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Pet Realtors Defy Sagging Housing Market

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ORLANDO -- Sherice Ward adores her 3-year-old Labrador retriever, Lacey, so she and her family went looking for a new home, the dog’s needs were equally considered.

Ward says she heard from friends about a development called Avalon Park.

“It’s a very pet friendly area,” Ward said. “People are always walking with their pets.”

Pets and their families are a growing segment of the real estate industry, and catering to a specific type of clientèle in these tough economic times is a key to success, realtors say.

“It’s extremely important being in this industry,’’ real estate agent Marc Grossman said. “You can’t be something for everyone; you really need to develop your niche.”

Grossman is an agent with the Florida-based Pet Realty Network, which specializes in connecting people with pet-friendly agents and properties across the nation.

The subprime mortgage crisis, skyrocketing foreclosures and falling home values have battered the industry. According to a Standard and Poor’s housing index, home prices in the top 20 U.S. cities alone fell by a record 16 percent in May.

In this economic climate, agents must differentiate from their competitors, according to Pet Realty Network founder Rhona Sutter.

More than 10 million families moved with their pets last year, and while there are no definitive sales numbers, Sutter says that focusing on buyers with pets helps agents stand out in the market.

Developers such as KB Homes, which has nearly 1,000 homes in Avalon Park, are among those responding to the growing pet market.

“Some people, that’s their world,” KB Homes consultant Candice Roberts said of people that cater to their pets. “Whether it be empty-nesters who just have the dog and the cat, or just people in general.

“They’re single with pets, or a couple with pets. Pets are like their children.”


While KB says pet-friendly homes do not necessarily have more square footage, the building specs do keep pets in mind.

“People will buy a one-story home because they know their pets cannot go up and down the stairs,” Roberts said. “We have a wide variety of floor plans to offer homebuyers who have pets, to fit their needs and their pet’s needs.”

The open floor plans were a big selling point for Ward.

“It could accommodate her (Lacey) and she’s not under your feet, and tripping over her because she is a big girl,” Ward said.

Avalon Park also has a large dog park and dog-friendly restaurants. Residents can dine outside and do not have to leave their dog at home.
Focusing on pets means a win-win for everyone, according to developers.

“It’s just one more amenity to offer someone so you have the whole package,” Roberts said. “Not only do you love your home, but the pet loves your home as well.”

Regardless of when the housing market finally begins to recover, Grossman says demographics show that pets will only play a bigger real estate role in the future.

“It’s definitely a growing area because of the baby boomers,” Grossman said. “A lot of people are opting not to have children.
“It’s a major growing market.”

For more information, visit the Pet Realty Network’s Web site at PetRealtyNetwork.com.

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104 comments found.
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
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Christina
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It is funny how you don't always think of those little things.

When we bought our house a fenced in back yard was key with two dogs. We ended up finding a corner lot that has over twice the yard as our neighboors and were so excited for the extra room for the boys. However, we live in an older neighboorhood and our sidwalks for walking are not as dog friendly. All of sidewalks are very narrow and there are a lot of streets (ours being one of them) that do not have the grass between the sidwalk and the street. With narrow sidewalks we have trained are dogs to walk right at our side in that grassy area (they prefer the grass to the rough, uneven, in need of repair sidewalks) and that way they are not actually in peoples front yards. But as I said a lot of the ares we walk do not have this. And it bothers my dogs - Trooper especially.
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
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MaxxieBrown
MaxxieBrown
1 year ago
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I want to go here. I love the idea of everything is pet friendly. Parks, restaurants, etc. Great idea
 
Jennifer S.
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It is great that more people are taking their pets into consideration when looking for homes. You defintely have to if you want a happy and healthy pet. Nothing is worse than having a large dog, and then having a small house with no yard. It is great too that the real estate market is picking up on this. Very cool!
 
Stephanie W.
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I am glad that they are doing this to help owners with pets. I myself have 2 dogs and am in the process of moving and their needs are one of my top prioroties.
 
Christina
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I think most pet owners would appreciate a pet friendly neighboorhood. Neighboorhoods come together more when they can find they have something in common and I think pets help that. Have a neighboorhood dog park and pet friendly dinning encourages pet owners to get and interact a lot more.

It was also so nice to hear a positive outcome for pets from this trying economy. So many shelters are getting animal after animal that has been found in an evicted or foreclosed home (animals that were left behind). It is so sad and to me completly unimaginable because as the story says - my dogs are my kids. So hearing about this new "pet" specific real estate market is something fun and positive.
 
cherries33
cherries33
1 year ago
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You're right. I've met tons more people because of my dogs. Wouldn't it be a friendly place if everyone was out walking their dogs and talking? Assuming that the pet owners were responsible. Sounds like the the old days when people sat on their porches and talked to their neighbors.
 
Rhonda S.
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That's the magic words "responsible pet owners". I hate it when my neighbors let their dogs poop in my yard and don't pick up. Or just wander the neighborhood getting in the way of the cars in the street.
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
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sharon d.
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Looks like they found a hit in their Real Estate world.With the amount of money spent on pets annually,it really does make sense to go in the Pet friendly direction.
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
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LINDA421419 B.
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I love living in a sub-division in the country-our dogs have a large fenced-in dog run. most of all our neighbors have fenced-in yards for their pets.
 
cherries33
cherries33
1 year ago
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If I were buying a different home I would never consider buying a home that wasn't safe or comfortable for my pets. If the whole neighborhood and surrounding businesses were pet friendly too, all the better.
 
