A.D. Cantelmo Property Management
Our Business is Property Management in Orange County California
Say yes to Pets
When renting properties, the most
important aspect to getting the property rented quickly and getting the best
price, is making the property desirable for as many people possible. Some
things you have no control over, such as location, school district and unless
you want to do major construction, the size of the property. You work with what
you have and make the property as pleasant as you can. The one thing that you
do not do, is put barriers in the way.
Millions of people have a pet
As long as I have been in he business
of Property Management, I have battled some owners over the
prospect of allowing pets in the property. Facts about Pet Ownership in the
U.S. :It's estimated that 70-80 million dogs and 74-96 million cats are owned
in the United States. Approximately 37-47% of all households in the United
States have a dog, and 30-37% have a cat. (Source: ASPCA) These stats don't
say how many have both a dog and a cat, so you can see that a huge portion of
the population have pets. Since I have yet to manage a property that can have a
horse, or I have yet to have someone who owns a pig apply for one of my
properties I will leave them out of the conversation.
Cutting your Tenant pool
You can see the problem of not
allowing pets in your property. You are cutting out at lest 40% of the
population. No other business starts out by cutting out 40% of their
prospective customers. It is just not good business.
Arguments against a pet
The arguments I get of course concern
the damage to the property, but I have found that people do much more damage to
property then pets ever do. Believe me, if a property owner allows their pet to
damage a property, that pet owner should not have been a Tenant in the first
place. Taking a deposit for the property and also a pet deposit will be the
best insurance for allowing a pet. Look at it this way, if by not allowing a
pet, it takes you a month longer to rent a property and your rent is $2000, you
have already lost $2000. That would probably be enough to replace the carpet in
the entire home. So the Security deposit and the pet deposit will be plenty to
cover any damage a pet will do.
As a Property Manager, It can become very frustrating to have to turn
down good Tenant prospects, because the owner will not allow a pet. Unless you
are willing to wait for the perfect Tenant, and some people are, then don't shy
away from pet owners. They usually stay longer, because of the hassle for them
to find a new pet friendly home.
A.D. Cantelmo Property
Management Specializes in Property Management in Orange County
Ca.