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The New York Times recently posted an interesting article relating to pets, one that the story itself acknowledges contradicts popular assumed wisdom: pets help sell homes. Normally one would assume that leaving pets in a house or apartment while it’s toured by prospective buyers is a bad idea, because who knows how potential buyers feel about animals?
To an extent that will always be true. People touring the house might have severe pet allergies or phobias. Some pets might be ill-behaved, following the tour around the house, making noise, and perhaps even trying to jump on people. Certain hallmarks of an animal’s presence—litter boxes, hair on the furniture, or the worst, unpleasant smells—might turn buyers off.
According to the New York Times article, however, a number of real estate brokers in the Big Apple have recently found that, under the right circumstances, pets have helped clinch a sale. Clean apartments and houses with calm and friendly pets often exude a homey air; in this case, the sweet pet is like the equivalent of baking cookies in the oven before a showing for the alluring smell.
Sometimes pets just happened to make it into the official real estate listing pictures. Other times a personable cat greeted a group at a door and led them around the house. In cases like these potential buyers were so charmed by the pets that the realtors often suspected the animal may have contributed to the sell. In some cases buyers even asked if a cat came with the house, something as a dedicated cat owner I can barely comprehend, but that drives home the point.
I know there’s some truth to that in my case. I went house hunting this autumn and animal lover that I am, I was always excited to meet animals at some of the houses we visited. My husband, being sometimes much more of a responsible adult than I am, spent time at each house examining and taking pictures of important features like the hot water heater and other utilities.
While he and our realtor poured over these things, I coaxed rabbits from the backs of their cages, praised pretty cats, patted dogs, and whistled along with birds. The houses I remember best (at least in a positive light) often contained pets.
In fact, my strongest memory of touring the house we now own involves an animal. There were no pets present when we visited the house, but after making our offer and returning for the inspection, a king spaniel was then present in a crate in the dining room.
This dog was perfectly behaved. He didn’t make a peep the entire way through our tour—not even when I pet him through the cage bars—until the inspector turned on the stove top to test it. The stove coils soon began to smoke with food remnants, and that’s when the dog flipped out.
The previously peaceful pooch yelped and barked and clawed at his cage. “Let me out of here!” he seemed to be saying, “the house is on fire and I’m trapped!” As soon as the smoke receded he returned to his serene state.
These fun pet experiences warmed potential homes to my animal loving heart. I could see how it might do the same for others. If you have a home on the market and unobtrusive, sweet animals as part of our household, check with your realtor; they just might help you make the sale.
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