5 Home Renovations That Will Attract Pet Owners

Author: Ashley Eneriz / Source: Wise Bread

Thinking about upgrading your home to add more value? Before you hire a contractor, take some design inspiration from pet owners. According to the American Pet Products Association, 68 percent of U.S. households, or about 85 million families, own a pet.

Not only do a lot of Americans own pets, but they also spend a lot of money on their fur babies: The APPA reported in 2017 that annual pet expenditures reached an estimated $69.

36 billion. It’s clear that pet owners are willing to spend on their animal companions.

You can make this work to your favor if you’re planning to renovate and sell your home. While some of the suggestions below only make sense if you’re a pet owner yourself, others have universal appeal. (See also: 6 Money Lessons You Can Learn From Your Pets)

1. Update the floors

If you have ever owned a cat or dog, you know how detrimental they can be to carpet and hardwood floors. Consider updating your floors to something stylish, easy to clean, and hard to destroy, like tile or tile made to look like wood.

For a more affordable option, skip laminate flooring and go with vinyl or linoleum. Both of these options are durable and easy to clean, even with a new puppy (or young children) around.