We have been asked this question many times by our property owners. There are many pros and cons to making your property pet-friendly. Using our in-house travel nurse housing data, we can take a look at the numbers so you can make an informed decision for your situation.
We show that 27% of booking requests on Furnished Finder request pets so this is an important component to consider when renting to travel nurses. The most common pet they travel with is a dog, followed by a cat. Having a pet-friendly property means there should be a yard or park/grass area close by so that the animals can have quick access for bathroom breaks.
Let’s discuss the economics of a pet-friendly property. You can get more money for a pet-friendly unit, plain and simple. You can expect to add a couple hundred to the rent per month for a pet, in addition to a refundable pet deposit and pet cleaning fee. So, the question is, is it worth the extra $200-$300 per month to allow pets?
Let’s start with the minus side:1.) Pets can take a toll on your property. They are cute and cuddly, but don’t always make it outside when they have to do their business. If you have carpet, you will need to charge an extra cleaning fee because the next traveler will want an odor free clean environment.
2.) Possible disruptions to the neighbor with a barking dog. You hope the traveler’s dog is well trained and not a barker, but it’s a real possibility.
3.) If you are renting a room out in your house, you want to make sure you and your own pet get along with theirs. Of course there’s always a risk that they won’t.
Let's now look at the plus side:
1.) You can charge more rent. Yep, it is true, you can usually get a couple hundred extra dollars a month. You can also charge a little more on the cleaning fee and deposit as it is well known that pets potentially require greater cleaning and can cause a bit more damage.
2.) By allowing pets you open yourself up to renting your property much more easily. You have increased your renting pool by 33 percent by allowing the furry little friends in your unit. Making sure your unit is stays filled means lower vacancies and more money in your pocket the whole year.
Hopefully as you weigh your options you will decide what works best for you. In the end, if you think it is worth the extra money and lower vacancy rates to deal with a few more "potential" headaches of renting to travelers with pets, then go for it!
Furnished Finder is where travel nurses find their monthly furnished housing, and combined with the Furnished Finder app and their sister-site Travel Nurse Housing.com. If you’re interested in hosting travel nurses, you can start your listing HERE (opens in new tab). Good luck & happy (travel nurse) renting!
Another article you might be interested in:
Preparing Your Rental Property for Travel Nurses (opens in new tab)
How Professional Real Estate Photos Can Make All The Difference (opens in new tab)
10 Things I Wish Property Owners Knew About Travelers (opens in new tab)
Empty Nesters Earn Money by Turning Extra Space Into Travel Nurse Housing (opens in new tab)