Here is a great blog from a great agent in Jupiter Florida
Staging & Selling a Home with Dogs and Cat Pets
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Today we have a new addition to the family. Chloe’ (my wife thankfully won naming rights as my son wanted to name the dog “Chuck Norris”) is a Cavachon. A Cavachon is a mix of King Charles & Bijon. She will join our Persian rescue cats, Knuckles & Daisy, along with 2 kids and a fish tank. Why we have all these creatures, I’ll save for another blog. This article is on how to stage a house with pets if you are selling. Thankfully our Egret Landing Jupiter home is not for sale!Â
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Pets can destroy a sale. Turn offs include litter boxes, urine stains on carpeting, odor, lawn droppings, chewed furniture, paw and lick marks on windows, pet food, noise and even presence.  We love our pets but its best to separate them from the sale.  If you have pets, here are my recommendations….
- 1.      Presence
As much as you love your furry friend, there is a chance the new buyers won’t. Some people have phobias, allergies, and some just don’t like animals or have long standing fears. They get turned off from jumping and licking. Best to keep them out of site.
- 2.      Noise
See above. Barking and whimpering is a huge distraction.
- 3.      Pet Food
Model homes that builders are trying to market don’t have pet on the floor. Buyers trip on it, smell it, see it. Just remove it or hide in the panty.
- 4.      Fur
Constantly vacuum if you have a shedder. It’s a turn off and looks like you don’t take clean your home. People with allergies or perceived allergies will almost rule your house on first sight.
- 5.      Odor
Odor is one of the top reasons people do not purchase. If they don’t like the smell, it is almost impossible to overcome because people do not believe it will come out. Carpeting with lots of stains needs to be replaced not cleaned, including the PAD. For one, the stains usually do not come out. Second, the odor won’t come out because it’s in the padding as well. Air scrubbers and HEPA filtration are last results.
- 6.      Carpeting
Carpeting with lots of stains needs to be replaced not cleaned, including the PAD. For one, the stains usually do not come out. Second, the odor won’t come out because it’s in the padding as well.Â
- 7.      Lawn
Do not leave droppings outside. Nothing will kill a sale faster than the Buyer avoiding land mines. The Buyer is there to look at your house. Stepping in you know what doesn’t give them that “meant to be” feeling.
- 8.      Furniture
Dispose of any chewed or stained furniture. Buyers assume if the sofa is scratched, than other parts of the house are neglected.Â
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- 9.      Windows
Dogs love to scratch and put their nose to the window. Replace windows or tint with scratch marks. Constantly wash the areas with nose marks.
- 10.  Litter Box
Keep it out of site. First choice would be to throw it in the car trunk so it can’t be seen. 2nd choice is the garage or covered in the laundry room. You can also purchase litter boxes with covers on them. Seeing litter or foul odors can be a deal killer turn off.
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Jeff Lichtenstein, originally from Chicago, is a real estate agent in Florida focusing on Jupiter homes and goes as south far south as the  Palm Beach oceanfront real estate market. He has a wife, 2 kids, new Cavachon puppy, 2 Persian cats, fish, and no spare time.
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