When is man\u2019s best friend not man\u2019s best friend?\u00a0When it comes time to sell your house<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s better to have your dog out of the house during inspections. Picture: Realestate.com.au<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Having pets at home and trying to keep your property in showroom condition during the sale process are two tasks pulling in very different directions, but agents say there are ways to manage both in order to achieve the best possible result on auction day.<\/p>\n While shipping your pet elsewhere for an extended period of time isn\u2019t feasible or desirable for everyone, it\u2019s the most effective way to get your property clean and keep it that way.<\/p>\n Raine and Horne North Sydney agent Gill Somers says some owners choose to send their dog or cat to a family member or friend during the sales campaign, which removes the need for constant cleaning.<\/p>\n \u201cThe best thing they can do is try to remove the animal from the property during the period of the sale.<\/p>\n \u201cSo ideally if you\u2019ve got a cat, get the in-laws to look after it, or a friend who can take it away from the property,\u201d Somers says.<\/span><\/p>\n If you can\u2019t re-house your pet for a few weeks, Jellis Craig Richmond sales consultant Travis Keenan suggests \u2013 at a minimum \u2013<\/span>\u00a0keeping it well clear of the property during open for inspections.<\/p>\n \u201cWe might suggest putting them into doggy daycare or something like that on the day of the open for inspection,\u201d Keenan says.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFirstly, so that they\u2019re not there for the open for inspection, but also in regards to odour, allergies and things like that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Anyone who owns a dog or cat knows how prolific their shedding can be at certain times of the year, and few things will turn a prospective buyer off a house like pet hair all over the carpet and furnishings.<\/p>\n Keenan says people with allergies, in particular, will cross your property off their list immediately, so paying a professional to steam clean your carpets and other hair-heavy areas before the campaign starts is money well spent.<\/p>\n \u201cOver three or four years, the odour can build up over time.<\/p>\n \u201cYou want a really positive experience for people coming for an open for inspection, and if someone does have an allergy and they\u2019re coughing and sneezing, it\u2019s not exactly the best and most positive experience for that person,\u201d Keenan says.<\/span><\/p>\n There\u2019s no point in removing your cat from the house if you\u2019re going to leave their litter tray in the laundry room.<\/p>\n And while your dog might not be stinking up the living room, the hair-covered dog bed you\u2019ve left outside the back door might be.<\/p>\n Before an open for inspection, remove any signs that a pet has been living\u00a0at the property.<\/p>\n If you can\u2019t pay a professional cleaner to continue to visit your property regularly during the campaign, giving it a top-up clean a couple of times a week is important, particularly if your pet is remaining at home.<\/p>\n Keenan suggests cleaning the day before each open for inspection.<\/p>\n \u201cA buyer might be looking at eight open for inspections on a Saturday, so you want to make sure that you\u2019re leaving a good impression on the buyer as much as you can,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n The meeting committee may be friendly, but not everyone loves dogs. Picture: Realestate.com.au<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Pets don\u2019t just affect the inside of your property.<\/p>\n Somers says it\u2019s important to pay attention to any areas your pet frequents regularly, including outside.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it\u2019s an outside dog, great, but again it\u2019s making sure your gardens aren\u2019t dug up, making sure there isn\u2019t dog mess everywhere on your lawn,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
\n <\/p><\/div>\n [ad_2]![\"Dog](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.realestate.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/07174237\/Off-leash-dog-2000x1500.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nRemoving your pet during a campaign<\/h2>\n
Remove your pet temporarily<\/h2>\n
Hire a professional cleaner<\/h2>\n
Remove signs of a pet<\/h2>\n
Top-up clean regularly<\/h2>\n
![\"Dog](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.realestate.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/15105615\/dog-at-gate-body.jpg?resize=3776%2C2832&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nTend the garden<\/h2>\n
\n
Realestate.com.au <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"