The 5 major real estate pet peeves don’t have any connections to buyers and sellers.

Most pet owners make a real effort to contain, remove or subdue unruly pets during showings.  However, every once in awhile pet-related issues cause havoc when showing properties.

These 5 major real estate pet peeves surface when:

1. Owners try to clean urine saturated carpets in lieu of replacing carpeting and padding.  The lingering odor is far worse because adding water to the problem seems to amplify the smells. If you have animals who have destroyed the carpet- remove the carpet and padding and check the sub-flooring for stains and moisture.  Sometimes it’s necessary to replace wood subflooring before laying new carpet and padding.  This is one pet peeve that cannot be swept under the carpet!
2. Hyper or terrified animals roaming the home during showings.  Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of cornering huge loving dogs, grabbing cats and even experienced petting a very friendly pot bellied pig- but not all buyers are animal lovers.
   If you cannot easily “contain” your pets for showings- at least allow your agent to warn potential buyers about what to expect.  For example- a large dog is locked in the laundry room- with a sign on the laundry room door – do not open.  This way -buyers and their agent know what to expect when they arrive at your house.  Cats who like to bolt out the front door also need to be secured in a room.  Chasing a loose cat down the street is detracts from the actual showing.
3. Snakes, lizards and other reptiles – need I say more.   Make sure they’re in a secure environment and, if you have a very large collection, a heads up to the showing agent will make things much easier.  Remember some buyers bring their children along and some buyers freak out over reptiles.
4. Allergies are a big concern today.  Pet dander, fur, smelling blankets and toys should be minimized.  Swiffers are wonderful and smart sellers run not only dust and vacuum before they leave -they also “swiffer” all carpetless flooring.  Another good idea is to reduce the number of dog slobber marks (snarts) from low windows and doors.
5. And finally, don’t douse the house with lavender, vanilla or other scented sprays to mask pet odors.  Sometimes the fix is worse than the original problem.  Heavily scented properties can occasionally cause potential buyers to have attacks of wheezing or coughing…..and they can’t wait to exit the property.

Sellers who are proactive about minimizing or eliminating “pet peeves” increase their chances of capturing the next buyer.

Getting ahead of potential problems before the property hits the market is always better than waiting for negative feedback from showings.  If you cannot “smell” the problem and your listing agent asks you about the odors- you probably have a “pet peeve” issue and shouldn’t hesitate to ask for resources to help resolve.

And if you restrict your pet from jumping on the agent discuss the best ways to handle showing.