If You Have a Pet, Prepare to Pay More for Rent, or Consider Buying Your Own Place

Lighter Side of Real Estate • November 12, 2022

Pets are part of the family; many people even consider them their children. And like children, they come with costs that you’ll have to deal with, like:

  • Food
  • Grooming
  • A walker or pet sitter
  • Unexpected vet bills

But higher rent isn’t something you’d have to expect if you had an actual child. Sure, it may cost you more to rent a place that has enough room for the amount of children you have, but no landlord is going to tack on an extra monthly fee or deposit for every kid you have.

However, there’s a good chance that a pet will cost you more in monthly rent and require that you give the landlord an additional deposit (perhaps even non-refundable) to cover any damage they may do while you live there. This isn’t a new thing by any means, but according to this Market Watch article, it’s something that’s giving pet-owning renters more stress lately, considering how much rents have been increasing.

Even finding a place that allows pets can be more difficult in the best of times, but with a shortage of available rentals, it’s even tougher to find a rental that allows them. So, like it or not, if the landlord wants more money because you have a pet, it’s hard to argue or negotiate.

It might feel unfair since this practice presumes your pet will do damage. But what if it doesn’t? What if you have the best behaved pet in the world? Or what if you have a smaller pet? Why should you have to pay as much as somebody whose pet is like a bull in a china shop?

Well, you can’t entirely look at landlords like they’re evil, money-hungry people looking to milk you for more money. They’re taking increased risk, and have reasons for doing so. This article cited a few of them, such as:

  • 64% of landlords surveyed said they had property damaged by a tenant’s pet.
  • There’s increased liability, which could result in lawsuits or higher insurance rates.
  • They typically need to do more cleaning and repairs before renting it out to the next tenant.

So if you have a pet, you have to at least understand why the landlord would have concerns and would want protection from having to cover additional costs.

That being said, everything is at least potentially negotiable. So you can always try and plead your case, and ask the landlord to reduce (or even waive) any additional fees or deposits. You’re more likely to be successful with pets that are unlikely to cause damage, like fish or a reptile that stays in a tank.

But the ultimate solution is to buy your own house if possible. Considering the extra cost of renting as a pet owner, it may even be more economical to buy your own place. You might even look into buying a duplex or multi-family house and become a pet-friendly landlord yourself. Think about it: you can get higher rents than a landlord who doesn’t allow pets, and live in one of the units with as many pets as you want!

Otherwise, just keep your eyes peeled for pet-friendly rentals, and when you find one that allows your pet and has reasonable fees, jump on it and sign that lease before someone else scoops it up!

The Takeaway:

Renters have been facing higher rents and a lot of competition for the number of rentals available on the market in general. But when you add a pet into the mix, it not only makes it more difficult to find a place to rent, it increases the amount it costs on a monthly basis (as well as a larger security deposit).
You can always try to negotiate with a landlord, but if it’s hard to find a place that allows pets, you may just have to agree to their terms. Ultimately, the best solution is to buy a place of your own if possible. Buying a duplex or multi-family house that you can live in and rent out the other units to other pet owners may be an even smarter idea that can save you even more money.


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This’ll Change What You Think About Investors in Today’s Housing Market

By KCM • April 26, 2026
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Your House Hasn’t Sold Yet. Should You Rent It Out Instead?

