When you’re selling your home, you’re not just managing schedules and keeping everything spotless—you’re also trying to figure out what to do with your four-legged family members.
Because as much as you trust your own agent to not let Fido or Waffles escape out the door, your agent isn't going to be present for every showing. Here’s what to know and what to do to keep your pets—and your sanity—safe while selling your South Jersey home.
Vacate, vacate, vacate
We always ask sellers to vacate the home during showings and open houses. There's many reasons for this, but primarily it's to not impede the buyer's communications with their agent during this tense time.
A buyer wants to be comfortable speaking freely, and with you there? They're going to be tight-lipped 🤐, and probably turned-off by your presence.
This vacate rule goes for your pets too. Even the friendliest animal can react unpredictably when new people come into their space. Barking, hiding, or even a nervous accident on the floor can distract buyers from seeing your home’s best features.
Plus, with agents, buyers, and sometimes kids coming in and out, there’s always the risk of a door being left open. While we remind every agent to be careful not to let pets out, the truth is—you can’t control everything once the showing starts.
Your best options
1. Have them stay with someone you trust
If you have a friend or family member nearby, see if your pet can stay with them for a week or two while your home is actively on the market. This keeps your pet safe, eliminates stress for them, and means you don’t have to scramble every time a last-minute showing request comes in.
2. Boarding or pet-sitting
If a family member can't help, consider paying for boarding or professional pet sitting (in the sitter's home!). It's one less thing to worry about when your phone rings with a “We have a showing in 30 minutes!”
3. Doggy daycare
South Jersey and Philadelphia residents are lucky to have an abundance of doggy daycare options in the area! This gives you options to keep your pet out of the home for most of the day and means you still get to snuggle them at night. Bonus: your pets come home exhausted and happy!
4. Last resort: crating or isolating
If absolutely necessary, you can crate your pet or keep them in a closed room during showings—but this should be a short-term solution only. Not all buyers are comfortable with animals, and barking or scratching can make them rush through the showing.
A little planning goes a long way
Homes show best when buyers can focus on the space—not the dog barking behind a door or the cat getting underfoot. By arranging safe accommodations for your pets in advance, you’ll make your home more inviting, less stressful, and more marketable.
It’s a small step that can make a big difference in how quickly (and smoothly) your home sells. If you've got anymore questions about selling in South Jersey or Philadelphia, fill out the form below.
