What To Do With Your Pets When Buyers Come To Look At Your Home
When you have pets and you are selling your home you don't want them to get in the way of the showing of your house. Keep in mind, no matter what type of pets you have, there may be those who will be offset by their presence, or who may even be allergic to them. Even birds can scare some people and there are those who are allergic to them just as with how others can be allergic to cats and dogs. About the only pets you should be 100% fine leaving in their place would be fish. Here are some things to consider when showing your home as a pet owner:
You can cover large bird cages
If you have a smaller bird cage, you may want to move it to a location where the lookers won't see it as easily. However, for larger cages, you can cover them with a dark sheet. Not only will they be hidden by the sheet, but this will also cause them to be quieter. Make sure you clean up all possible bird dander around the area and clean the cage before the home is shown so those who may be allergic won't be as affected.
Put cats and dogs away
Some people are scared of cats and others can be allergic to them. Try to clean up as much cat or dog fur as you can and put the cat or dog somewhere out of the way. You may want to see if a neighbor can watch it or if you can bring your cat or dog to a family member or friends house while the house is being shown. You can purchase a crate you can keep them in just while the potential buyers are in the house. You can also put your dog on a lead in the yard as long as they aren't going to bark the whole time. Also, you obviously want to make sure they have access to plenty of shade and water, or shelter in the winter. However, you want to keep in mind that dogs shouldn't be kept chained up for any longer than absolutely necessary.
Hide the reptiles
A lot of people are scared of reptiles. If you have reptiles in your home, then you may be able to get away with putting a sheet over their enclosure as long as there isn't a heat lamp that needs to stay on to keep their body temperature regulated. If you can't cover the enclosure, try to find somewhere to put them where they can remain unseen for the showing.
Talk to your real estate agent about what they think is best.