Buying A House With Your Pets In Mind: What Should You Consider?
Posted on: 23 July 2018
Pets are family. If you have pets and are currently buying a home, you might have them at the forefront of your mind. When looking at real estate, one of the first things you should do is make a list of features that your home needs. Here are a few of the better features for those who love their pets.
Look for Fencing
Depending on the lots that you're looking at, a good privacy fence could be worth thousands upon thousands of dollars. If you have pets that will be in the backyard, a privacy fence may become critical. You also can't know for sure if the neighbors around a property also have pets, which could get into your yard if it's not properly fenced off.
Try to Avoid Pools
If you are ambivalent about a pool, it may just be a dangerous waste of money to you. Pools increase your insurance amounts while also posing a significant hazard to any pets you have. Pets (and other wild animals) can easily fall into a pool and drown. A pool has to be completely fenced off to be safe (and even then it could be dangerous to neighborhood cats, squirrels, and other animals).
Think About the Flooring
Hard floors are almost universally easier to maintain than carpeting when you have pets. If you have a single small dog or a couple of cats, you should be fine. If you have big dogs, you may find that carpet getting torn up almost immediately.
HOAs and Condo Associations
Finally, if you're purchasing a home or condominium that has an association, you need to check its bylaws before you purchase a home. Some associations actually have bylaws that preclude certain types of pets. They may not allow dogs over 30 pounds, more than two cats, or certain breeds of dogs.
There's really no way to fight these bylaws even if you've bought the house. At most, you could try to get on the board of the HOA and then try to vote to change the HOA's policies, but even that will take time, during which you'll be fined for your non-compliance.
Your real estate agent should be able to give you a list of properties that follow the above features. Naturally, it's up to you to determine exactly how much these features mean to you and which features are more a "want" than a "need."
For more information, contact a company like Carol Lemon Realty.
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