Four-legged family members have voice in real estate decisions

Who plays major roles in what kind of home people choose to live in?

Mom
Dad
Kids
Grandparents
Pets

According to a report from the National Association of Realtors, in more than four of five families, pets and real estate often mix. NAR surveyed its member and discovered that two-thirds of families selling homes say the pets have at least a moderate effect on their decision-making. A full 99 percent – darn near all – consider pets a part of the family, and a full third of buyers refuse to make offers on houses that aren’t good for the pet.

Twelve percent of respondents reported moving to accommodate a pet, and another 19 percent said they would.

The pets and real estate story is similar when it comes to home projects. More than half said they had remodeled something with the pet in mind, the most frequent of which was adding fencing to keep Fido in the yard and safe. After that is was putting in a doggie door or laminate flooring.

Here are some dog-friendly house floorplans

Of those who undertook projects, 23 percent built a fence around their yard, 12 percent added a dog door and 10 percent installed laminate flooring.

Most of the families surveyed – 83 percent – had dogs, while 43 percent had cats. Some 9 percent had a bird, reptile or small mammal and 8 percent had fish.

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