By KCM • April 25, 2026
Your House Hasn’t Sold Yet. Should You Rent It Out Instead? When your house sits on the market longer than expected, it can get frustrating fast. You start asking: what now? And for a growing number of homeowners, that turns into: should I just rent it instead? While it sounds like a simple backup plan, becoming “ accidental landlord ” is actually a much bigger decision than most people realize. That’s when someone planned to sell, didn’t get the price or traction they hoped for, and decided to rent the house out instead. And lately, that's happening more often. Why the Number of Accidental Landlords Is Rising If you’re faced with the same choice to rent or to sell, here’s what you need to know. First, you’re not alone. And that should actually be some comfort. According to Zillow about 2.3% of homes available for rent were previously listed for sale. That may not sound like a lot, but it’s actually the highest share in almost 6 years. Before you go that route yourself, it’s worth slowing down and looking at the full picture. Ask yourself these 3 questions first. 1. Would Your House Actually Work as a Rental? What’s right for your situation is going to depend on your location, your home’s condition, and what the rental market looks like in your area. Think about: If you’re moving away, do you have a plan for how you’ll handle ongoing maintenance and repairs from afar? Does your house need repairs before it’s rental-ready? And do you have the time, energy, and the funds for that? What's the market like in your area? Are there a lot of rental vacancies? What monthly rent could you realistically expect? As C&C Property Management explains: “At the heart of any rental market is the balance between supply and demand. When more tenants are looking for housing than there are available units, rental prices rise. On the other hand, if new construction adds hundreds of apartments or homes to a neighborhood, prices can soften as tenants have more choices.” If your home would struggle to stand out or command the rent you need, that’s something to take seriously. Just because you can rent it doesn’t mean it’s the best option for you. 2. Are You Ready To Be a Landlord? This is the part people don’t always think about upfront. On paper, renting sounds like easy passive income. But in reality, it’s a hands-on responsibility. Imagine: Taking midnight calls about clogged toilets or broken air conditioners Chasing down missed rent payments Covering unexpected repairs Fixing damage between tenants And those costs can hit when you least expect them. 3. Have You Run the Real Numbers? There’s also the financial side of things. For starters, renting out your house comes with extra expenses. Here are a few of the biggest according to Bankrate: Higher insurance premiums (landlord insurance typically costs about 25% more) Management fees (if you use a property manager, they typically charge around 10% of the rent) Routine maintenance and services Advertising fees to find tenants Gaps between tenants, where you cover the mortgage without rental income coming in For some people, that’s totally manageable. For others, it’s more than they want to take on. Your Next Step: A Conversation with Your Agent Before you make any decision, talk to your current agent about overhauling your sales strategy first. Sometimes it’s not that buyers aren’t out there. It’s that something about the pricing, presentation, or marketing isn’t quite lining up with what they’re looking for. And a few small adjustments can make a big difference. Because while renting can be a great choice for the right person with the right house, if you’re only considering it because your listing didn’t get traction, there may be a better solution. Bottom Line If you're torn between selling and renting, make sure to carefully weigh the pros and cons first. For some homeowners, the hassle (and the expense) of renting may not be worth it.

Before You Fall in Love with a House, Do This First.

By KCM • April 24, 2026
Before You Fall in Love with a House, Do This First. Be honest. Have you started looking at homes online yet? If you have, it’s already time to get pre-approved . Because here’s what not enough people know. If buying a home is on your radar – even if it’s more of a someday plan than a right now plan – you don’t want to wait until later on in the process to tackle this step. No matter what you’ve heard, pre-approval isn’t about commitment. It’s about clarity. And here are the two big ways pre-approval sets you up for success. You Know Your Numbers Up Front During the pre-approval process, a lender will walk through your finances and tell you what you can borrow based on your income, debts, credit score , and more. And once you have that number, your search becomes a lot more focused. With a mortgage pre-approval, you know what you can borrow, so it’s easier to figure out your ideal price point, and what you can actually afford. And that clarity is key. Because if you just start browsing online and just guess at your price point, you run the risk of falling for a house that’s outside of your price range – or missing out on ones that aren’t. You want this number to be clearly defined before your search. Here’s why. You Can Move Quickly When You Find the One This is how a lot of home searches go today. You scroll through listings just to see what’s out there, and then it happens. You fall in love with something you’ve seen online. If you’re already pre-approved? You’re probably in great shape. But if you’re not… Instead of being able to jump on that house and quickly make an offer, you have to scramble to get a lender, gather the financial documents, and then submit the necessary pre-approval paperwork first. And while you’re waiting to hear back from your lender, someone else who’s more prepared could beat you to the house. As Bankrate explains: “The best time to get a mortgage preapproval is before you start looking for a home. If you find a home you love but don’t have a preapproval in hand, you likely won’t have time to get preapproved before you need to make an offer . . .” And that’s avoidable, with the right prep. Because while you can’t control when the right home shows up, you can be ready for it. Think of it like showing up to the starting line with your shoes tied and your warm-up done – while everyone else is still looking for parking. It’s not about rushing your timeline. It’s about removing the delay between finding the right home and being able to move on it. One Thing You Need To Know About Pre-Approvals Speaking of timing, pre-approvals do have an expiration date. So, be sure to ask your lender how long it’s good for. The Mortgage Reports explains: “ Mortgage preapproval letters are typically valid for anywhere from 30 to 90 days. However, a preapproval can be updated and extended if the lender re-checks your information.” Doing the right prep and knowing this information can make the whole process a lot smoother. You don’t have to be ready to buy to be ready to buy. Getting pre-approved doesn’t mean you’re committing to buy right now. It just means you’ve taken a step to understand your numbers. And when a home catches your attention, you’re prepped and good to go. Bottom Line Ask yourself this: if your perfect home popped up tomorrow, would you be ready to make a move? If the answer is no and you want to buy, it may be time to get pre-approved. You don’t feel behind before your search even officially kicks off.
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