How You Can Downsize Your Home While Accommodating Your Pet
Pets bring joy into your life every day, but if you’re looking to downsize, you may be worried about having the right amount of space for them. Depending on the type of animal and the exercise they need, there are plenty of ways to accommodate your pet in a smaller home. From picking a home with access to dog parks to outfitting your apartment with enriching activities for cats, here are some great ways to downsize when you have a pet, presented by Molisse Realty Group.
Clear Out the Excess
Before you downsize to a smaller home, you’ll need to downsize your belongings. This can be an overwhelming task for many people, but you may find that once it’s done, you feel lighter and can live more efficiently day to day. Everyone from Marie Kondo to AARP has tips on how to do this, but the most crucial pointer is to look at what you truly use on a daily basis and consider clearing out everything else. Some of the biggest space-wasters are unused clothes, books, kitchen items, and out-of-date DVDs or CDs.
Find a New Home
When searching for a new home, you want to keep your pet’s needs in mind. If you have a dog that needs a generous amount of exercise but you don’t want the maintenance of a yard, you will want to look for a walkable place near a dog park or ample greenspace. If you have a cat, you want to make sure there is room for scratch posts, litter boxes, and other toys or enriching activities. Cats love to be at the high point in a room, leading many people to build shelves that their cats can climb. If you have an animal that requires a tank or terrarium, you want to make sure there is room for you to place it and still fit other necessary furniture.
Deal With Finances
Moving to a smaller home can save a lot of money in the long run, but you want to make sure that you select a home that you can comfortably afford. A lender will calculate your debt-to-income ratio and help you determine a good monthly rate. You can do this yourself by adding up your existing monthly debt and dividing the total by your gross monthly income. Also, look up information about mortgage rates online before you get the ball rolling; for example, you can research 30 year fixed rates today by visiting sites like PennyMac.
In addition, you want to look at what your new pet costs might be. If you previously had a yard and don’t have time to walk your dog multiple times a day for exercise, you may need to hire a walker. If you need to outfit your smaller home with more enrichment activities, you might want to look at the costs for that as well.
Get Your Current House in Shape
Now that you’re ready to move, you’ll want to get your current home ready to sell. Clearing clutter, keeping the interior clean, and enhancing your curb appeal are all important. Hiring a professional lawn care service is a great idea, and mowing services usually run from about $30 to $80 per service. If you need to add irrigation, fertilizer, pruning, or hardscaping, those costs can increase.
Downsizing with a pet can be challenging but rewarding once you finish the process. Many people are happier after they downsize as they have less stress and stuff to deal with. Your pet may also love the cozy atmosphere once it adjusts.
Molisse Realty Group can help you and your pet discover a home that’s a perfect match. Click here to get in touch and to learn more about how we can help.
