Selling our house: advertise the dog-friendly features or not mention?

[Anonymous]

We are selling and debating whether to mention the modifications we made to the house and yard to be friendly to our large, older dog. We spent a lot of money and would have loved to have seen a house with these features. On the flip side, does mentioning them in a listing turn off people who don't have dogs or otherwise infer something bad about the house?

[Anonymous]

I would not say anything. But I'm not in the business. What does your realtor say?

[Anonymous]

Can you mention them but not specifically say that they were done for the dog?

I.e. "Large, fenced in back yard"?

(What other modifications di dyou make??)

[Anonymous]

Would some of these modifications also be appealing to a person with a disability (e.g. ramps, wider doorways) or a family with small children (e.g. fenced-in pool/yard)? If so you might mention those qualities in a more generic way. Also, second the poster above -- what does your realtor say about how attractive these features will be to potential buyers?

[Anonymous]

Some people will be turned off by the mention of pets. Usually this is more the case with cats, but sometimes dogs too. They will assume your pet has peed all over the place, scratched up the woodwork, whatever. Your goal is to get them in the door.

[Anonymous]

I would be wary of a "dog-friendly" house, but I would still go look at it if I were interested in it otherwise.

[Anonymous]

OP here. A ramp is one of the things we have and we were considering the mention as it could appeal for other reasons. Dog doors are another example of something we did. Realtor is leaning towards including some lowkey mentions but not super emphasizing it. She's a major dog lover, though. Obviously the house will sell or not sell on its own merits but in this market I don't want to do something stupid like turn off pet haters.

[Anonymous]

I'm a dog lover (have 4 dogs) but it might make me wary that the house will be crapped up by dogs if I read about the features. I'd rather discover them on my own and be pleased.

[Anonymous]

I love animals but like the other poster, would be wary of a house advertised as "pet friendly."

[Anonymous]

Not a dog lover here - The rest of the house (and price) would really have to win me over to even look at the house if I knew it had doggie doors. I know I would have to replace/repair those so my toddlers wouldn't head out the doggie door. And while ramps are necessary for some people (and some dogs, i guess) I don't find them aesthetically appealing.

[Anonymous]

Polarizing. Avoid.

[Anonymous]

I would avoid any house whose listing made it sound like a doggie paradise. I remember having to rent pet-friendly apartments and having to contend with odors and remove fur from every crevice. I once had to clean dog hair out of a dishwasher. Yuck.

[Anonymous]

So yes, this would raise hygiene concerns.

[Anonymous]

Realtors will tell you that no one wants to live in a house where pets have previously lived.

[Anonymous]

I would avoid saying anything. Some people would fear a doggie door for a large door would be a security risk or a chance to let a raccoon in the house. The ramps may be useful if they are wide enough for someone in a wheelchair and the other aspects of your home are useful for someone with disabilities.