Do you offer Pet Friendly Housing? Here’s why you should
Posted on 07. Jan, 2013 by adminBlogFL+ in Blog Categories
The Benefits of offering Pet-Friendly Housing in Florida
It’s a well-known fact that most people enjoy the company and companionship of pets. Pets bring a lot to a person’s life and studies have shown that they can help to lower blood pressure and enhance a person’s quality of life. The unconditional love that they give in exchange for a bowl of food, clean water and a warm place to sleep is immeasurable! Not many property management 
companies see the huge marketing opportunity when it comes to pet friendly housing to responsible pet owners.
Expand Your Horizons
There are many property management companies who have yet to see the financial gain of renting their properties to pet owners. Indeed, there are people who do not take care of their pets and trash the home however; there are significantly more who take care of their pets as if they were children. These are the pet owners that you want to rent your properties. Believe it or not; these great renters are not that difficult to find. Of course, you will have to do your homework to ensure that the property will be maintained properly but the gains are tremendous.
Marketing a Pet-Friendly Property
It might seem easy to stick a “pet-friendly” tag on the property that you are marketing but that is not necessarily the smartest way to go about it. You could get some really undesirable people if you market the property in that fashion. It is essential that you seek out people who are responsible pet owners. These folks will not only take great care of their pets and keep them on a leash but keep the property in meticulous condition. Using the phrase “pets considered upon evaluation” will help the property management company provide great housing to impeccable pet owners.
Evaluating the Applications
Before you talk to the applicants, you will need to check out the applications. You shouldn’t dismiss applications simply because potential tenants have large dogs. For example, a Newfoundland which is around 180 lbs. is less likely to bite than a Chihuahua. Large dogs do not mean a larger risk factor. Too many property management companies and landlords fail to realize this and miss out on great tenants. Two minutes of research on a breed can net you a lot of money from a responsible tenant.
Do Your Research
Before you rent an apartment to a prospective tenant, you probably do a background and credit check. This is the norm in the industry. When it comes to pet owners, you need to find out about their pets as well. Sure, it’s going to take you a few more minutes but the advantages are great. You’ll need to contact the local county entity or the local humane society to ensure that the dog is licensed. (this is applicable in some states) This is a great time to ask if there have been any citations or code violations levied against the owner. If the dog has bitten or been allowed to run at large, the clerks will be a wealth of information for you. In the event that the dog has an aggression issue or has been left to run loose, you can deny renting the pet owner a house with good reason.
More than likely, you will find nothing against the pet owner at the county, which usually means that they are responsible pet owners who love their dogs and care for them appropriately. Most pet owners are loving and caring people who would do anything to ensure that their pets are happy and healthy. These are the people that you want to rent to.
Keeping the Property Safe
Property Management Companies who rent to people with pets can continue to ensure the safety of their other tenants as well as their properties. Requiring an annual Veterinary certification documenting his vaccinations and other medical care is a good way of protecting the community as well as your interests.
Of course, it would be smart to obtain a non-refundable pet deposit. This will cover the cost of having the carpeting thoroughly cleaned and deodorized for future tenants. Pet odors are quite distinct in nature, especially cat odors. Once a cat “misses” the litter box, that nasty and stomach turning stench will be in the flooring forever!
Properties with pets have a lower burglary rate. Criminals are crazy but they rarely target properties to confront a dog. Pets could actually help to reduce crime in your properties.
Limit the Pet Population
Property management companies should never have a blanket “pets allowed” policy. This could cause incredible problems and mayhem! Allowing tenants to have a pet or two is great however; without limiting the number, you are opening up a huge can of worms. Think back to your childhood. You probably knew of someone with the moniker of “The Cat Lady”. Remember seeing the cats all over the place and the overwhelming reek emanating from the home to the street? It wouldn’t be a good look or smell for the property that you are managing. Limiting the number of pets is essential to maintaining the integrity of the property.
Allowing pet owners to rent your properties can really improve your bottom line. You’ll have less vacant properties which generates more income. Heck, you can even have a higher rent for pet-friendly properties. Pet owners are happy to pay a little bit more money so that they can keep their furry friends!
