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We love our furry family members, but not everyone is as fond of pets as we are. So, they can present some challenges when it comes to selling a home. First, you must figure out what to do with your pets during showings, and then you must find ways to help them handle the move. Here are 5 tips to help you an San Francisco area home seller handle pets during showings and moving.
1. Have a Plan for Pet Evidence
Our first tip to help San Francisco area home sellers handle pets during showings has to do with all the pet stuff that is around the house. One key phrase is “Out of sight, out of mind”. This means all those pet toys, beds, food, and water bowls needs the space to be quickly put out of sight.
“The key to doing this is to have a game plan for making the pet evidence disappear before a showing is about to happen. A way is to designate a space in the closet or even under your bed that you can store your pet’s belongings. The same thing goes for other pet-related items like food, water dishes, spare leashes, and anything else that screams ‘a pet lives here!’ Yes, some buyers love pets, but some buyers might be afraid because of a childhood experience.
2. Get Them Out During Showings
Another important thing to do to handle pets especially cats and dogs during showings is to simply take them outside to the park.
Why outside? because leaving your pet inside, especially alone, spells dangers. The pet might go into a defensive mode to protect their home from strangers wondering around. Even if your pet is friendly, they might be tucking their tail behind their legs, which puts unneeded stress on your pet. It is also not great for potential buyers either because the potential for any pet-related injuries that might happen.
“Make sure you have enough time to prepare your pets prior to showings, request that you get at least a few hours’ notice or better yet 24 hours before anyone comes through. That way you don’t have to run out in a hurry, and if you need to find a place for your pets to go, you have some time to arrange it.”
Other pets besides cats and dogs would be a case-by-case basis. For example, while fish and hamsters are generally OK to leave – if you have a more exotic pet like a snake or spider it could make people feel uncomfortable. These two pets are highly recommended to be removed or at the very least be out of sight during showings. While you might enjoy this pet, you want buyers to feel comfortable enough to stay and look at the house and not run out the door!
3. Give Them Plenty of Exercise and Attention
In order to handle pets during showings and moving successfully with little stress, you need to make sure to give them plenty of attention and exercise. Keep in mind that there are two things to think about, the needs of the potential buyers and the needs of your pets as well. It’s not for nothing that we have this saying: “A tired dog is a happy dog.”
“Be sure to provide your pet with lots of opportunities to release pent-up stress and energy during the home selling process, which will benefit both of you. If you have a dog, consider adding some time to their daily walk or taking more trips to the dog park.
If you have a cat, consider instigating more play time, with games like chase and hide-and-go-seek. Also up the amount of attention you give your pet too, since they probably need a little bit more TLC during this time. Even if you’re busy, set aside plenty of time to help your pet expend more mental and physical energy.”
4. Learn About Anxiety Issues
Also, to better handle pets during showings and moving, you should learn about pet anxiety issues that are common for them. Take a few mental notes during the selling and moving process: Is the pet eating more or less food? Are they seeking you at night more? Do they tend to rest/sleep when you get home more? Be sure to pay even more attention to the daily behavioral habits. Why? Because the home-selling process is difficult for pets because their routines are disrupted.
If methods like spending more time with them isn’t working, then it is time to talk to your vet about how to help your pets handle this anxiety. Make an appointment with your vet to talk about options for reducing anxiety and stress. Options include prescription and non-prescription calming medications or even wearable stress relievers like the Thundershirt, calming sprays, collars, and other products designed to regulate your pet’s mood.
5. Understand the Signs of Stress
Similarly, you’ll need to help your pets deal with the stress involved, which usually accompanies anxiety. So, to handle pets during showings and moving, you need to first understand the signs of stress. Once you know how to recognize pet stress, you can begin to deal with it.
Signs to watch out for include panting, clinginess, drooling, excessive dandruff, shaking, shivering, pacing, and excessive licking. The better idea you have of what to look for, the quicker you can react when your pet communicates to you that they could really use some extra help.”
And Get Help From Your San Francisco Agent
Finally, it’s a good idea to tap into your San Francisco agent’s experience and knowledge concerning pets. A good agent will have helped many San Francisco area home sellers who have pets and will have further tips and strategies to help you handle yours. Don’t lose a night’s sleep because your agent doesn’t know how to handle pets during showings, but, instead, contact me at 415-830-1423.
