Thinking about downsizing in Hampton Roads? Before you start planning around what your home could sell for, there’s another number I want you to know:What would you actually walk away with
🐶 Selling With Pets 101
Dated: July 15 2026
Views: 18
Selling With Pets 101
If you have pets and you're getting ready to list, I promise you're not the only seller stressing about this. Between showings, open houses, and keeping a nervous dog or a stubborn cat comfortable through the chaos, it can feel like one more thing added to an already long list. Here's how to make it manageable for you, your pets, and your buyers.
Handling Showings
The best case scenario is having somewhere for your pets to go during showings, whether that's a friend's house, a family member, doggy daycare, or even a long walk timed around the appointment. Buyers move faster and more comfortably through a home when they're not worried about an anxious dog or navigating around a cat that wants to escape out the front door.
If that's not possible every time, here's what helps:
- Crate or confine pets to one room, ideally not one buyers need to see, like a garage or laundry room
- Put a clear sign on the door letting agents know a pet is inside so no one gets surprised
- Remove pet bowls, beds, and toys from main living areas before each showing. It only takes a minute and it keeps the space feeling neutral
The Smell and Cleanliness Factor
This is the part sellers with pets need to take seriously, not because your home isn't clean, but because buyers notice pet smell faster than almost anything else in a house. A few things that make a real difference:
- Vacuum and deep clean carpets, especially if pets spend a lot of time on them
- Wash pet bedding regularly during your listing period, not just once before your first photos
- Litter boxes should be scooped daily and, if possible, moved somewhere less central during the listing
- Consider a professional carpet cleaning before your listing photos are taken, not after your first showing
You know your home best, and sometimes a smell you're used to isn't one you notice anymore. It's worth asking a friend who doesn't have pets to give you an honest read before you list.
What About the Yard?
If you have a dog, buyers touring the backyard will notice if it's not picked up regularly. Make this part of your daily routine during your listing period, not a once a week chore. It's a small thing that changes how the whole outdoor space feels to a buyer imagining their own family and pets back there.
For Open Houses Specifically
Open houses are the hardest to manage with pets in the house since you likely won't be there to reset between visitors. If at all possible, this is the one event worth arranging pet care away from the house entirely. If that's not an option, confine pets securely to a space that won't be part of the tour, and let your agent know so they can manage the flow of visitors accordingly.
The Bottom Line
Your pets are part of your family, and there's no reason selling your home needs to be stressful for them either. A little planning around showings, a consistent cleaning routine, and a clear conversation with your agent about what to expect goes a long way toward making this smooth for everyone in the house, two legged and four legged.
Mia and Rudy Copeland
Hello! I am Mia, half of Rivers Realty, a husband and wife team located in Hampton Roads Virginia (otherwise known as Virginia Beach area). Our mission is to provide exceptional real estate services, ....
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