Image via Pixabay
There, we said it. Your dog smells. And not good. While you probably can’t detect his unpleasant odor, anyone not living at your house can. That includes buyers, who are likely to turn and run when the pungent perfume of your playful pup permeates the property. Here are a few other cold, hard truths you need to hear so that you can make your home a hot commodity.
Dogs curb your curb appeal. From brown spots to buried bones, your dog has made his mark on your landscape. Urine is high in nitrogen and can make your lush lawn look more like a deserted wasteland. Before listing, take the time to brighten things up a bit by fixing damage to the front and backside of your property. Today’s Homeowner reports that watering the lawn is the simplest way to prevent brown and bare spots caused by urine.
There’s hair everywhere. You’ve made peace with this fact, as all good dog owners do. However, potential buyers don’t have the same love for your pets. To strangers entering your home for the first time, a thick layer of fur on the carpet means the house is unclean and therefore uninhabitable. Before every showing, make sure to dust, vacuum, and mop to get rid of pet hair that will scare your buyers away.
NOTE from Stagedhomes.com: Some dogs do not shed – but they still may cause aromas. When you do suck up dog or cat hair, make sure to clean out your vacuum cleaner and/or change out the vacuum bag. Few things smell worse than a vacuum bag that heats up with old animal hair inside.
Nobody likes a door greeter. You may have the cutest puppy in the world, but he or she will be nothing more than a distraction for anyone hoping to peruse your property in peace. Leaving the dog home – even in a crate or in the backyard – is a potential liability. Subjecting your buyers to a barrage of barking is also an excellent way to entice reduced offers which, presumably, isn’t your goal.
Adding “dog is friendly” to the listing doesn’t help. Calling special attention to the fact that there’s a dog on the property may reduce the number of potential buyers that wish to view your home. Your best bet is to banish your bowwow entirely.
You’ve got to go. Along the same lines as above, if you want buyers to be completely at ease when nitpicking your property, you and your dog need to leave. Buyers won’t feel comfortable opening closets and discussing upgrades and changes that need to be made before making an offer if you’re lurking around the corner.
The smells don’t go away with air freshener. It’s difficult to completely eliminate pet odors. Spraying harsh air fresheners doesn’t work; you have to get to the root of the problem. Carpets should be professionally shampooed to remove urine that’s penetrated to the padding below; avoid steam cleaning, which, according to Canine Journal, can permanently set stains and smells. Windows should be left open, if possible, to let fresh air in for a few hours before an open house. There are a number of odor-eliminating products on the market but most experts agree that baking soda is the most effective.
Nobody wants your dog in their house. As a seller, you should always keep your dog away during open house. Likewise, when it’s time to start looking for a new home, don’t bring your dog along for the ride. Just as you would not want a stranger’s dog in your home, other sellers don’t want your dog in theirs. Dogs are territorial and may leave evidence of their arrival in the form of urine throughout the house. Additionally, pet dander is a common allergen and your dog’s quick visit could cause more than sneezing to someone with severe sensitivity. Wait until you move in to let your dog explore his new abode.
Now that you know, you can take steps to ensure that your home is market ready and will sell for the best price possible.
Article submitted by Jim Vogel [email protected] | http://elderaction.org/
Note from Stagedhomes.com: In our classes we teach to never mask an aroma – and instead get to the source to remove it. There are great products that will help eliminate odors caused by pets, such as PureAyre. Whether it is as simple as washing the fur-baby’s beds, or using an enzyme based odor eliminator, educate yourself BEFORE you go to a client’s house where you may have to share their favorite furry family member has caused potential concerns for buyers. Your Dog Stinks (and Other Things You Should Know Before You Sell Your House)
Your Dog Stinks (and Other Things You Should Know Before You Sell Your House)
Image via Pixabay
There, we said it. Your dog smells. And not good. While you probably can’t detect his unpleasant odor, anyone not living at your house can. That includes buyers, who are likely to turn and run when the pungent perfume of your playful pup permeates the property. Here are a few other cold, hard truths you need to hear so that you can make your home a hot commodity.
Dogs curb your curb appeal. From brown spots to buried bones, your dog has made his mark on your landscape. Urine is high in nitrogen and can make your lush lawn look more like a deserted wasteland. Before listing, take the time to brighten things up a bit by fixing damage to the front and backside of your property. Today’s Homeowner reports that watering the lawn is the simplest way to prevent brown and bare spots caused by urine.
There’s hair everywhere. You’ve made peace with this fact, as all good dog owners do. However, potential buyers don’t have the same love for your pets. To strangers entering your home for the first time, a thick layer of fur on the carpet means the house is unclean and therefore uninhabitable. Before every showing, make sure to dust, vacuum, and mop to get rid of pet hair that will scare your buyers away.
NOTE from Stagedhomes.com: Some dogs do not shed – but they still may cause aromas. When you do suck up dog or cat hair, make sure to clean out your vacuum cleaner and/or change out the vacuum bag. Few things smell worse than a vacuum bag that heats up with old animal hair inside.
Nobody likes a door greeter. You may have the cutest puppy in the world, but he or she will be nothing more than a distraction for anyone hoping to peruse your property in peace. Leaving the dog home – even in a crate or in the backyard – is a potential liability. Subjecting your buyers to a barrage of barking is also an excellent way to entice reduced offers which, presumably, isn’t your goal.
