Putting Their
Fur Babies First
®
By Bridget McCrea
More homebuyers are putting their beloved animals first in the home selection process. Here are six ways Realtors® can help them get what they want while also keeping their furry and feathered friends happy. As the golden retriever cautiously worked her way over to the edge of the deck and saw the stairway she’d have to walk down to get out to the backyard, it was immediately clear that Kara wasn’t going to make the descent willingly. The property was perfect in all other ways, having met all of the new homeowner’s expectations. What that new homeowner didn’t anticipate was that her fur baby would almost make her regret her buying decision. “My buyer was downsizing to a single-level home, so I found her the perfect house in a good walking neighborhood for her dog,” says Allison Atwood, a Realtor® and Certified Estate Manager at Kinlin Grover Real Estate in Yarmouth Port. The home had a fenced-in backyard, but a walkout basement setup required anyone going outside to use the staircase—dogs included. “We didn’t think that would be a big deal,” she continues, “but that stairway spooked her.” 14
Bay State REALTOR®
With a frustrated homeowner on her hands, Atwood sprang into action. Knowing a thing or two about canine habits based on her experience— both as a pet owner and through the volunteer work she does with her certified therapy dog—she invited some of Kara’s buddies over to play
Allison Atwood
and to (hopefully) show her how to walk down the stairs. Before long the whole group was using the stairway without a problem. “The owner was really devasted because she thought she’d found the perfect home,” says Atwood. “Luckily, the dog made the adjustment and learned that the stairs were friendly, and not scary.”
A Penchant for Pets Atwood’s experience is just one of many examples of how pet owners are making their furry and feathered friends a part of the home-buying conversation. The trend is playing out with all generations of homeowners, but is especially prevalent (and reported on) among millennials. Now aged 24 to 39, this group has a penchant for pets and isn’t afraid to put their animals first when shopping for homes. According to TD Ameritrade, seven out of 10 millennials own a pet, with 56% of them owning dogs and 36% owning cats. Collectively, these individuals spend $67 billion on their dogs and $33.5 billion on their cats every year. According to realtor. com’s latest count, 89% of millennial homebuyers own pets and 79% of them say they’d pass on an otherwise perfect home if that property didn’t meet those pets’ needs.
