Dogs and Cats, Oh My!
Dogs and Cats and Oh my, what pets have I not seen in houses, condos and townhouses. In my lifetime I think I have had 11 dogs and have welcomed cats, hamsters, fish, and gerbils in my home. I strongly feel pets bless us with something that brings calm and a sense of life to us. No matter what our age, a pet can bring a new value to us.
The important thing to remember is that a pet owner must be a responsible person who controls the situation. Dogs can cause so much damage to woodwork, doors, hardwood floors, carpet, and the yard. I have seen holes in yards that I though were in preparation for planting a tree. No, it was Fido bored and digging his way to China. Female dogs have caused enough brown spots in lawns that one might think a UFO landed there. Locking a dog in a room can cause that dog to work to claw his way out. Those groves can be so deep in the woodwork that replacement of the door and door frame are necessary. No sanding can cure that problem Years ago I sold a home of a couple who had a small Yorkie. You could smell when you walked in that the dog was not house broken. The new buyer bought the house knowing the carpet would have to be replaced. What they did not know was that the problem was so severe that the plywood sub-flooring had rotted and needed to be replaced. The seller did feel responsible and paid for the replacement.
Cats can spray and mark their territory so that future pets will do the same. I had a buyer who was interested in a house. At the time of the buyer's inspection they asked their inspector if he knew of a way to get rid of urine smells. In the laundry room you could really smell where the cat had sprayed. Concrete is absorbent and that urine was in the concrete. The seller tried several chemical compounds to remove the urine. The answer was to jack hammer out the concrete and pour new concrete. That pussy cat was expensive.
Not only can pets do damage why we live in the property, they can cause real problems when the property goes on the market. If a seller thinks they can be sly and remove the pet when it goes on the market, think again. In the state of Minnesota a seller must complete a seller's disclosure form in which they disclose if a pet has lived in the property. . Recently, I showed a year old condo in downtown Minneapolis. There was no evidence of a dog living in the unit when I showed it,like dog bowls, balls, dog bed, etc. Yet, my buyer noticed deep marks in the maple flooring. The seller on his disclosure did not mention a dog. I spoke with the listing agent and not only did a dog live there but a Great Dane. My buyer had no interest in trying to make repairs to the flooring and the seller saw nothing wrong with the floors.
I listed a townhouse and the seller had one of the two bedrooms dedicated to three ferrets. The cage system was amazing and rivaled what you might see in a zoo. The smell also competed with the smells in a zoo. After two weeks on the market we had those creatures visiting "friends."
Dogs that bark white they are in their crates during showings make buyers uncomfortable and the buyer wants to leave. Best have the dog go visit Grandma. I showed a house and on the front porch was a box of Milk Bones. A note was taped to the box. " Flip Ginger a bone and she won't bother you" I hoped there had been many showings and that by now Ginger was so fat she could not cause bodily harm to us. I have had cats leap off refrigerators and onto my buyers. Yes, that did kill the deal! I was told when I made an appointment for one showing not to let the cat out. It would attempt to escape as you open the front door. My buyers and I made a barrier as we entered ,but the feline got out. Naturally, my buyers loved the house and wanted to make an offer. I could not let the lost cat hurt their chances at getting the house. I sent my buyers home and poured some milk in a bowl and sat in the front bushes until the cat came to me and I grabbed him. What do you do at your job?
Bottom line. A well trained pet is a welcome part of a residence. An animal that has been allowed to be untrained can make the situation impossible.It really means the owner that owns up to their care taking job won't have problems when they go to sell their residence.
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