SOURCE: Windermere

For pet owners, it’s hard to imagine their home without a furry friend. However, when it comes time to sell, showcasing the qualities of a home should take precedence over the pets that live in it. This creates additional steps in the process of preparing your home for sale, but it makes all the difference in the minds of buyers.

Selling a Home with Pets

Staging Your Home

A well-staged home makes it appealing to the widest variety of buyers and has significant ROI potential when it hits the market. However, having a pet can complicate the staging process. Buyers may lose interest in the home if they see traces of pets, so it’s a good idea to hide any signs of their presence.

It’s especially important to hide evidence of your pet in marketing photos. Prepare for your home’s listing photos by cleaning and vacuuming, making sure all pet stains are gone and any pet-related damage is repaired. Stow any pet carriers, cages, toys, food bowls, and other supplies that may hinder the photographer’s ability to capture the essence of a room.

Showing Your Home

Before inviting potential buyers inside, it’s best to give your home a deep clean to improve your home’s air quality and to rid your carpets, flooring, and surfaces of pet odors and any dirt they may have tracked in over time. Provided you’re using your own furniture, vacuum and clean everything to extract as much fur and pet dander as possible. Talk to your agent to see if it’s a better idea to stage your home with rented furniture. If your pets have caused any damage in the home, make repairs or replacements as needed. After tending to your home’s interior, don’t forget to clean up after your pets in your yard as well. Fill in any holes in the lawn, freshen up your flower beds, and tidy up any areas of the landscaping where your pets may have dug.

After you’ve prepared your home for showings, there’s the question of what to do with your pets once buyers start taking tours. Ask a family member, friend, pet sitter, or neighbor to watch your pets while the showings take place. If you’re not able to find someone to watch them, form a strategy to temporarily relocate your pets during showings. If they must stay in the home, garage, or backyard during tours, it’s best to give buyers advanced notice that there are pets on the property. Talk to your agent about posting signage communicating their presence so that there are no surprises as guests make their way through the house.

Taking all these precautions will help to present your home in the best light without deterring certain buyers, for whom the signs of a pet may cause them to lose interest. On the other hand, if any buyers inquire about how the home can accommodate their pet, you and your agent will be more than ready to answer any questions they may have.

SOURCE: Windermere

SOURCE: Windermere

Navigating everything involved with selling your home can seem intimidating. Breaking the process down step by step will keep you organized and ready to work with your agent toward a successful home sale.

1. Choose an Agent

A lot goes into choosing the right agent. If you’re unsure where to start, get referrals from trusted friends, family, and neighbors. Although the ultimate goal is the sale, think about your compatibility outside of the transaction. Their ability to connect with you on a human level through the ups and downs of a home sale is just as important as their expertise and knowledge of the market.

Pro tip: Look for someone who communicates the way you do—whether that’s testing, emailing, or good old-fashioned phone calls. Feeling heard and understood can make all the difference in building trust and making the process more enjoyable.

2. Set a Timeline 

Depending on your local housing market conditions, your timeline for selling your home may vary. However, a timeline is valuable in that it will keep you organized throughout the selling process and allows you to adjust if circumstances change. Your agent will work with you to build the ideal timeline, one that reflects your personal goals, the local marketplace, and any milestones you may be working around. Having a clear plan reduces stress and ensures everyone is on the same page.

3. What is Your Home Worth?

The key to selling quickly is correctly pricing your home from the first day it hits the market. In particular, overpricing can lead to serious complications in the selling process. Your agent can provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to better determine the best price of your home. CMAs provide information on comparable home sales in your area, both pending and sold, within the past six months.

While an agent will always have the best information, you can also explore your home’s potential value with our real-time automated value estimate tool before connecting with your agent. Our seller page features home values and market information about what buyers are looking for in your area.

4. Repair & Upgrade

Now it’s time to get to work on the house! This is the perfect time to tackle any and all outstanding projects or repairs. Create a list separating which repairs can be done yourself and which need professional attention. This is also a great opportunity to consider a pre-sale home inspection to identify structural and mechanical issues or outdated features that could benefit from attention. Even small updates can go a long way—especially those that boost energy efficiency or add smart home appeal.

5. Make the Best First Impression

Creating a strong first impression can have a lasting impact on buyers, so roll up your sleeves and prepare to check off that to-do-list. Start by cleaning up the garden and lawn, clearing out gutters, and adding color to your flower beds. Apply a fresh coat of paint anywhere you spot peeling or cracked paint. A great way to make an impact is by staging your home, with the goal of making each room feel as spacious and welcoming as possible. Professional photography and even a little social media buzz can make your home stand out from the start.

6. Show Your Home 

Discuss virtual home tour options with your agent and other ways to generate maximum buyer interest. Consider 3D tours, virtual staging, or even drone footage if your property has outdoor highlights. These features can help your home stand out online and attract more attention, especially as many buyers now begin their home search digitally. For in-person showings, it’s best that you leave the premises so the buyer can freely ask their agent questions and visualize the home as their own.

