Globally, we spend billions of dollars on them annually. We love them like family members and treat them (sometimes) better. Why, then, do our real estate selling agents beg us to relocate our pets when we decide to list our homes for sale? Why does property presentation Sydney require us to pack Bowser off to Uncle Joe’s house for the open for inspection phase of our real estate transaction?
Frankly, and we know this is difficult to imagine, not everybody loves our pets.

There are matters of allergies, phobias, and simple hygienic concerns that make prospective buyers cringe when an otherwise perfect home has the distinction of being the territory of a pet. This isn’t limited to dogs and cats, either. Guinea pigs, snakes, and parrots tend to give buyers pause. So, what are we supposed to do with our other family members while we sell the homestead? Here are a few thoughts.

Relocate

This is the best suggestion for most families with or without pets. Keeping a house showing ready 24/7 is tough enough, but doing so when you must find an alternative location for the critters on a moment’s notice can be nearly impossible. Many families choose to put their own things in storage and take up an interim residence while the big business of selling the house is underway. Renting a serviced apartment for the weeks it takes to sell your place makes good sense by way of minimising the trauma of being in limbo.

Yes. It is an expense, but ultimately, it will pay for itself in other ways. Your home is likely to sell more quickly because it can be shown more often. Additionally, the much-desired condition of being ‘move in ready’ is easier for the prospective buyer to envision when there are no visible signs of the home being already inhabited. It’s an expense that will pay off in the end.
Send Bowser on Holiday

You can pack Bowser or Miss Kitty off to the home of another family member if you can’t see your way clear to move out of the house while it’s being shown. Your pets will at least know the people with whom they’re living. You may also assure your faithful family members that the stay will be limited since pet-less homes sell so much faster.

Kennelling

Boarding your pets either at a local kennel or with your veterinarian is also an option. This, of course, can be traumatic for your pet so choose carefully here. Cats are particularly susceptible to issues around abandonment and separation anxiety so we suggest using this option only when there are no other avenues available to you.

Cover their Tracks

In order to pull off the “no animals live here” property presentation Sydney home stylists suggest you take special care to eliminate signs that pets have been residents. Take special care cleaning up the yard and re-sod if there are patches where the lawn has tell-tale yellowing.
Touch up paint around window sills where kitty leaps to observe the neighbourhood. If there is a special piece of furniture that bears marks of clawing, remove it.

Spend the money to have the carpeting professionally cleaned to eliminate all pet odours and hairs that have been left behind. If you are staging with your own furniture, you must certainly vacuum carefully and might even consider having upholstery professionally cleaned to eliminate pet dander, a big allergen for some buyers. Also, check those exterior doors. If there are scratch marks from Baxter’s requests to come inside, fill them, sand them and repaint the door to eliminate all sign of his ever being there.

Even though we love our pets, it may be necessary to put them through a bit of unpleasantness in order to accomplish this very significant business deal. It is, after all, the biggest business transaction in which you’ll ever take part. Hopefully, your sale will go quickly and your special efforts to make your property presentation Sydney will pay off in a big way. If you need special help or advice where your pets are concerned, ask your professional home stager. We deal with pet concerns every day and can help you and your furry family members get through the selling process without major discomfort.