Our family was planning to move to a new home this year…but for several reasons, we decided against it. It is a buyer's market in Minnesota making it a great time to buy a home. With so many options and incredible deals being made on existing homes and new construction all across the Twin Cities, we couldn’t wait to get out there and find our new dream home.Although there were several reasons we put our move on hold, the biggest one was our dog, Tikki. The Australian Shepard mix we’ve had since he was a pup is now 15 years old and is a bit set in his ways. The Minnesota buyer’s market means that our home must be in tip top shape. As a Realtor in Anoka County of Minnesota, I know this better than anyone.
That means the carpeting and flooring must all be replaced as Tikki has spent many a day on his favorite spots on the rug and discolored them beyond cleaning. It means that the doors that our loveable old dog scratched at when he wanted to go out need replacing. It means that all the yellowed spots in the grass will need to be reseeding. But most of all it means we would have to find a place to put our senior dog during showings.
The home and yard repairs are something would be able to do easily. We have spent a decade with the same flooring so it is time to replace. The yard work would not be difficult. But finding a place for a 75 pound dog for every showing is not an easy task. Tikki is not an outdoor dog and doesn’t live in a kennel. He is not indoor kennel trained either. We used to keep him in our unfinished basement, but he couldn’t see out and damaged our door. So we put him in the garage but he won’t even walk near the garage door anymore--Just sits down and refuses to enter.
When we moved 10 years ago, we would take Tikki for walks during showings, but his days of long walks are over. If he could climb up, we would take him in the car. But at his age, we would need a special ramp and then train him to climb in and out.
Some sellers MUST move. So what should you do with your pets? This is a huge consideration for all pet owners. You must consider how your home will appear to potential buyers. Some of them may be afraid of dogs or allergic to cats. If your friendly cat greets an allergic buyer at the door, the showing will not go well.
Important Things for Sellers with Pets to Consider:
**Your very friendly pet may feel the need to protect your home and not be so nice to intruders viewing the home.
**Pets must be in a safe place. Preferably not at the home.
**If you must keep your pet in the home, put in a kennel.
**Consider having your pet stay with a friend, doggie daycare or petsitter during showings. (
**Pet odors must be eliminated.
**If your pet sheds, make certain that you vacuum prior to every showing.
My family loves our old Tikki-dog and we are not in a position where we have to move. So we decided to wait a few more years before relocating. I guess the buyer’s market isn’t such a bad thing when you have an older dog.
If you are relocating to Minnesota, are looking for Homes for Sale in the north and east Twin Cities metro area and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.
Copyright 2007 terieckholm.com
