Stage My Home: Pet Free {Week 2}

Are you as excited about this series as I am? I love this! In case this is your first week, don't forget to check out Week 1: Clean Up!

This week's MLS nightmare is a bit of a personal pet peeve. Pun SO intended! ... Get your pets out of the pictures! And their crates, and dog bowls, and kitty litter boxes, and toys. Basically, anything that would tip a person off to know that you own an animal- clear it out!

This is part a clean issue and part the fact that there are people like me in this world- people who are very allergic to cats and/or dogs (or in my case, anything furry). When I look through pictures and see that you have a cat or dog and I'm trying to narrow my list down to 3 or 5 houses to go see with the realtor- your home automatically gets the boot.

But here's the thing- having an animal isn't a deal breaker for buying your home. It's just a prejudice that non-animal lovers are judging you by as we filter through hundreds of homes online.

via Charleston MLS

Our current home was first inhabited by 2 very furry dogs. Some days I still get annoyed when I find more dog hair, even after I spent hours cleaning each room. But we chose to buy our house, dog hair and all, because we loved other things about it so much. I can guarantee, though, I would have never taken a tour had the MLS pictures included dog crates, bowls, or the dogs themselves. The house above is actually adorable. But messes and animals have no place on the MLS. Let me love you your house!

I know many of you will file this under being "nit picky" or not a big concern since it's only a small percentage of people who are allergic like I am...

Your potential buyers' market is already fixed by things like the price of your house (income), the size, and geography. Don't give anyone another reason to filter you off of their list!

Got it? Good! :) Now for your present... it's in 2 parts so make sure to scroll down!

69 Meeting Street

via - 69 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC

Talk about some porch sittin'! I love the blue ceilings- a Southern, and especially Charleston, tradition and TWO awesome joggling boards. And that door! It's so happy looking. All I need now is some iced tea... oh and $5M. Meh, maybe I'll just sit on J's mini-joggling board. I'm sure I can get one or two good bounces out of it before it breaks. ;)

Oh you're waiting on that second present? Starting tomorrow I will be taking you along the Coastal Living 2013 Showhouse tour with me! WooHoo! I just spent the last 8 hours editing the 300 pictures I took and I can honestly say with every fiber of my being- You are going to LOVE this! Check back tomorrow! :)