Becoming A Homeowner

Posted on: 27 June 2018

Looking for a perfect home is challenging; looking for a perfect home that also accepts dogs is even more challenging. Here are a few tips you can use to land a home that is perfect both for you and your animal friend:

Ensure the Community Agrees

Unless you are looking for a single-family home, your neighborhood (through the homeowners association) may have a say on the exact pet you are allowed to keep. For example, there may be a law against vicious dogs such as pit bulls. Therefore, you need to know whether you can live in a place or if your pet is prohibited.

Mind the Fencing Rules

The type of fence you have determines how easy it will be to keep your dog from disturbing your neighbors or passersby. Therefore, review the community's fencing laws to confirm that they won't affect your ability to keep a pet. For example, it will be difficult to keep your pet within your compound if the local laws restrict fences to a short or medium height that dogs can jump over--or that predators (such as coyotes) can climb and harm your pet. You also need to confirm that you will be allowed to erect a privacy fence to keep your dog from constantly barking at people it can see through the fence.

Consider a Property Not Too Close To the Road

Many dogs get antsy when they see people constantly passing by, which is why you need to avoid properties immediately next to the road or footpath or anywhere with constant foot traffic. In a gated community, avoid houses along the street since they will expose your pet to passersby. This also means you should avoid properties right next to a park where the dog will be exposed to people all the time.

Look For a Dog-Friendly Neighborhood

It is not just the house and the lot it sits on that should be dog-friendly, even the neighborhood should be dog-friendly. Here are some of the things that tell you a neighborhood is dog-friendly:

• The neighborhood has a high walkability score, which means you won't have a problem with walking your dog around
• There are nearby pet waste stations and you won't worry about hygiene issues
• There is a dog park nearby or just a park that accepts dogs
• There are other dogs in the neighborhood
• There are pet stores and veterinarians in the area

If you're looking to buy a home that is dog-friendly or pet-friendly, your real estate agent can help you to find good possibilities. You can then focus on the other important aspects of your potential new place.