Your beloved pet could be costing you thousands on your home sale. It’s a hard truth, but in the 2026 real estate market, even the cutest furry family member can become a financial liability when your house is for sale. While a majority of households include a pet [7], buyers want to envision their new life, not step into the middle of yours.

Tweet: You love your pet, but buyers love a blank canvas. Neutralizing your home of all pet evidence isn’t personal—it’s just smart business. #realestate #homestaging

The Problem: The “Pet Penalty” in Real Estate

Why does a potential buyer who also owns a dog care about your dog’s chew toy? It’s psychology. The moment a buyer sees or smells evidence of a pet, their brain switches from “Is this my future home?” to “What’s wrong with this house?”

This is the “Pet Penalty.” It’s the silent value-killer that introduces doubt. The normal state is your cozy home, filled with the happy chaos of life, pet included. The explosion happens when a buyer on a tour spots scratched floors or gets a whiff of a litter box. Suddenly, they’re not admiring your open-concept kitchen; they’re calculating the cost of new flooring and questioning the home’s overall maintenance. Your home transforms from a turnkey property to a project. The risk isn’t just financial; it’s about allergies, phobias, and even potential liability, which can shrink your buyer pool dramatically.

A Tale of Two Listings: The Power of Pet-Free Staging

Consider a story from our work in beautiful Point Loma. We had two clients with similar homes and equally charming Golden Retrievers. The first seller, let’s call him David, loved his home just as it was—dog and all. He saw his pet as a part of the home’s character. His feedback after showings was painfully consistent: “Love the view, but it smells like a dog.” The property sat on the market.

Our second client, Maria, trusted our go-to-market playbook. She arranged for her dog to have a two-week vacation with family. This was her turning-point moment. We executed a full “pet-neutralization” plan. The result? The home received multiple offers and sold for 6% above asking price in under 14 days [5]. Same neighborhood, different strategy, drastically different outcome.

The Solution: Your Pet-Free Staging Go-To-Market Playbook

Transforming your home from a pet-haven to a market-ready asset is a strategic process. It requires temporary trade-offs, but the financial return makes it a clear winner.

Step 1: Temporarily Relocate Your Pet

This is the most critical step. For the duration of your active listing, your pet cannot be in the house for showings. It removes a massive variable of stress—for you, your pet, and potential buyers.

Options include a trusted friend or family member, a local pet-sitter, or a boarding facility. Yes, this is an inconvenience and a potential expense. But with professionally staged homes selling up to 20% higher, it’s an investment with a powerful return [4].

Step 2: Erase Every Trace

A buyer’s eye misses nothing. Your mission is to make it impossible for anyone to guess a pet lives there. This goes beyond a quick tidy-up.

▶ Pack and remove all pet-related items:

• Kennels, crates, and pet beds.

• Food and water bowls.

• Toys, leashes, and scratching posts.

• Litter boxes (non-negotiable).

• Even your framed photos of Fido have to go. Depersonalization is key.

Step 3: Repair and Restore

You’ve stopped noticing the minor scratches on the door frame, but a buyer will see them as a sign of neglect. Protecting your home’s value means addressing this damage head-on.

Focus on:

• Scratched hardwood floors, doors, and baseboards.

• Stained or worn carpets.

• Damaged window screens.

• Any signs of digging or damage in the yard.

This is where an expert team adds immense value. At The Cassity Team, we connect our clients with a network of vetted contractors to handle these repairs efficiently and cost-effectively, ensuring the work translates directly to a higher perceived value.

Step 4: The Deep Clean and “Nose-Blind” Test

You are “nose-blind” to your own home’s scent. It’s a scientific fact. But the first thing a buyer registers upon entry is the smell.

➜ Go beyond standard cleaning. Hire professionals for a deep carpet cleaning and consider an ozone generator treatment to neutralize stubborn odors. Don’t forget to clean your HVAC ducts and replace the filter.
➜ Wash all fabrics. This includes curtains, slipcovers, quilts, and throw pillows.
➜ Avoid masking agents. Scented candles and plug-in air fresheners can make buyers suspicious. A clean home has no smell.
➜ Get a second opinion. Ask a trusted friend (or your agent) to perform an honest sniff test. We’ve had to have that slightly awkward “your house smells like a wet dog” conversation more than once. It’s far less awkward than getting a lowball offer.

The Marketing Angle: Sell the Space, Not the “Pet-Friendly” Features

While many buyers have pets, you should never explicitly market your home as “pet-friendly.” Your goal is to appeal to 100% of qualified buyers, not just the 19% who prioritize pet amenities in their search [7].

A buyer looking for a place for their pet will recognize a fenced yard or proximity to a park in neighborhoods like Bankers Hill. A buyer without a pet won’t be turned off by marketing that focuses on the home’s core features. Ensure your professional photos and virtual tours are pristine and entirely pet-free, just like the properties you can discover for sale on our website.

The Financial Payoff: Is It Worth It?

The data is overwhelmingly clear. Investing in proper staging, including pet neutralization, directly impacts your bottom line.

■ Speed: Staged homes can sell 30% to 50% faster than their unstaged counterparts [4].
■ Return: The return on a staging investment is one of the highest in real estate. RESA® reported an average ROI of 3,551% in Q3 2025, with an average investment of just $3,813 [2].
■ Price: Properly prepared homes don’t just sell faster; they sell for more.

Understanding where to invest for the highest return is where expert guidance becomes invaluable. We analyze the marketplace pulse to advise clients on which preparations will deliver a tangible payoff.

Ready to Create Your Go-To-Market Playbook?

Selling a home when you have pets isn’t impossible; it just requires a focused strategy. By temporarily shifting your perspective from “home” to “product,” you position yourself for a faster sale at a higher price.

Stop letting your pets silently sabotage your sale price. Schedule a no-obligation consultation with The Cassity Team today and let’s build a strategy to get your home sold.