In today's rough and tumble housing market those wishing to move and in the process sell their old home are having a tough time finding anybody willing to pay what they feel the house is worth.  Now more than ever it's the little things about a home that ultimately have the greatest impact on deciding if it will be sold and those first impressions have to really amaze perspective buyers. Recently MSNBC did a report on 10 Ways Not To Sell Your Home in which they talked about how home owners really need to take an in-depth look at how their homes appear in the eyes of another and what just has to be gotten rid of in order to get that great first impression so strongly desired. Among ideas on "toning it down" and "getting rid of everything you wouldn't want your mother to see" are a couple of gems that I think all home owners who are also pets owners should keep in mind. Specifically "Does your home pass the sniff test" and what to do about that "distracting doggie"

As I mentioned above, when selling your home the trick is to snag potential buyers with that all important first impression, so imagine this scenario: You've been working for months getting ready for your open house. The yard is immaculate. The floors are spotless. That fresh coat of paint transformed your living room into something out of Home & Gardens.  Suddenly just when a potential buyer is about to pronounce their love for your home....Rover runs in, jumps all over them, and licks them in the face. Suddenly you cringe as you hear how much they dislike dogs and you see that offer that was moments away sail out the window.  Honestly while this may all be hypothetical it's not a situation that is all that farfetched (excuse the pun). Animals can be distracting to those looking at your home for the first time, that's why it's best to find a way to keep them out of the picture. When trying to hide your pet think about asking someone to pet sit at their place for a few hours, or take the opportunity to send your pup to the groomers, or if all else fails keep them away from the action where they won't interfere with the open house.

Now let's talk about that Sniff Test.  Nobody sells their home overnight and for those with cats this is probably a good thing. Not to say that cat lovers smell, but even those that change their litter box daily have those occasional not so fresh moments. This is why it's so important to make sure your home is odor free come time to open your house for public scrutiny. Remember it's those first few moments that a prospective buyer is either won over or lost forever. Even if you think your home is odor free, get a second opinion and at least for the day think about removing your litter box from the home (while your cat is getting groomed as mentioned above).

Selling your home is never easy and in this current day and age it's nearly impossible. For pet owners this holds especially true since our homes also contain animals that though may be loveable can also be distraction for those looking to make you an offer.