Traditionally, real estate Brokers advised pet-owners to put away their pet’s belongings in preparation of a showing, but the new trend is showing that pets have become a plus in marketing a home. Pet power is on the rise! According to the Jan/Feb 2016 edition of REALTORMAG, currently 65% of households own a pet, which is up from 56% in 1988. A record-breaking 79 million U.S. households now own a pet and 83% of pet-owners consider their pets to be a member of the family.
Pet-loving Buyers like homes with fenced yards, dog runs, pet doors, mudrooms with dog washes and close proximity to parks and hiking trails. One motivating factor for homebuyers to buy a home is to accommodate a pet, if their landlord or HOA does not allow pets.
Durango is a very dog-friendly town with a Dog Park located at HWY 550 & HWY 160 on the west side of the Animas River for off-leash hiking and dog socialization. It also is the home of 5 pet stores (plus there are pet aisles at the groceries stores and co-ops), lots of pet-grooming choices, local business allow pets to come in on-leash and provide treats & water, plus many restaurants allow dogs on-leash to accompany diners in outdoor spaces.