Real estate professionals are figuring out ways to highlight pet-friendly property features to entice consumers.
There are more American households with pets than children, and studies show that home buyers’ furry friends increasingly influence the type of home or remodeling project buyers choose. So, real estate pros need to be tuned in to the needs of their clients’ pets.
“Whether selecting pet-friendly materials or incorporating built-in feeding stations and cozy nooks, homeowners are designing spaces that prioritize the needs of all family members, including pets,” says Marine Sargsyan, an economist at Houzz, a home remodeling website. “This highlights the important role pets play in shaping how people invest in and customize their homes.”
Suzanne Weinstein, an associate broker with Coldwell Banker Warburg, recently featured an owner’s black poodle, Xander, in listing photos for a one-bedroom co-op in New York. The shot was taken unexpectedly when Xander jumped in front of the camera. Weinstein liked the photo so much that she chose it as the first listing image when marketing the home.
“There’s a nobility to Xander that helps make the photo more memorable and helps the elegance and warmth of the home come across,” Weinstein says. “Buyers have shown a lot of interest in the apartment, and about half of them have even asked whether they’ll get to meet Xander.”
Nearly 80% of consumers say that if they saw signs of a pet in a home, it wouldn’t deter them from making an offer as long as there was no damage to the property, according to a survey conducted by Quicken Loans earlier this year. Two in 10 people even said a pet-friendly home would make them want to increase their offer.
Judging a Home’s Pet Appeal
Sixty-six percent of American households own a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association. And about one-fifth of recent home buyers said they considered their pet when deciding what neighborhood to live in, according to research from the National Association of REALTORS®.
information provided by: National Association of Realtors