While a fenced yard with a bit of grass typically tops the list of priorities for buyers with pets, some homeowners take their love of pets to greater heights. One listing of Valerie Kappler’s, a Realtor® with Long & Foster Real Estate in Vienna, was snapped up by buyers because of the dog-friendly features that started with beautifully tiled floors on every level designed to hold up to claws and accidents.

“The best was the ‘dog rooms’ – yes, ROOMS,” says Kappler. “The first was comprised of a professional dog groomer’s dream: a full-sized dog shower with nooks for shampoos and brushes, and hooks to safely leash the dog and keep it from escaping. The second room was the dog hangout room with a low sectional sofa and a large picture window perfect for watching deer, fox, squirrels and other wildlife. Even the window treatments were made of a dog print material. An exterior door connected the rooms to a one-acre fenced backyard with a waterfall spilling into a shallow pool for the dogs to cool off and take a sip of water.”

While not every home is quite that pet-friendly, pets often drive decisions for homebuyers. Eighty percent of buyers in a 2018 Realtor.com survey owned pets and 87% of those owners considered their pets’ needs during the home search. Three-fourths of pet owners said they would pass up an otherwise perfect home if it wasn’t right for their animals.

Some homeowners opt to remodel their property to pamper their pets. Among the most common projects, according to the National Association of Realtors® 2019 Remodeling Impact Report, are fencing the yard and installing features such as laminate floors, a dog door, a cat litter closet, a built-in pet bed, a pet washing station and an animal pool.

PET-TASTIC FEATURES

While pampering pets seems to be a growing phenomenon, Kate O’Toole, digital content manager and senior editor for NVAR, says her parents were ahead of the curve.

“About 25 years ago, my parents hired someone to build a ‘cat staircase’ from the basement to the living room,” says O’Toole. “The kitty litter is in the basement and the cats like to hang out down there, but they didn’t want to have to keep the staircase door open all the time. There’s a little opening on the main level and a tiny cat-size staircase they use to move between the basement and the living room.”

Jeddie Busch, a Realtor® with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Ashburn who has a 200-pound mastiff and a Newfoundland dog, saw a built-in feeding station for pets that she has added to her “must-have” list for her future home.

“The feeding station was built on the back of a kitchen island with a pot filler for the water dishes and a built-in drain on the bottom,” says Busch. “I also had a client who dedicated an entire bedroom and en suite bathroom for her poodle.”

Dog and cat doors to accommodate outdoor access are common, but Adriene Pessel, a Realtor® with Century 21 New Millennium in Alexandria, says she has also seen a built-in puppy Murphy bed in a small apartment.

“I’ve seen homeowners install ramps to accommodate their senior pets,” says Pessel. “One of my favorites that made me smile was when I showed a property where the owner installed a series of shelves, probably around 15 in total, all at different angles so the cats can perch themselves throughout the house.”

Pessel says she’s also seen several homes with step-up dog showers at hip height, so the owners don’t have to bend down to bathe their dogs.

“I’ve also seen a professionally landscaped dog run with its own fire hydrant,” says Pessel. “Some sellers I worked with had a pool for their dog’s use only.”

Anne Green, a Realtor® with Century 21 New Millennium in Fredericksburg, saw a listing featuring an under-the- stairs hideaway for the family dogs with a doggie door for access.

“This nook had all the works for a posh pet: dog beds, toys and décor,” Green says. “More commonly, I see bathing stations for dogs with detachable hoses and walk-in showers.”

Dogs seem to get the most attention from homeowners when it comes to creating special spaces for them.

“One homeowner converted their pantry into a dog room with a dog bath, space for crates, food, leashes and toys,” says Michelle Zelsman, a Realtor® with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Alexandria. “The dog bath was really a shower meant for a mobile home.”

Animal House  Pets in the Home Buying and Selling Process (From the 2020 NAR Survey)

Approximately 66% of U.S. households currently own a pet or plan to get one 43% of U.S. households would be willing to move or change their living situation to accommodate their pet 18% of recent home buyers said it was very important that their new neighborhood be convenient to a vet and/or outdoor space for their pet(s) Within the past year, a median of 38% of Realtors®’ clients have owned a pet, companion animal or service animal

18% of Realtors® have represented clients that moved solely because of their animal 68% of members said that community animal policies influenced their clients’ decision to rent/buy in a particular community When finding a home for their clients, the most important feature to members’ clients in terms of their animals’ living situation is a fenced yard, followed by a large enough home for the household and pet, and flooring 81% of Realtors® consider themselves animal lovers 15% of Realtors® volunteer for an organization that helps animals 13% of Realtors® advertise to potential clients that they are animal lovers and/or volunteer at an animal organization

BUYER PREFERENCES

Many first-time buyers are motivated to buy because of their pets, especially dogs, says Kappler.

“They’re tired of a leash, elevators or stairs for middle-of-the-night and early morning bathroom runs,” says Kappler. “Finding a townhouse, single-family home or ground-floor condo with a small bit of grass makes all the difference.”