7. Offers & Negotiation 

If you are in a seller’s market—defined by low inventory and high buyer competition—it is likely that you will receive offers at – or above – asking price. You can respond to an offer by a) accepting the offer, b) making a counteroffer, or c) rejecting the offer. Counteroffers should always be made in writing and provide a short window of time for the potential buyer to respond. If you are selling in a buyer’s market, you may have to be more open to negotiation. Discuss negotiation strategies with your agent to work toward a satisfying final price.

8. Prepare for Closing Costs

There are costs throughout the selling process, and as the close date approaches, that remains true. Be sure to budget for your real estate agent’s commission, and other common seller’s costs like title insurance, recording fees, and government transfer tax, among others.

9. Home Inspection

Buyer offers are usually contingent upon a professional home inspection. Ask your agent for a home inspection checklist, so you know what the inspector is looking for ahead of time. They typically inspect the home’s foundation, structure, roof, plumbing and electrical systems, floors, windows, doors, and more for signs of damage and weathering. Some buyers now opt for additional specialized inspections—like sewer scopes or radon testing—so it’s helpful to be prepared in advance for what might come up.

10. Closing Time

Congratulations! Your home is sold, but there are still some final steps before the deal is done. This is the time to ask the buyer to release any contingencies, sign the title, and close escrow before handing over the keys. Consult your real estate agent for any questions about legal documentation and settlement costs.

Whether you’re just starting to think about selling or ready to take on the next step, a Windermere agent is here to guide you.

SOURCE: Windermere

Source: Windermere

A home inspection can be a useful tool for buyers, sellers, and anyone looking to protect their investment and get the greatest possible value from their home.

Identifying Issues Early

When you’re selling a house, a pre-sale inspection can be incredibly beneficial. By identifying any potential problems your house may have, an inspection can give you an opportunity to address them before your first prospective buyer arrives. A pre-listing inspection can give you an edge as a seller, particularly in a competitive market. Potential buyers are likely to find the kind of detailed information an inspection provides reassuring—and are encouraged to give your home a closer look.

When Should You Get a Home Inspection?

Beyond routine maintenance and pre-sale inspections, there are several circumstances in which a home inspection could greatly benefit a homeowner. Here are a few simple questions to ask yourself to determine if an inspection makes sense:

• Was your home inspected when you bought it? If not, consider scheduling one, even if the home was new at the time of construction.
• Are you an older homeowner looking to make upgrades to stay in your home? If you are, it makes sense to hire a professional who can inspect difficult-to-reach areas and point out maintenance of safety issues.
• Are you buying a home that’s under construction? You may want to hire an inspector early on and schedule phased inspections to protect your interest and ensure that the quality of construction meets your expectations.
• Do you have a baby on the way or small children? An inspection can alert you to any potential safety issues that could possibly affect a growing family, such as mold, lead, or structural problems. If mold or lead is present, be sure to rely on technicians or labs with specialized training in dealing with these conditions.

What Home Inspections Do Not Cover

For a variety of reasons, some homes will require special inspections that are not covered by a typical home inspection. A specialty inspection might include a sewer scope, septic system, geotechnical conditions (for homes perched on steep slopes or where there are concerns regarding soil stability) or underground oil storage tank. If you have any questions about whether your home needs a specialty inspection, talk to your real estate agent.

Choosing a Professional

If you decide to hire a home inspector, be sure they’re licensed in your state. They should be able to provide you with their license number, which you can use to verify their status with the appropriate government agency. It’s also helpful to ask for recommendations from friends and family members. Even among licensed and qualified home inspectors, there can be a difference in experience, knowledge, performance and communication skills, so learn what you can before you hire a home inspector to ensure that you get the detailed inspection that you want.

Understanding Your Home Inspection Report

Once the inspection is complete, you’ll receive a detailed report covering any issues found. Focus on major concerns like structural and electrical and consult your inspector or a specialist if anything is unclear. You can ask your inspector to walk you through the report and help prepare you for the next steps.

What to Ask Your Home Inspector

When hiring a professional inspector, ask these important questions to make sure they are qualified and the right fit for the job.

• What does your inspection cover? Insist that you get this information in writing. Then make sure that it’s in compliance with state requirements and includes the items you want to be inspected.
• How long have you been in the business? Ask for referrals, especially with newer inspectors.
• Are you experienced in residential inspections? Residential inspection in a unique discipline with specific challenges, so it’s important to make sure the inspector is experienced in this area.
• Do you make repairs or make improvements based on inspection? Some states and/or professional associations allow the inspector to perform repair work on problems uncovered in an inspection. If you’re considering engaging your inspector to do repairs, be sure to get referrals.
• How long will the inspection take? A typical single-family dwelling takes two to three hours.
• How much will it cost? Costs can vary depending upon a variety of things, such as the square footage, age, and foundation of the house.
• Can I be there for the inspection? Will you go over the inspection report with me? This could be a valuable learning opportunity. If your inspector refuses, this should raise a red flag.
• Are you a member of a professional home inspector association? What other credentials do you hold? Ask to see their membership ID; it provides some assurance.
• Do you keep your skills up to date through continuing education? An inspector’s interest in continuing education shows a genuine commitment to performing at the highest level. It’s especially important in older homes or homes with unique elements.

Source: Windermere