know about yet. It’s far better for you to find and fix it than it is for a buyer to see it and leave the house without thinking about making an offer.
Tip #2 for Staging Your Home When You Have Pets: Vacuum Every Day
Even pets that don’t seem to shed a lot can leave behind hair and dander. Potential buyers have a knack for noticing it, too, especially when it’s in corners or along the baseboards. Try to vacuum extremely well at least once a day (even your hardwoods or tile floors) to make sure you’re getting as much as you can. (And this way, if someone is allergic to animals, you’ll reduce the chance of a reaction when they come into your home.)
Tip #3 for Staging Your Home When You Have Pets: Clean Out Your Vents
Vents trap a lot of pet hair, which means you should wipe them down and replace all your air filters with those made for homes with pets. You don’t necessarily have to get your vents professionally cleaned, but if you think that you should, your real estate agent may advise you to go ahead and hire someone.
Tip #4 for Staging Your Home When You Have Pets: Air Out Your House
Open the windows and let your house air out when the weather’s nice. In fact, you should open the windows for a while every day to help minimize pet odors that other people may pick up on (but that you may be desensitized to).
Tip #5 for Staging Your Home When You Have Pets: Clean Up Your Yard
Prospective buyers can (and will) step outside and look around your yard. If they step in something they shouldn’t – well, it’s safe to say that they’ll probably leave without deciding to make an offer. Take the time to clean up your yard. While you’re out there, look for holes that your dog may have created, disturbed mulch, or other evidence that a pet was out there having a blast.
