“A dog is a man’s best friend” has been a saying to indicate the companionship we find with our animals for a long time. This statement has never been more applicable to the regular household as pet ownership numbers have continually risen. Approximately 65% of households own a pet, and a recent survey by Apartments.com has revealed that roughly 72% of renters have pets.
As a Washington, DC landlord, it is important that you are conscious of the current trends that may affect your business. The Humane Society of America recently published an article directed at investment homeowners and landlords that listed the benefits of renting to pet owners, noting that landlords have a larger pool of applicants to pick from and that these residents have a tendency to remain longer in a unit, cutting down on advertising and turnover costs.
In working with Real Property Management DC Metro, we help ensure that the right residents, and their pets, are matched with your property if you decide to allow this on your property. Find out more about how to pet-proof your Washington, DC rental property today.
Why You Should Pet-Proof Your Property
One of the main reasons why you should pet-proof your property is to appeal to more quality and qualified residents that keep healthy our rental property business. By anticipating renting to a pet owner, you can make changes to your lease agreement and physical property to prepare for a pet resident in your rental property.
Numerous landlords worry they will have a “bad pet” and regret allowing them on the property. This, however, can normally be avoided with the proper pet screening procedure, which makes sure that the pet was screened and approved just like a resident would be.
Pet-proofing your property is one of the top ways to limit possible damage to your property. While the security deposit that your resident provides would cover any damage caused, no one desires to redo the floors or give the walls a new layer of paint before it is required. By making pet-smart decisions within your rental property, you can prevent this and do business with homeowners with pets.
How to Pet-Proof Your Property
Irrespective of whether your property has already been set up for residents, or if you are in the remodeling stage, there are many easy ways to pet-proof your property. Save money by using these cost-effective ways to rent to pet owners with less potential headaches.
Flooring appears to be the largest concern for landlords when renting to pets, with concerns that their lovely hardwood floor will be damaged. This can be protected by applying polyurethane, which seals wooden floors and protects against these aspects, or you can consider installing laminate flooring that looks like wood flooring but holds up better to traffic when remodeling.
Think of the exterior of your home as well. Consider installing pet doors or granting the authority to have them installed if you have a fenced yard. Patios and balcony railings should be made be safer with gates, plexiglass, etc. Also, the paint you use in the home can go a long way in ensuring you protect your investment. While flat paint is less expensive to apply, semi-gloss or velvet paint permits easier wipe-down and clean up when friends have mishaps, furry or otherwise.
Heavy, thick blinds are also ideal both to keep your rental property cool in the summer and trap heat in the winter, but additionally to prevent an animal from pulling down blinds or playing with any flimsy cord or fabric. Baby gates can also be used, but this is something you should task your resident with providing and protecting.
Take advantage of these pet-proofing tips for your Washington, DC rental property and begin seeing the benefits of allowing pets on your property. If you would like more information about Real Property Management DC Metro and our services, contact us online or call us at 202-269-0303 today.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
