What to do with pets when selling house? (Austin: for sale, real estate)

[sheaday]

We are getting ready to put our house up for sale and having a problem figuring out what to do with our dog. We have a 7 pound chihuahua mix that is house trained and has free reign of the house and backyard (thru a doggie door) when we are at work. We won't lock her in the backyard with the rising temperatures and we are against crating a house trained dog for 8hrs a day. The only option we have is taking her to doggie daycare everyday but at $20+ a day, that will quickly add up. But I guess that's what we'll have to do.

Our realtor said that we could stipulate that the house can only be shown by appointment only but would limit our showings.

Austin is a huge dog and pet city so I'm wondering what other sellers have done? Or if you've recently been house hunting, did a by appointment only house turn you off?

[ankey]

As a former real estate agent and home buyer, if the listing looked great and the price was right, we'd give "by appointment only" houses a call but if they couldn't accommodate a same day or next day visit, it was a big turn off. Most houses with pets either had no sign of them because the owners removed them from the house or they were crated or in the backyard with a warning in the listing about a dog. I know people who have had flexible dog walkers/neighbors/friends who they could call on short notice to remove the dog from the premises.

If I were in your shoes, I'd take the dog to doggie daycare during the first couple of weeks the house is on the market, when it's likely to get the most interest. After that, you could probably go to "by appointment only". In the end, you have to decide if the doggie daycare cost is worth getting your house possibly sold faster and at a higher price.

[CptnRn]

As hot as the housing market is here I would not worry about insisting on showings by appointment only, unless you are desperate to sell quickly.

[sheaday]

Originally Posted by ankey

As a former real estate agent and home buyer, if the listing looked great and the price was right, we'd give "by appointment only" houses a call but if they couldn't accommodate a same day or next day visit, it was a big turn off. Most houses with pets either had no sign of them because the owners removed them from the house or they were crated or in the backyard with a warning in the listing about a dog. I know people who have had flexible dog walkers/neighbors/friends who they could call on short notice to remove the dog from the premises.

If I were in your shoes, I'd take the dog to doggie daycare during the first couple of weeks the house is on the market, when it's likely to get the most interest. After that, you could probably go to "by appointment only". In the end, you have to decide if the doggie daycare cost is worth getting your house possibly sold faster and at a higher price.

Thats what we were thinking- doggie daycare for the first couple weeks and then by appointment depending on how many people have come by.

[llkltk]

Just don't put them in the house photos. I was looking at a house on the MLS the other day, and the master bedroom photo included a large lounging dog lying on the carpet! It was a turnoff for me. Not sure why people think that is cute!

[10scoachrick]

I'll just say the very nice Drees home we're in had a little pup called Mocha IN THE HOUSE WHEN WE VIEWED IT. Super cute little dog. We bought the house.

Unless you're across the street waiting and watching, I wouldn't recommend leaving the pup inside. But I think it goes to show that the 'art' of selling a home has few absolutes.(House was not staged...nearly empty upstairs).

[Idlewile]

I've looked a lot of homes and never viewed a home with a dog inside. The one we bought had one very lazy, very sweet retriever in the garage (last April). No barking, no jumping, barely any interest in us at all. Anything more, let alone a dog inside the house, would have been a major turn-off.

We we sold our house, we sucked it up and took our dog to day care. And our dog IS crated and does well with it.

[sezzam]

My wife and I like dogs, but aren't comfortable when they start climbing up on us, etc. So, if a dog is free in the house or backyard, we will most likely be focused on the dog's movements instead of checking out the house.

[10scoachrick]

This is a real reach; but stranger things have happened...DW and I visit pups(and cats) for a pet sitting service and could schedule a visit(walk) to coordinate with a showing on a 'one-off' type of situation. Might cost a few bucks OR if you had a neighbor available, perhaps they could take the critter during specific hours.

It would be tough to clear the pup out for every hour the house 'might' be shown; but for a particular appointment, it might be workable to hire a sitter(hopefully, the weather would allow for a long walk).

I reckon we'll be facing similar challenges when our house hits the market soon. Fortunately, our schedules are flexible enough to take the Katie-girl with us as needed(although, clearing her out of the house for the whole day would be tricky).

[sheaday]

Originally Posted by Idlewile

I've looked a lot of homes and never viewed a home with a dog inside. The one we bought had one very lazy, very sweet retriever in the garage (last April). No barking, no jumping, barely any interest in us at all. Anything more, let alone a dog inside the house, would have been a major turn-off.

We we sold our house, we sucked it up and took our dog to day care. And our dog IS crated and does well with it.

I've seen pictures as well with either dogs in it or obvious signs of one- big crate in the room, dog bowls in the kitchen. Don't know why people don't get it....
Thanks for the tips, we'll be taking her to daycare everyday, hopefully the house sells quickly.