Real Estate Agent · Davison, MI · Member since 2018 · 113 posts · 34 votes
I’m a new landlord and I just finished my first BRRRR/HouseHack combo. I’m finding it difficult to get qualified tenants in who don’t have animals so I’m considering allowing them in my units. Question is there’s pros and cons for dogs and cats. Which have you had the best luck with?
Thank you,
Bradley
Attorney · Akron, OH · Member since 2016 · 535 posts · 389 votes
7y
I'm allergic to cats, so that is an automatic no go from me. Consider:
Are the units configured for pets? Do they have carpets or hard flooring?
Pet deposit
Pet rent
What size is the animal?
Have you met the animal? Is it aggressive?
Is the animal trained? Trained animals often have certificates
Even if the animal is trained, is the animal aggressive? Does it come with an anti-aggressive training certificate?
Are the tenants cleanly? Do they clean the animal?
How much attention do the tenants give the animal? Do they leave for work the entire day so they animal can urinate all over the carpet and it can marinate for 8-hour shifts at a time?
How old is the animal? Is it old and calm or young and chewing through drywall?
What does the prior landlord say about the animal's damage to the property - did the carpet smell? Did the place get destroyed, did the pet deposit actually account for the damage, etc?
Is the pet vaccinated and registered? Not doing these things demonstrates neglect of the owner.
How noisy is the animal? Will they bark until your other tenants move out, citing the annoying animal as the cause for terminating the lease?
Those are just off the top of my head, but if you consider each factor, it can assist you in making a decision on whether having pets in your unit is the smart thing to do.
Lender · Omaha, NE · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
7y
Cats don't bark loudly when let outside and make neighbors mad, cats generally don't damage trim, drywall and doors, and cats don't dig holes in the yard or damage fencing. Yes, cat pee is awful, but enzyme treatment, Kilz and an ozone generator will do the trick to eliminate it. Both cats and dogs can ruin carpet (another good reason not to use carpet for flooring), but dogs can do way more damage than cats overall, especially larger dogs.
All that being said, I'm a dog lover over cats any day of the week personally.
Rental Property Investor · South shore, MA · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
7y
@Bradley LaBrie I’m going to allow cats in the rental I’m advertising now, with a pet fee.
I’m not going to allow dogs, just because they can destroy a yard, and might potentially cause problems with barking. I’d rather not have to listen to the tenant next door complain.
It’s ironic because I have a dog, and can’t stand cats.
Hudson County · Member since 2018 · 21 posts · 7 votes
7y
@Brian Ellis I work in property management, the area I work in is extremely dog centric, as well as dog frIendly. So many peolme have dogd, as well as cats , but durIng the day you see dog walkers walking dogs, a lot of the restaurants allow dogs to be sat outside with their owners, so in this area not allowing pets would restrict your self from a lot of qualified tenants.
As someone already mentioned, It Is case by case. Most of the landlords I work with, require a non-refundable pet fee, and very strict language in the leases that we have, regarding both cats and dogs. Verbage that states after a certaIn number of complaints from the tenants the pet may have to be removed, things along these lines. It never usually is a problem, the strong wording deters most people that would be a problem , and most responsible dog people know whether their dog is a problem or not. And also, unless the dog barking is a serious issue , other people in the building won’t really complain in my experience.
Lender · Omaha, NE · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
7y
Bradley, it depends on too many things to give you an accurate answer (size of the affected area, quality and type of materials used, cost of labor in your area, etc.). But in general, just factor how much new paint and flooring will cost, plus a little extra for primer and possibly subfloor if it is really saturated.
Naperville, IL · Member since 2018 · 330 posts · 357 votes
7y
I allow both, but 8 out of our ten properties are condos and there are usually size limits. I never allow more than 2 animals. Which I know is because of waste/yard damage but everyone knows it's the little dogs who bark all day. I do ask them about hours worked. etc. If they have dog but work 12 hours a day I try to find a reason to DQ them....a bored unexercised dog is far more likely to be a problem.
Asheville, NC · Member since 2017 · 170 posts · 242 votes
7y
@Bradley LaBrie afterflipping a cat pee house, I will not allow cats. Pee was impossible to get rid of. I installed LVP in my first and only rental. I said no pets in my advertising. Someone well qualified asked for an exception, and I said I would consider it if I met the pets in thier existing home “to see how they greet strangers”. I also I wanted to see if thier house smelled or was torn up. It wasn’t. I allowed them with no extra increase in rent or deposit, noting in my lease they were the only pets allowed.