Adding “dog is friendly” to the listing doesn’t help. Calling special attention to the fact that there’s a dog on the property may reduce the number of potential buyers that wish to view your home. Your best bet is to banish your bowwow entirely.
You’ve got to go. Along the same lines as above, if you want buyers to be completely at ease when nitpicking your property, you and your dog need to leave. Buyers won’t feel comfortable opening closets and discussing upgrades and changes that need to be made before making an offer if you’re lurking around the corner.
The smells don’t go away with air freshener. It’s difficult to completely eliminate pet odors. Spraying harsh air fresheners doesn’t work; you have to get to the root of the problem. Carpets should be professionally shampooed to remove urine that’s penetrated to the padding below; avoid steam cleaning, which, according to Canine Journal, can permanently set stains and smells. Windows should be left open, if possible, to let fresh air in for a few hours before an open house. There are a number of odor-eliminating products on the market but most experts agree that baking soda is the most effective.
Nobody wants your dog in their house. As a seller, you should always keep your dog away during open house. Likewise, when it’s time to start looking for a new home, don’t bring your dog along for the ride. Just as you would not want a stranger’s dog in your home, other sellers don’t want your dog in theirs. Dogs are territorial and may leave evidence of their arrival in the form of urine throughout the house. Additionally, pet dander is a common allergen and your dog’s quick visit could cause more than sneezing to someone with severe sensitivity. Wait until you move in to let your dog explore his new abode.
Now that you know, you can take steps to ensure that your home is market ready and will sell for the best price possible.
Article submitted by Jim Vogel [email protected] | http://elderaction.org/
Note from Stagedhomes.com: In our classes we teach to never mask an aroma – and instead get to the source to remove it. There are great products that will help eliminate odors caused by pets, such as PureAyre. Whether it is as simple as washing the fur-baby’s beds, or using an enzyme based odor eliminator, educate yourself BEFORE you go to a client’s house where you may have to share their favorite furry family member has caused potential concerns for buyers.
Image via Pixabay
There, we said it. Your dog smells. And not good. While you probably can’t detect his unpleasant odor, anyone not living at your house can. That includes buyers, who are likely to turn and run when the pungent perfume of your playful pup permeates the property. Here are a few other cold, hard truths you need to hear so that you can make your home a hot commodity.
Dogs curb your curb appeal. From brown spots to buried bones, your dog has made his mark on your landscape. Urine is high in nitrogen and can make your lush lawn look more like a deserted wasteland. Before listing, take the time to brighten things up a bit by fixing damage to the front and backside of your property. Today’s Homeowner reports that watering the lawn is the simplest way to prevent brown and bare spots caused by urine.
There’s hair everywhere. You’ve made peace with this fact, as all good dog owners do. However, potential buyers don’t have the same love for your pets. To strangers entering your home for the first time, a thick layer of fur on the carpet means the house is unclean and therefore uninhabitable. Before every showing, make sure to dust, vacuum, and mop to get rid of pet hair that will scare your buyers away.
NOTE from Stagedhomes.com: Some dogs do not shed – but they still may cause aromas. When you do suck up dog or cat hair, make sure to clean out your vacuum cleaner and/or change out the vacuum bag. Few things smell worse than a vacuum bag that heats up with old animal hair inside.
Nobody likes a door greeter. You may have the cutest puppy in the world, but he or she will be nothing more than a distraction for anyone hoping to peruse your property in peace. Leaving the dog home – even in a crate or in the backyard – is a potential liability. Subjecting your buyers to a barrage of barking is also an excellent way to entice reduced offers which, presumably, isn’t your goal.
Adding “dog is friendly” to the listing doesn’t help. Calling special attention to the fact that there’s a dog on the property may reduce the number of potential buyers that wish to view your home. Your best bet is to banish your bowwow entirely.
You’ve got to go. Along the same lines as above, if you want buyers to be completely at ease when nitpicking your property, you and your dog need to leave. Buyers won’t feel comfortable opening closets and discussing upgrades and changes that need to be made before making an offer if you’re lurking around the corner.
The smells don’t go away with air freshener. It’s difficult to completely eliminate pet odors. Spraying harsh air fresheners doesn’t work; you have to get to the root of the problem. Carpets should be professionally shampooed to remove urine that’s penetrated to the padding below; avoid steam cleaning, which, according to Canine Journal, can permanently set stains and smells. Windows should be left open, if possible, to let fresh air in for a few hours before an open house. There are a number of odor-eliminating products on the market but most experts agree that baking soda is the most effective.
Nobody wants your dog in their house. As a seller, you should always keep your dog away during open house. Likewise, when it’s time to start looking for a new home, don’t bring your dog along for the ride. Just as you would not want a stranger’s dog in your home, other sellers don’t want your dog in theirs. Dogs are territorial and may leave evidence of their arrival in the form of urine throughout the house. Additionally, pet dander is a common allergen and your dog’s quick visit could cause more than sneezing to someone with severe sensitivity. Wait until you move in to let your dog explore his new abode.
Now that you know, you can take steps to ensure that your home is market ready and will sell for the best price possible.
Article submitted by Jim Vogel [email protected] | http://elderaction.org/
Note from Stagedhomes.com: In our classes we teach to never mask an aroma – and instead get to the source to remove it. There are great products that will help eliminate odors caused by pets, such as PureAyre. Whether it is as simple as washing the fur-baby’s beds, or using an enzyme based odor eliminator, educate yourself BEFORE you go to a client’s house where you may have to share their favorite furry family member has caused potential concerns for buyers.