Has your pet been unruly and you feel like things have gotten too out of control enough that you don’t deserve to sell your house?
Like many other homeowners, we cannot judge you for choosing to take care of “rowdy” animals. Pets can indeed be good listeners; they never judge, they can love everyone unconditionally and can become an essential part of the family. We make them part of the family by treating them like they were humans — toys, expensive food, pet bakeries, pet health insurance, etc.
However, as a pet owner, you probably already expected that pets have the tendency to be “restless.” And that it can be hard to deal with when these things happen, especially if we don’t know how to effectively communicate with them.
Every once in a while, a pet’s behavior becomes a problem. Sometimes a major problem. And (you’ll love this if you’re a “dog person”) while dogs have the capability to create more home damage, the damage that cats do is longer-lasting and often requires more extensive work and money to repair. Nevertheless, both can potentially wreak havoc.
Some of the complaints we hear from homeowners in Cumming include everything:
- cats spraying flooring and walls
- dogs “marking their territory”
- walls, trim & wiring being chewed
- pets destroying your most precious garden and landscaping
Unfortunately, pet damage is not usually covered by homeowners’ insurance. Bummer. So what can you do? Especially if you’re planning to sell the property?
Here are a few things we recommend.
- Assess The Damage
Call in a professional contractor to evaluate the damage and to provide an estimate on repairing the home. Don’t be surprised if you have to tear up carpeting or wood flooring, as well as parts of walls or trim, to eliminate odors such as urine. It’s common and usually unavoidable.
- Try to Understand Your Pet’s Behavior
If you’re planning on selling your home soon (like months/years away), you can already start training your pet not to destroy your property. So once you repair them, you won’t have to worry about them causing any destruction again. The first step to training involves understanding why your pets are acting a certain way.
For dogs:
- Excessive barking can mean they’re excited, seeking your attention, or anxious about something that’s not right.
- Chewing can also mean they’re anxious, teething, or they just have so much energy (some dogs have naturally higher levels of energy than others)
- Digging is also a way to exhaust their unlimited energy, anxiety, the feeling to hunt, etc.
For cats:
- Scratching can mean they’re excited or stressed. This is a natural activity that cats do to express their emotions.
- Excretion of wastes everywhere can mean that your litter box might be too small for them, or they’re not comfortable with the type of litter.
Take note that these aren’t everything, though. An animal’s action and reaction can mean so many things, so you need to have a lot of patience and time to research and observe your pets.
- Consult an Animal Behavior Specialist or Trainer
If your research isn’t working, the next best step is to get in touch with a professional. There are many pet behavior counselors or animal behaviorists in Georgia who you can find online, like on Yelp. Basic consultations may cost around $50 or less, but if you’re going to hire a trainer for your pet, you can expect to pay at least $100 on average. Depending on your pet’s history and present behavior, the amount of time to train them will vary.
- Do Your Own Repairs
Homes with pet odors and damage aren’t very appealing, and that’s the truth. Another truth is that repairs can be expensive. Buying a new rug alone can cost hundreds. So if you feel like you can do the repairs on your own, without hiring a contractor, you can still do so.
But if you don’t have the time, energy, and willingness to do it yourself, don’t worry because you can still sell the house as it is.
- Sell To A Professional Home Buyer
It can be hard to sell a home on the market if it isn’t in a good condition. That’s why homeowners typically turn towards investor buyers who also look for homes off the market. Investor buyers are open to buying problematic properties because they’re cheaper than homes in great condition. It’s a good investment opportunity because they can buy low, repair, then sell at a higher price.
An example of an investor buyer is Spire. We are a local home buyer who buys houses from different parts of the state and we buy homes as they are, no matter the damages your pets have caused.
So call us today at (678) 318 – 1801 and learn more about our home buying process!