Anonymous
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1 year ago
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Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
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Vicki T.
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I bought my home precisely because I knew it would be perfect for my dog & cat. It has a fenced backyard, it's one-story and it's on a quiet street. This neighborhood is extremely pet friendly and I just love that. All the time we meet new friends walking their dogs. I think it's very important to consider your animals needs when buying a home, or even renting a home or apartment.
 
Anonymous
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1 year ago
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Kara C.
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The reason I bought the house that I live in now was because of the huge back yard with mature landscaping that I knew would keep by dog cool in the summer. I am glad people are starting to wake up and take notice that some of us do not choose to have children, instead we have dogs and cats. Hopefully attitude catches on and people realize this all across our nation.
 
kadiquilts
kadiquilts
1 year ago
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I think it's an idea way past it's time......good for everyone. Now let's just make shure these communities have leash laws, too! :)
 
JenniferMaurer
JenniferMaurer
1 year ago
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My ad agency just did a huge advertising/marketing campaign for one of the first ever gay retirement resorts. The Gay community is very pet friendly and consider their pets as their children. This developer put a dog park on the property as well as dog walking trails. The are talking about developing more "affinity" properties like an entire retirement community that caters to dog lovers. I think it sounds like heaven ;o)
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
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patty
patty (mikkizmom)
1 year ago
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LMAO! got that right.
 
Vicki T.
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Good for you, Jennifer! Your ad campaign is a great idea.
 
It is hard to find a pet friendly neighborhood, especially with a pit bull. So to find a realtor who specializes in that would be nice. I am buying a house and I brought my dog with me to look at every single house, if he didn't like it then neither did I. It is important for your pets to live in an area where people love them.
 
Susan
Susan (susan9207)
1 year ago
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You're fortunate that the homeowners allowed you to bring your dog along on the tour. Have you run into any opposition?

I have a house full of dogs and know that I'd have to get them outside anytime I showed the house to someone because it would be just too distracting, but I'm not sure I'd want them any more stressed by coming back into their home and smelling a strange dog's scent. Maybe it's less of an issue to someone who doesn't have a dog in their home already.
 
most of the houses I looked at were empty, when I did look at one that was occupied I had to leave Memphis in the car and I didn't even consider that house.
 
Kim H.
Kim H. (kimberh73)
1 year ago
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Great news to here about. Pet friendly neighborhood is wonderful.
 
1cakelady
1cakelady
1 year ago
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mandy r.
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it is sweet that people consider there pets when buying a house.
 
daryl b.
daryl b. (darylob)
1 year ago
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yipee!!!!!!!! it is about time that people recognize this
 
Missavethewrld
Missavethewrld
1 year ago
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It's good that they're not leaving their pets behind.
 
haley m.
haley m. (Haleybum)
1 year ago
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I would love to live in a place like that!
 
Cheryle D.
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It's nice to see that realtors and builders are understanding that our pets are our family! Great that more and more businesses are also accomodating our "family", like the cafes that allow pets and churches, etc.
 
Debbie
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Fantastic!
 
Carolyn Y.
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thats cool! what a nice place to live!
 
MOM ..
MOM .. (Twocatmom)
1 year ago
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Pets are family members too. It's so nice to read something like this.
 
Rhonda S.
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I volunteer with the Humane Society in Abilene and see a lot of people turning over their pets to us because the place their are moving to doesn't accommodate pets. I wish more people would take the time to look for places for their pets instead of just getting rid of them. If I had the choice of moving into a nicer home without Abie or a smaller house with my dog, I'd choose the smaller house.
 
cherries33
cherries33
1 year ago
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That's one of my pet peeves. The woman who runs the rescue group that I volunteer with always says: If you have a pet, why would you consider housing that doesn't allow pets? If you have children would you move someplace that doesn't allow them?

People always want to pretend like this is something totally beyond their control. Just another excuse for irresponsible behavior
 
kadiquilts
kadiquilts
1 year ago
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I always compare the committment of owning pets to the committment of having children......some people don't like that comparison--but it's really the same thing.......... good point!
 
Anonymous
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1 year ago
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JenniferMaurer
JenniferMaurer
1 year ago
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One of my greatest pet peeves (pun intended). I agree cheryl!
 
5ineveryroom
5ineveryroom
1 year ago
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I agree. a few years ago, I found a place I loved, but they said no pets. They did allow pets in some of their other proberties though. I convinced the owners to let me keep my two cats, but I had to pay a huge deposit. I could not see moving and leaving my pets behind.
 
Yes! Show us your poop bags and leashes! Maybe a selling point could be a year's supply of Frontline Plus and Heartgard! Each new home could be outfitted with a pooper scooper! I love it!
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
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Carly T.
Carly T. (Carly67)
1 year ago
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Sounds like a great place to live. It would be great if more towns were like this.
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
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Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
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kate h.
kate h. (keh611)
1 year ago
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Sounds like a great place to live. What a nice story!
 
sheri
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A wonderful story.Sounds like a great place.
 
Crystal W.
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Happy to see realtors realizing this issue. I know from looking for a home we had to take alot into consideration having a dog and cat and child. Looking for all the appropriate ammenities for all to be happy.
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