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Homebuyers
put dogs & pets
before children when moving
British house-hunters are more likely to put their pets needs
before their children’s accommodation requirements when
looking for a new home, according to new research ranking home
buyer preferences conducted for property website Fish4homes.
Almost 1 in 5 house hunters (18%) believe pets’ accommodation
requirements are more important than child friendly features,
which ranked third at 13%. Child friendly considerations include
proximity to a good school or playground. The top consideration
is still the location of the home but surprisingly the welfare
of the typical UK family’s cat or dog ranked higher than
keeping the kids happy when looking for a new home.
Highlights from the poll include:
More respondents rated pet accommodation needs (18%), such as
outdoor space, a local park or being located away from busy
roads, than those that cited price (13%)
Pets’ needs was the second most popular choice, after location
(41%), with entertainment and leisure facilities in the area
being key for only 8%
The least important factor was local church cited by only 1%
of respondents.
Russell Scott, publisher of Fish4homes says: The shocking fact
that pet-owning families prioritise pets over children has a
significant effect on the options available to house-hunters.
Clearly more work and research has to be put in when looking
for a home with pet-friendly features. Also with 12 million
homes in the UK housing a pet, of which 5.1 million own a dog,
and 5 million have a cat, the competition for pet-suitable properties
is fierce, especially in urban areas.
Fish4homes can help house-hunting pet owners by listing properties
by postcode so they can narrow down their search to homes away
from busy roads or near open spaces, as well as price and neighbourhood
information.
Home buyers with pets pay 10% more for creature comforts
Further Fish4homes research amongst UK estate agents reveals
homes in urban areas with pet-friendly features cost on average
10% more than similar properties without a park nearby or the
benefit being located on a quiet road.
Russell Scott says: With the UK average house price now over
£100,000 pet-owners are potentially looking at forking
another £10,000 when buying a property just to keep their
pets in creature comfort.
When it comes to selling a home, pet owners can end up with
a rough deal if their dog or cat is naughty. Badly behaved pets
can devalue a home with scratched doors, skirting boards, soiled
carpets or floors.
Even pet smells can put off potential buyers, says Russell.
No matter how much air freshener you use, you may find it harder
to sell a home to buyers if there are smells left behind before
you house-trained your pet.
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