Asheville, NC · Member since 2017 · 170 posts · 242 votes
7y
Sorry if I was unclear. I flipped a cat pee house that had carpet. It was extremely difficult to get the smell out. The cats marked EVERYWHERE. Even got up on shelves and in kitchen cabinets. Prob how I got it cheap.
even after I thought the pee was all gone (I couldn’t smell it, nor could my realtor or partner or workers) one out of ten potential buyers who came to see the house said it smelled of cat pee. All other potential buyers gave good feedback and it sold. It wasn’t fun.
Later I redid a house I intended to use as a rental and paid a little more to install LVP rather than carpet or laminate so I didn’t have to worry about kids or pets destroying flooring.
Rental Property Investor · Union, ME · Member since 2018 · 161 posts · 104 votes
7y
Personally, I have three cats and they are extremely helpful to have around. Just in my house, in the past year (when I got the first one) the mouse problem went from constant to zero. Currently, we are at five dead mice. I keep score between the cats too. The bug and spider problem went away just as fast. I'd make sure that the tenant knows their cat needs to be well trained, and kept away from carpeted spaces if possible. There are a lot of benefits with cats you don't really have with dogs. Cats, hands down.
Rental Property Investor · PA · Member since 2018 · 29 posts · 25 votes
7y
In my units that I allow pets for a $250 refundable deposit and $25 a month extra rent per pet (2 max), I consider variables. I have only SFH with 3 beds, mainly families. Families have pets. Next, I consider the age and conditioning of the flooring (old/damaged/needs replaced soon) I allow pets. Wouldn't have new/newer flooring with pets. And finally, my properties with fenced yards are allowed pets. I have B+ rentals so not as much of an issue as say inner city multis. No discrimination with breeds, but all dogs so far are small ones. Just allowed my first cat, we will see how that goes.
Rental Property Investor · Member since 2018 · 27 posts · 19 votes
7y
I have heard some horror stories where tenant scoops cat poop from litter box and just flushes it in toilet causing clogged toilet down the road.. I guess there's always horror story for anything.
Real Estate Agent · Merritt Island, FL · Member since 2017 · 974 posts · 1k+ votes
7y
@Bradley LaBrie - I'm an animal lover, used to volunteer and have even fostered cats. I currently own 3 that I raised from age 2.5 weeks. So I am open to renters with pets. James Galla had a great post above which all landlords considering pets should read. The greatest concern I'd have is cats in a home with carpet because it will need to be professionally cleaned at best and possibly replaced. Being in Florida, none of the rentals I owned had carpet so that wasn't a concern. And I installed laminate wood in my current rental in VA so that's not an issue either. Good luck with whatever route you take.
Investor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2018 · 62 posts · 16 votes
7y
Cats, hands down. Small dogs are often noisy when left alone all day, their claws are damaging, and large dogs in our one bedroom apartments are a non starter. And don't get me started on the "emotional support animal" thing... I think pet owners are more responsible on the whole and have seen a drunk adult do far more damage to a home than a cat would or could.
The obvious answer should be neither since they both can potentially cause extensive damage to a property. It is similar to asking do you prefer to cut your grass in bare feet or running shoes. The risk is potentially the same.
To mitigate your risk you do quarterly inspections and have contractors immediately repair all damage and bill the tenant directly for the cost. Never use their deposit to cover the costs. Make them pay.
You make additional income by charging a higher monthly rent of $50 - $100 per pet. Pet rent is far superior to a fee since the fee will not come close to paying for repairs. Make your tenants pay as they go for all damage and collect more per month for your inconvenience.
If tenants want the privilege of their pet destroying someone elses property make them pay for it.
Rental Property Investor · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2016 · 60 posts · 38 votes
7y
@Bradley LaBrie we have allowed both - it depends on you and the unit. Others have mentioned making them “pet friendly” and I agree with them.
What we have found is the most qualified tenants also had pets. So we were letting people go on the fact they had a small dog who was crated during the day to interview people who could barely make the rent.
Also, you’d be amazed how quickly people agree to pay a $30-50 pet fee every month. That’s extra cash!
Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 871 votes
7y
For me, dogs vs cats implies our cross-state rivalry back home in WA, the Apple Cup -- which is coming up in a couple weeks. Should be a good one this year. Go Huskies! Beat Wazzu!
If it is in the context of being a landlord, probably I would prefer cats. But really, I'd say probably it more a function of the people than the animal -- if the tenant is unkept, lazy and negligent, then you can more or less plan on a negative experience with the furry critter.
Not a landlord myself, but it would seem to me that responsible renters with a pet don't have a ton of good choices, so if they find a place they like that accepts them and their little fuzzy loved one, then they are way more likely to appreciate it, do right by you and not ruin it for themselves.