Have Pets? Do These Things Before Selling Your Home

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Identifying Real Estate Risks After having a difficult time financially for quite some time, I realized that part of my problem was my personal housing costs. I really began evaluating what I wanted out of a home, and I realized that I needed to shop for a place that would work better for what I needed. I started paying more and more attention to real estate risks, and it occurred to me that I hadn't invested in a smart property. After talking with my real estate agent, I started focusing on changing my ways, and it was incredible to see how much brighter my future became.

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As a pet owner, you've probably grown used to the hair, odors, and stains that end up in your home as a result of living with a furry family member. You love your pet, so you put up with these things — and you might not even notice them anymore. But chances are anyone who visits your home will notice them, which is not ideal if those visitors are potential buyers looking to purchase your home! That's why, if you are a pet owner who is thinking of selling your house, you should do these four things ASAP. 

1. Find the pets somewhere else to stay.

There's no sense cleaning up the mess and readying the house for the market if your pets are still around to create new odors and stains. So find a friend or family member who is willing to take in your pet for a few weeks while you work on selling your house and moving. Alternatively, if you don't have long before you can move into your new home, you could pay to have your dog stay in a boarding facility for that time.

2. Have the carpet professionally cleaned.

Carpet is often one of the smelliest surfaces in the home of a pet owner. Even if you clean up "accidents" quickly, odors can linger. Home carpet shampooers don't get hot enough or extract water well enough to remove all of these odors, but professional carpet cleaners do. Tell the carpet cleaning company that your goal is to remove pet odors and hair. They can use odor-neutralizing treatments and special brushes to do a more thorough job.

3. Clean the walls.

Walls can show evidence of pets without you really realizing it. Doggy nose marks on the wall can be a tell-tale sign that a pet has lived in a home, causing visitors to then look more closely for other signs of pets. Slightly porous paint can also hold onto odors. Use a mixture of one part vinegar to ten parts water to wipe down all of the walls. Open the windows to let the moisture evaporate afterwards.

4. Change the air filter.

Your home's HVAC system can harbor a lot of pet hair and smelly dandruff. To get rid of these odors, change the air filter. Choose one that contains charcoal or another odor-neutralizing ingredient. If you have time, change the filter once now and then put another new one in place right before people start coming to look at the home. 

For more information, contact real estate professionals in your area.

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