Buying a home is often an emotional process, and the slightest, seemingly innocuous problem, such as pet odour or smells, can leave a buyer with a lasting negative impression. It can make a big difference whether you have pets in the house or not. House prices can be negatively affected if people get a poor first impression – caused by smells and the inevitable disruption caused by pets.
Cats and dogs may be fantastic to have around the home for companionship, but sometimes pet odour and mess can be an issue. Because you live with your pets permanently, you may have grown immune to the problem. However, you should be aware that potential buyers will notice straight away, which affects house prices in the UK almost every day.
“What is my home worth?” – Less, if pets odour is present.
The vast majority of buyers are looking for properties that will be their homes. With such a huge emotional and financial investment involved, many customers will view dozens of properties – looking for the ideal family home, therefore creating fantastic first impressions and allowing buyers to imagine themselves in your home immediately is essential. However, if dog hair, mess and unpleasant smells greet your viewers, there is every chance these issues will override all the positive aspects of your house. House sales in the UK can break down because of the slightest doubt on the buyer’s part, so taking steps to ensure your home appears ‘pet-free may deliver a speedier and more profitable property sale.
Remove all signs of pets from your home for more favourable house values.
The best way to ensure that pet smells don’t harm your chance of achieving the price you want for your property valuation is to remove all their signs for viewings. Of course, it is a horrifying prospect for some pet owners, but it is worth remembering that most people don’t own house pets, so strange smells or the mere sight of excited animals may tarnish their first impression of your home.
Arrange for pets to be looked after during viewings
If you can have your pets looked after by a friend or a kennel while you carry out the property viewings, you can create the impression of a ‘pet-free home. However, some buyers won’t put up with pet smells, and they might believe that the house has been in some way tarnished by their presence. So bSo, briefly, remove the pets from your home, neutralise any pet smells to avoid jeopardising your chances of the sale price you want. Then, use a natural pet odour remover or pet odour candles to freshen up your home.
Removing tell-tale signs of house pets to protect property prices
In most homes, it is immediately apparent to buyers that pets live there if any pet smells are present. Therefore, even if you have removed your pets from your property for viewings, you should still consider removing food bowls, litter trays and toys. It is also essential to attend to any stains or hairs that your pet may have left – something a professional cleaning service will do adequately.
Neutralising pet odour and smells can result in favourable house sale prices.
Unfortunately, urine can get into carpets and fabrics very quickly, which can be challenging to remove. Even if you think your home is entirely odour-free, your desensitised nose may be playing tricks on you. If possible, bring a neighbour or friend into your home to check for smells. Some excellent enzyme-based cleaners on the market can neutralise urine effectively, but hiring a professional cleaning company that specialises in removing pet odour is probably the safest course of action.
Most pet owners will baulk at the thought of removing a pet from its loving home, but there is little doubt that pet odours have the potential to affect UK house prices. Creating that lasting first impression is critical when selling a property, so your sacrifice may be worth it in the long term. You can collect them in a few hours, spend a little money and use the best pet odour remover when doing viewings.
