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My dog, Bo, when he was a pup

Today’s Wiki Wednesday Feature: Selling a Home When You Have Pets

I’m an animal lover, and sometimes I forget that not everyone feels the same way I do. Some people are just not animal people. Some people have pet allergies. And even pet lovers can be turned off when walking into a house that’s blanketed with cat hair or perfumed with the scent of wet dog. This is especially important to remember when you’re trying to sell your home: The last thing you want is for your beloved Fido or Fifi to turn away potential buyers.

Today, I’d like to highlight an article in the Real Estate Guide on selling your home when you have pets. This article features some great tips on keeping your pets — and those prospective buyers — happy while your home is on the market.

A couple important tips include giving your home a thorough cleaning and removing all pet paraphernalia (or moving it to a place where it won’t be cluttering the rest of the home). This is no time to have chew toys strewn about the house and worn cat trees adorning the living room.

If you’re having an open house, it’s a good idea to have your dog or cat out of the house if possible — whether it means asking a friend or relative to watch them or boarding them at a kennel. But if that’s not possible, put your pet in a safe area either inside or outside (only if weather permits). Be sure to post a note at the front door informing buyers and agents where your pet can be found. Oh, and I can’t emphasize this last point enough: Dog owners — don’t forget to scoop the poop!

See the article for more helpful tips. And if you’re a pet owner with tips of your own, go ahead and add them to the article.

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