Pets make a condo a home!  Traditionally, the real estate business has shown little love for pets, especially dogs.  The smell, bowls, beds, even the animals themselves become an issue when marketing a home for sale.  It’s an issue for agents that don’t know or understand dogs, I understand them and will work with you, not against you.  For many dog owners, their dog is a member of the family, now who would ask you to hide your kids?  Not me!

Pet power is rising!

Currently 65 percent of households own a pet, up from 56 percent in 1988

A record-breaking 79 million U.S. households now own a pet

83 percent of pet owners consider their pet to be a member of the family

So, what should you do if you have a dog and need to sell your condo?  Some people are not comfortable with dogs, I get that.  Some dogs are not comfortable with strangers coming into their “den”, that’s normal pack behavior.  The best advice I can give you is to take your dog for a walk when you have someone coming over to view (not that you want to hide the fact that you have a dog, but why risk turning someone away).  If you can’t be there, hire a real estate agent who can handle your dog.  Most people love the interaction, and if someone is there comforting your dog, it will not be an issue, it will probably be a positive. 

If the prospective buyers are pet owners, it will spur conversation about where to take their dog.  “Obviously, the current owner has a dog and deals with condo life just fine”.  If they don’t have one, there’s a good chance they will get one in the future.  This will be a selling point, trust me.

Don’t overlook this point, you don’t want to scare buyers off or scare your dog.  Many dogs hear the elevator ding and run to the door and are ready to go, like right now!  Do you want some untrained agent chasing your dog down the hallway as she runs to the elevator?  Probably not. 

Bottom line, if you have a dog, hire an agent who knows how to confidently handle a dog.