PETS AND SHOWINGS – I DON’T THINK SO!!!
My friends and colleagues say that I always have funny stories to tell.
Well, this is not funny anymore. So far I’ve showed houses with cats, dogs, cats and dogs, cats, dogs, lizards, rats and SNAKE (all at the same house!) and all that without single word of warning on the listing. Somehow, I would appreciate if there is at least a little line saying “friendly snake in a house”?!!!
I was showing house some time ago, with sellers present in the house along with whole bunch of cats. Me personally, I could care less, but turns out that my client is scared to death of cats. (Bad experience from childhood that I wasn’t aware of). She just ran through the house, wouldn’t even open the closet doors (“there could be another cat?!”),
Hyperventilating and almost crying!
Now, the question for the listing agents and the sellers too is, how fast do they really want to sell the house?!
The problem is not just that some people are afraid of certain animals; there is a problem with allergies and the religious issues as well.
THE END RESULT:
- Buyer is either scared, sneezing, coughing or whatnot…and didn’t see the house at all (probably didn’t sleep that night either).
- Seller is frustrated since they needed to clean and leave the house for nothing.
- Seller’s agent just lost another potential buyer and after number of showings like this, agent will have to explain to the seller, why the house is not selling yet.
- Buyer’s agent not just wasted time to show the property but also has now frustrated buyer too.
Believe me; every challenge has the solution only if you are willing to find it.
I know there are the objections such as; “seller is working late”, “they do not have pet sitter”, “it is winter” etc.
Well, here are some tips that might help:
-Allow showings only in time frame when the seller (or someone else) could take the pets out from the property.
-Make showing only 30min in length (so they do not have to stay out for long)
-Let the seller ask neighbor, friend or member of the family to take the pet out during the showing time.
-And if you can’t figure out how to do it…Do it yourself!
In case you are “Too Busy having so many buyers” or” so many listings”, well, in that case, I am happy for you because that means you are wealthy too, so pay a teenage kid to do it for you or hire someone to that.
If after all this tips your seller still doesn’t want to take out the animals from the property during the showings, make sure you explain them what can happen during showings and with the sale it self.
I apologize if I offended anybody, but I really think that we should do our job properly and finally be treated and respected as professionals, by the public, which we deserve.
P.S. If anyone wonders, yes I DID have 2 dogs (Sam & Aisha), two parakeets (Coccolo and Chubby) and a hamster (Mike), in my life and I Do love animals.
Post a comment