With an upward trend of available tenants choosing their pet’s needs over their own, you might want to consider making your rental a little more pet friendly. The data supported by the Foundation for Interdisciplinary Research and Education Promoting Animal Welfare shows that only one-half of housing is pet-friendly, which makes this a great opportunity to get ahead of the competition. According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, in 2012 there were 43 million households that owned dogs and 36 million households that owned cats, with indicators that the pet-loving trend is going up. The Los Angeles Times reported that a survey in August 2014 showed that more than 70% of tenants stated they owned pets. Even the City of Los Angeles stated on February 2, 2016 that they’ll start creating legislation aimed at making it easier for tenants to have housing that accepts their pets. As the demand for pet-friendly housing grows, take advantage of the situation by accommodating your tenant’s pet’s needs. In no time you’ll bring in more applications for your listings and beat your competition instantaneously, all thanks to your tenant’s furry friends.
Attract Pet-Owner Tenants
The first step to attracting pet-owning tenants to your rental is to let them know what local pet-friendly amenities you have near your listing. Is it walking distance to a dog park, groomers, or pet stores? These are big factors when it comes to finding a rental that’s not only right for them, but for their furry friends as well. Highlighting your property’s open backyard or dog run is a huge plus and demonstrating open and positive body language when addressing their pets seals the deal.
Welcome All Members of the Family
While 82% of pet-owners have a hard time finding pet-friendly housing, make your tenants feel welcome by embracing their pets. Consider eliminating pet size and breed restrictions (with a pet deposit and rent required) which oftentimes prohibits large dogs. This will open up your rental to a whole new pet-loving demographic which have the hardest time finding pet-friendly accommodations. At move-in, bring treats or a small, inexpensive pet toy along with the rental’s keys. Recommend local groomers, pet-sitters and walkers, vets, and pet shops. Your tenants will be grateful for your welcoming gesture.
Pet Awareness
You want your rental property to stay well maintained but also want to have happy tenants. While letting tenants have pets seems like they’d contradict these two wants, there’s an easy way to get both. Be responsive to your tenant’s needs. See if they’d need a doggy door installed or if there’s a specific way you’ll need to approach the pet when handling maintenance (like they need to be in the yard or in a crate). This is especially important when handling or hiring landscapers.
Although opening up your rental to pets can be a daunting process, it’ll open up your listing to a whole new demographic and land you twice as many applications than before. If you’re worried about the state of your rental with a pet or are concerned with liabilities pets might pose on the property, then require your applicants to show proof that their furry loved ones have all their shots and are licensed. Tack on a pet deposit that’s within your state’s legal amount or add monthly pet fees. There’s no need to lose the opportunity for quality tenants simply because they have a pet.
How do you handle working with tenants who have pets? Have you tried any methods of marketing to expanding type of tenants? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to subscribe for more great tips!