Buyers will reject properties that don’t accommodate their pets with a large enough yard or indoor space, says Zelsman.

“I had one client who wanted a property that had space outside for her ‘catio,’” says Zelsman.

Concerns about too many stairs are typically associated with older buyers, but for some buyers the stairs are an issue for their pets. Kappler worked with buyers who needed a first-floor master suite, so their elderly dog didn’t have to climb stairs.

“One of the homes I toured with a buyer was rejected because she was concerned her miniature chihuahua wouldn’t be able to climb the steep stairs,” says Green. “Another loved the elongated windows and natural light they provided in one home, but she just knew her dog would bark incessantly at anybody walking by.”

Fenced yards are so important, says Busch, that some townhouse buyers are willing to give up a garage in favor of a fenced backyard.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH PETS

Whether it’s buyers bringing their pets with them or sellers having to make accommodations for their pets while their home is on the market, pets can cause difficulties for everyone during tours.

“The issue of buyers bringing pets with them comes up a lot and is not a popular subject with sellers,” says Busch. “One time a client brought an emotional support animal without papers. The sellers’ argument was that they have allergies, and if there are no papers, then how do you know it’s an emotional support animal? Luckily, this animal was small and could be carried, but I knew I would get a call from the listing agent after the showing.”

Touring properties with buyers with assistance animals comes with a unique set of challenges, says Green.

“It’s important that these buyers are allowed the same experience as every other client,” Green says. “It’s important as a showing agent to always call a listing agent before bringing a service animal into a home, especially in circumstances where the owners have severe allergies or pets of their own in the home. They need to know what kind of animal is being brought to their home.”

Pessel had a frightening incident when she and her partner were showing a house to buyer clients.

“The sellers told us that their dog was friendly and loved everyone,” says Pessel. “She let their dog roam free in the house.

My partner was bitten by this dog as she was coming out of the living room.

Sellers need to understand that their pets can be territorial in their own homes and lash out if not properly restrained.”

Green once toured a home that had a very large pet pig inside.

“This was a deal breaker for my clients, but I definitely ‘fan-girled’ and seized the moment to get a selfie,” says Green.

SELLER TIPS

Unfortunately, not all sellers make changes to account for their pets during the showing process even when they should, says Zelsman.

“Some sellers remove the dogs, dog beds and food from the property during showings,” she says. “Some use plug-in aromatherapy.”

But those plug-in fresheners don’t always do the job and may turn off buyers.

“Plug-in air fresheners shout ‘we are hiding something – a stinky smell,’” says Pessel. “A seller’s number one goal is to have their home show-ready all the time, keeping the home clean inside and out and picking up dog messes in the back yard.”

Pessel recommends steam cleaning all furniture and carpets to remove pet odors.

“Litter box odors make for a tough sell,” she says. “My advice for sellers with cats is to be very diligent about cleaning the litter box.”

In some cases, cleaning and vacuuming aren’t good enough, says Green.

“If the animals have defecated in the home, carpet cleaning won’t remove the stain or odors,” says Green. “If financially possible, it’s recommended to replace the carpet.”

A thorough air duct cleaning and replacing all floors is sometimes necessary, says Busch.

Green suggests removing decorations and photos that showcase your pets.

“Although you dearly love Fido, you never know which buyers are going to walk through your door and what might be a breaking point for them,” Green says.

Removing your pets to a kennel or to a friend’s house is a good practice during the first weekend of open houses when traffic is likely to be high, says Busch.

“During showings, the sellers either have ample notice to take their pets out or I speak with each agent prior to the showing and let them know the pet will be in a crate and may bark at first but then will settle down,” says Kappler. “Never do I have pets loose in the home during showings. I personally have walked a dog or two if the sellers aren’t available to do it.”

Since most pet owners consider their pets to be part of the family, it takes a bit of sensitivity to help sellers manage their pet care while being mindful of buyers and their needs. And agents need to remember that even if they don’t love dogs, cats, fish, birds, rodents and reptiles, their buyers and sellers are likely to place a high priority on their animal companions.

CLOSING GIFTS FOR PET LOVERS Many Realtors® like to include the family pet in their closing gifts, but Busch warns that pet lovers are very sensitive about food. Suggestions of items that make good gifts for pet owners include: Doggie daycare gift certificates. Doggie spa day gift certificates. A dog tag with the new address on it. Leashes and toys, especially if they can be personalized to what the owner likes to do with the pet. Baskets of treats and toys from the local pet store so they can be exchanged if necessary. A Christmas ornament with a hand-painted picture of the dog on one side and the house on the other. “House-iversary” cards with the pet’s name on the envelope. Moving announcement cards with a picture of the pet in front of the new house. Information on local dog parks, trails and dog-friendly happy hours in the neighborhood. A list of pet sitters and veterinarians for people new to the area.

Michele Lerner, a freelance writer based in the Washington, D.C. area, has been writing about real estate and personal finance for more than 20 years.