I've been reading a lot on line the past few months about dogs and their relationships to humans.  I get it!  I love my boys and they are my best friends.  I thought it was time to give them their own post. Love.  Mans best friend! Love. People love their pets, whether they are dogs, cats, or fish.  People's animals are their families.  I agree with this and have this come up every day in Real Estate. There are many factors that play into having animals in your home when your home is on the market.  Lots of factors.  Let's look at some statistics about Mans best friends.

1. 68% of agents agree that community animal practices influenced their home-buying decision.
2. 63% of U.S. households own a pet
3. 18% of recent home buyers agree that their new neighborhood is convenient to a vet and pet-friendly outdoor spaces.
4. 81% of agents consider themselves pet-friendly

There are many selling points for clients selling with animals.  It can be a very touchy situation, due to the love our clients have for their fur babies. 

1. First off,  is their home odor free?  It can be hard to be nose blind to animal smells.  Your agent needs to help you and be honest.  There are ways to get around odors. 
2.  Check your air filters.  
3.  Ventilate
4. Have a place for your animal to go when a showing is in place.

When your pet-loving buyer is looking for a perfect home, other details are important.

1.  Flooring!  Although it's easy to replace, it is something considered.
2. The yard.  Is it fenced?  Is it large, level, and accommodating for dogs?
3. Stairs?  This especially affects smaller dogs.  (or older dogs).  

I collected a lot of my statistics from the fourth quarter Residential Specialist magazine.  I read the article and was so excited to share details about a very large portion of our lives.