What to do with pets when your house is on the market

I need to start this posting by disclosing that I am a dog owner. Sadie is a 9-year-old golden retriever mix I rescued when she was a year old. She’s laying at my feet as a write this. She’s a constant companion and always up for an adventure.

Some people are dog people, some are cat people, and some don’t like pets at all. One thing they all have in common is that they are potential buyers, and the presence of a pet in the home can turn off some buyers. I can’t count the number of times a cat has tried to run out the door when I’ve showed an occupied home, or that a crated dog has barked at me and my clients throughout a showing.

For pet owners, our pets are members of the family. For potential buyers, they’re a distraction and can make it difficult for them to envision themselves in your space. A dirty litter box or barking dog can mean the difference between a looker and a buyer.

A vacant, sparsely decorated home usually shows best, but that’s not always option. If sellers can’t move out of their home when it’s on the market, I encourage them to put most decorations and large pieces of furniture into storage. When pets are in the home, I recommend sellers send their pets to day care or make other arrangements during the day and set showing times accordingly.

Contact me today to find out what your home make be worth in today’s market. If you need a place for your pet while your home is listed, I’ll work to help you find an option that fits the needs of you and your pet.

Right now may be the perfect time to list your home

It’s February and the weather in the DC/Maryland/Virginia (DMV) area has been pretty rough. We had a record snowfall that took weeks to dig out, and then temperatures dipped into sub-freezing territory. The last thing anyone is thinking about right now is selling a house, right?

You may be surprised to learn that right now may be a perfect time to put your home on the market.

You’re probably saying, "Wait, what? I always heard March is the best time to list."

Well, March is right around the corner, and home inventories are remarkably low right now. Putting your home on the market ahead of the March rush helps you take advantage of those low inventories and possibly get a better price. The time to sell is before everyone else decides to do the same thing and home inventories rise.

Buyers are in a good position to buy, given today’s very low interest rates as well as historically low fuel prices.

The only thing missing is your home. Call me today to get a free market analysis and find out how much you could get for your home.