Yes, you read that right. Your cat (or dog, chinchilla, or any other pet you have) is going to pick out your next home. How do I know that? From some crazy statistics the National Association of REALTORS® recently published. Here are some of the key points:
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“Sixty-one percent of U.S. households have an animal or plan to get one in the future.”
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“Ninety-nine percent of owners feel that their animal is part of the family.”
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“When finding a home, 95 percent of animal owners believe it is important that a housing community allows animals and 81 percent of U.S. households say that animal-related considerations will play a role in deciding on their next living situation.”
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“According to REALTORS®, 61 percent of buyers who own animals say it’s very difficult or difficult to find a rental property or a home owner association that accommodates animals.”
- “Nearly half of all animal owners who completed the survey (52 percent)undertook home renovations to accommodate their animal.”
- “Sixty-seven percent of REALTORS® say that owning an animal has a moderate to major effect on selling a home.”
So if you have a pet, it’s probably a good idea to recognize now that the animal is going to be a big part of the decision-making process with buying the home. But there are some things to keep in mind beyond the usual “how big is the backyard?” question:
If your pet is primarily outdoor –
- What is the condition of the yard? A yard that has patchy grass and a lot of exposed dirt/mud will make your pet messy.
- Is the backyard secluded or out in the open to the point that it will distract and/or cause problems for your pet?
- Is your animal noisy? If so, how close are the homes together? A noisy dog in a neighborhood with small lots is a recipe for angry neighbors.
- How much sun or shade will your pet get during the day in the yard?
- What do the community covenants and restrictions say about adding outdoor structures, such as fences or dog houses? Would they have an impact on your plans to make the yard pet-friendly?
If your pet is primarily indoor –
- What type of flooring is best for it?
- For instance, if it’s a heavy dog, certain hardwoods could be susceptible to scratching under it’s paws/nails. (The details on which ones are susceptible would take too long to discuss in this post. Send me a message or talk to a flooring specialist about it for more specifics.)
- If it is outdoor a lot but also indoor some, then it could make carpet smell like the outdoors. Hardwoods, tile, etc. might be the better option, at least for the areas where the dog will frequent.
- Some hardwoods/vinyl/laminate flooring are more or less forgiving on dirt (and fur). For instance, dark hardwoods and planks that are laid right up against each other are the least forgiving. A medium tone hardwood with a click-lock gap between the planks (such as these) usually handle dirt/fur the best.
- How will your pet adapt to the new house as it gets older? For instance, a dog with short legs will likely struggle in old age going up and down large flights of steps.
- Is there a space (such as a certain room or an entire floor) inside where the animal will be able to play without potentially damaging the house?
- If your pet uses the bathroom outside, how convenient is it for you to take it outside from varying points of the house throughout the day?
This is just a short list to get you started thinking about some of the important questions you should be asking that many people forget about. Hopefully you took away a question or two that you hadn’t thought of, and if you have some more thoughts or ideas, leave me a comment!