Make a Plan for Pets

This is potentially one of the most difficult aspects of showing a home from both the Buyer's and Seller's point of view.

What typically happens? Well, last week I was given a narrow, 20-minute window to show a home. The husband came home from work in the middle of the day, loaded up their 50-lb hound mix and drove her around the neighborhood, so we could walk through the house in peace. 

With as inconvenient as this may sound, it's par for the course. Showing a house with a dog home alone is a recipe for disaster. Dogs behave differently when their owner isn't home - they may become afraid or aggressive. Keeping the dog crated isn't any better. I've "shown" several homes while the dog loses its mind from behind the bars of the crate. Guess what the Buyers remembered? Yep.

Think of creative options.

• Can you stack several showings in one day and send the dogs to daycare?
• Is there a professional dog walker in your area?
• Do your dogs have any friends or family nearby that they can visit?

Please put the same planning and thought into whatever animals live in your home. I got a brutal scratch trying to catch a cat who was running for the open door. I've also been bitten by a duck - they're stronger than they look.

Long story short, make a plan. No one wants to be bitten, scratched or have her pants ripped running from a duck!

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