Most Realtors are animal
lovers and have pets of their own, but we have all shared stories of having our
fingers or ankles nipped by furry creatures during a showing. We have opened the
front door to the home we are showing only to have a purebred Persian kitten
scoot toward the nearest busy street.
If you have pets and are going to put your house
on the market, be sure to work out the showing arrangements carefully. It is
important for us to be able to communicate to our colleagues what to expect when
they pass through your front door. It is rare for pets to pose significant
problems, but big dogs can be menacing. Buyers or agents may be allergic or even
a little phobic about dogs or cats. It is difficult to get a buyer excited about
your home if he or she is sneezing continuously or cowering in a corner in fear
of Fido. If we know there might be a problem, we can arrange ahead of time for
you to walk the dog, vacuum the cat dander or do whatever is necessary to make
sure that the showing goes smoothly.
