Best House Features for Pets
Best House Features for Pets
It is estimated that 68% of U.S. Households have a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association. For many pet owners, the pet is also a member of the family. So, of course, Fido and Fluffy are kept in mind while searching for a new family home. Pet features are gaining mainstream popularity every year—some homebuilders and apartment complexes offer boarding services, pet pools and dog washing stations in amenities packages. When shopping for your next home, keep in mind these features that may be useful in your life with you fur kids:
BYE BYE THREADS- Hard surface flooring is in demand for pet owners and non-pet owners alike. It is not a new trend, but many pet owners don’t want any carpet in a home. Unfortunately, odors and stains tend to stick around when pets live on carpet; so aside from the trend of hard flooring, it is very practical for life with pets (and humans too, let’s be real.)
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION- Of course, location is of utmost importance whether you have a pet or not. Is the neighborhood good for dog walking? Is there a nearby park? How is the traffic? Is there a lot of walking traffic that will cause your dog to bark? Some locations offer better amenities than others when it comes to your pets, so the surrounding area is definitely something to factor in.
DOGGY DOOR – If your pet is small enough to fit through a doggy door, it may be a great option for you. I’ve never had one, mostly because I have a fear that a skunk or some other random animal will run into the house; however, many pet owners consider it a must-have pet accessory! Some houses have them already installed, but if not, there may be an easy place to install one.
CENTRAL VACUUM – An existing central vacuum system would be a great feature to look for when shopping for homes. Central vacuum systems are not very common, but they are around and it is possible to add a retrofit. It is a bit of a “splurge” feature, but it would make cleaning up pet hair easy.
A DOG SHOWER?! – An in-home dog washing station sounds really fancy, doesn’t it? It kind of is and it is one of the hot new trends in new luxury homes and apartment complexes. It is pretty genius though. If you bathe your pet at home often, this could end up being a very useful feature.
FENCED YARD – Probably one of the most desired features (and not just for pet owners) is a fenced yard. It keeps things in and out and is a great feature in a home—I’d call this a pet owner staple. A fenced yard is a must for most dogs, but keep in mind there are many kinds of fencing—some of them are invisible!
Of course when you start talking about home features for pets, it may seem a bit extreme. I’m here to tell you, it isn’t at all! These types of customizations are just as much for the benefit of the human residents as the pets. I think we can all agree that anything that helps make “pet chores” and daily life a bit easier is a great thing.
Lisa Priest has a rescued sweet lab mix and a kinda crazy old cat and is a Palestine, Texas Broker/REALTOR® with Picket Fence Realty, Inc. You can reach her via phone or text at 903-948-3343 or read more at BuyPalestine.com
