According to the National Association of REALTORS®, 66% of American households own a pet and 19% of recent home buyers said they “considered their pet when deciding what neighborhood to live in.” In my own business, I see lot of pet-owning buyers who consider not only the neighborhood when determining their ideal home but also the features of the property itself.
Pet-friendly decor can take many forms. As a long-term dog rescue dad and REALTOR®, I find that the most friendly home decor include “hard surface” flooring, which is any time of durable flooring other than carpeting and rugs. It always seems that when most pets have an “accident” or get sick, it is always on the carpeted areas. As design trends are veering away from carpet and leaning towards tile, hardwood and luxury vinyl plank flooring, pet lovers rejoice in hard-surface flooring’s easy care, maintenance and cleanup. Dogs and cats can play and run to their heart’s content without the worry of irreversible damage to your home.
Many of the homes we sell with pet lovers have built in feeding stations that are often disguised in lower level cabinets or laundry rooms, as well as bowls that can pop out at a moment’s notice then recede. These hidden feeding stations are practical and help maintain a clean aesthetic. Many homes have auto-waterfill dog/cat water stations. I recently sold a home that had built-in dog beds on either side of the bed in the primary suite. Another home I sold had ramps to a doggie loft above the primary bedroom bed. It was truly a pet’s paradise!
Other pet-friendly features can include “catios” or “dogios.” These are enclosed outdoor balconies or runs that protect pets from coyotes or other predators and can truly save your pet’s life. Because we all know pets are so much more than pets. They’re family. And their needs are heavily considered when it comes to selecting your perfect home!
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Andrew Manning • REALTOR® • Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties • DRE: 00941825 • 818-380-2147 • andrew@andrewmanning.com