Opening your arms and house for a furry best friend demands more than just love, snuggles and treats. The global statistics state that pet pals boost serotonin whilst snapping you out of boredom. When you rescue or adopt pets, their housing needs are essential to make them feel at home.
Whilst energising the house with positive energy, your furry companions need their own space to prance along the hallways.Your domestic companions might be mumchance but they’re capable enough to influence your home buying decisions in the blink of an eye.
To help you set up your next property investment with your pet pal, we have enlisted some pointers that will aid your decision.
Table of contents
Introducing Pet-friendly Homes
While all of us live as a family, there are certain habits that we all pay attention to. Similarly with pets, making a note of all their needs and then looking for a house is the best way to proceed. With pet-friendly homes, the focus is on the comfort of domestic animals and it also reduces the stress of the pet parents.
It is a known fact that during the alarming pandemic period, there were many people who adopted these emotionally-supportive friends. With the lockdown being lifted now, people are on a spree looking for home-buying opportunities.
What Do Pet Owners Want?
Just like any other household, pet parents want their kids to be around. They want to feed them and make sure that they are accommodated in a safe environment. Be it a cafe or a park, the space should be encouraging enough for the pets and their owners to feel comfortable.
Pet-friendly Neighbourhoods
According to recent statistics, 33% of the households worldwide have pet-owners. From millennials to adults, everyone looks for reasons to adopt these four-legged friends. From hearing you crib to being your emotional constant, pets become family. And like any other member, there are no compromises to be made.
From taking them on walks, to a vet or feeding them, all such decisions become important when you adopt a pet. It is advised to look for a friendly neighbourhood, restaurants and recreational areas that encircle amiable environs. While all of these factors become the key bullets, a pet-friendly neigbourhood is to be pinned.
Pet-friendly Location
Location is one prime criterion to underline before buying a home when you are with a pet. As parents with kids who look for good school districts, pet parents look for facilities likewise. These amenities include intimate pet communities, shade trees, fenced yards, accessible veterinary services, walking paths, etc.
Proximity to Pet Amenities
“Nearby dog parks are a huge factor in many pet owners’ choice of neighbourhoods”
Kelly Hatchett (Realtor, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate journey)
Multiple statistics depict that homebuyers look for competent amenities and spaces. These zones talk about decorous outdoor spaces and areas that appreciate the presence of a pet.
People with pets prefer a locale that comes with intimate dog groups or communities that appreciate the presence of parks, daycare facilities and other outdoor spaces. These spaces are made to appreciate the community of dog parents and create a unified bubble to share all amenities alike.
Pet-Specific Interior Decor
When you are a parent to a pet, the design considerations and plan layout becomes important. From creating conjugate spaces to incorporating intricate interior details inside the house, people tend to create a familiar biosphere for these furry friends.
You can consider these basic remodelling ideas when it comes to creating and italicising an interior space with pets –
- Installing built-in shelves for dogs’ bowls would keep you away from the bowls on the floor that you can trip over.
- Hardwood floors along with some washable rugs that are easier to clean.
- Installing multiple dog beds indoors and outdoors.
- A stone patio followed by some minimal landscaping and a fenced backyard comes to play an important part.
- Addition of laundry or mudroom. Incorporate a separate king-sized bed can cater to more cuddles.
Easy-care Flooring
Carpets are not a preferred option in a pet-friendly home. It not only traps the pet hair but also wears out gradually. This would, in turn, make the cleaning process more difficult for a pet parent.
In order to resist the haste, you can rather pick scratch-resistant flooring materials including bamboo, vinyl, cork and no-slip tile.
Play Space
The play space in the house of a pet owner is completely subjective. To address the basic needs of a pet and understand the contextual spaces is crucial. A rather small-sized yard to engird dogs and their activities would be the probable way to go about it. This would also provide a space for pets to strut around and be playful.
Washing Stations and Mudrooms
It becomes important for a pet to have their own cleaning stations. Hence, a space that is dedicated to pet grooming can be very useful. Walk-in-showers or muddy romp outdoors also add up to making the entire process easier.
There are some pet parents that prefer a separate bathroom for their pets so that they don’t have to worry about sanitisation.
Storage Solutions
The extra storage space along with the built-in dog doors can be an integral part of any home design. From your cat’s litter pan to a kennel and utensils to feed your pets, well-designed storage spaces can induce a better plan.
Home Styling
With pets, storage under the stairs can be a good option to consider. Not only your pet would be able to sniff its way to the snack, but also induce less mess and accidents.
Outdoor Spaces
Whilst creating a home for their pets, dedicating a corner for them is crucial for the owners. It is important to understand the spatial dynamics and create zones for your pets accordingly. These spaces can be outside the patio or a kennel in the lawn area. Just something to make them feel more like family and comfortable.
The Role of the Seller
There is a possibility that certain pet-friendly homes come at higher prices and are even sold faster than expected.
The sellers should take care of any damages that might be made by the pets that lived in the house previously. They should also look after the damaged carpets or discrepancies that were caused.
Listen to Your Pet!
Having a pet can affect the choices that you make as a homeowner. From the location of the house to laying out the interior details, a lot of it changes when you are a parent to a pet. When moving into your new house with your pets, remember – just because animals grow in a different body than ours, doesn’t make them contemptible of freedom.
