Should You Allow Pets in Your Rental Property?

Megan Bullock/Apartments.com • May 2, 2021

It’s no secret that most pet owners treat their pets like family, so when it comes time to find a new home, these renters will be looking for pet-friendly rentals. This begs the question, should you allow pets in your rental property? If this question is weighing on your mind, you’re in the right place. It’s true that allowing pets in your rental gives you access to a larger pool of interested renters, but this decision also comes with a few risks. Before you decide where your rental fits in the mix, let’s weigh the benefits and risks of having a pet-friendly rental.

Benefits of Allowing Pets in You Rental Property

If you decide to list your rental online as “pet friendly,” you’ll enjoy several benefits, including the opportunity to:

Make more in rental fees

By allowing pets in your rental property, you are essentially adding another tenant (or a few, if you allow). Although this furry tenant won’t be responsible for splitting the rent, their presence will require some additional payments. Pet fees, pet deposits, and pet rent are a few of the ways you can make more in rental fees by allowing pets.

You will collect a non-refundable pet fee from your pet-owning tenant before or on move-in day. You can also collect a pet deposit at the same time in addition to the pet fee. The only difference is the pet deposit is refundable and will be returned to the tenant in full if there are no pet-related damages to the unit, including soiled carpet, chewed blinds, or scratches on the floor, walls, and moldings. Pet rent is a fee that renters will pay once a month in addition to their base rent.

Depending on your state laws, you can charge one of these rental fees, all three, or a mix. These rental fees will automatically boost your rental income, as well as provide a bit of cushion for potential damages. Be sure to check what competitors in your market are charging for pet fees so that you aren’t under or overselling your rental.

Increase your lease renewal rates

Not every rental allows pets, so if you choose to allow them, your tenants may be incentivized to renew their lease. Many renters will feel more comfortable in a pet-friendly rental, even if they haven’t committed to a furry friend of their own just yet. It gives them the option to do so in the future. If your rental is not pet friendly, and your tenant decides they want a pet, they will have to wait until their lease is up or potentially break their lease early, leaving you to find a new tenant once they’re gone. Avoid these potential vacancies by giving pet owners what they want — a good home for their fur family.

Expand your list of potential tenants

As discussed, not all rentals allow pets, which automatically limits those landlords to only renters without pets. If you choose not to allow pets in your rental, you risk losing some potentially great tenants simply because they are pet owners. Your list of potential tenants will expand immediately if you list your rental as pet friendly. As more and more renters become pet parents, your pool of potential tenants will continue to grow.

Risks of Allowing Pets in Your Rental Property

Allowing pets in your rental is a great way to show tenants your flexibility, but it’s important to consider the risks of doing so before you proceed.

Increased chances of property damage

It’s common for pet damage to occur in pet-friendly rentals, even if it only involves minor issues. Soiled carpet, scratched floors and walls, and chewed blinds are just a few examples of common pet damage. Accidents happen, especially with younger pets, but if your tenant isn’t a responsible pet owner, small issues may become bigger problems over time. If a pet is continuously left home alone or not properly taken care of, damage will likely occur.

Potential noise complaints

Pets left alone for several hours at a time, even during normal work or school hours, can be a problem. Incessant barking, howling, or meowing can lead to frustrated neighbors and subsequent noise complaints. In some situations, pet owners may be trying their best to deal with a pet’s separation anxiety, while others may be unaware of the problem. Noise complaints are never ideal, especially when it’s about lonely, bored, or anxious pets. Handling pet noise complaints can prove to be difficult because there is not always a solution to the problem. Pets’ behavior may improve over time, but that’s not always the case.

Abandoned pets

Even worse than a howling pet left home alone is an abandoned pet. By allowing pets in your rental, you run the risk of having a tenant who not only abandons their lease and your unit, but their pet as well. If the pet is left alone for a lengthy period of time, there could be severe damage to your property. Dealing with an abandoned pet and potential damage to your property can be upsetting for both you and the pet. If this happens in your rental and you cannot get in touch with your tenant, call your local animal rescue. This will at least allow the pet to have a second chance for a good home.

Additional Considerations for Allowing Pets in Your Rental

Although benefits and risks are important to think about, there are other pressing issues to consider as well before making your final decision.

Does your insurance company cover all pet breeds?

Not every landlord will have an insurance policy that covers all pets. In fact, many insurance companies have restrictions on what animals and breeds they allow in the policy. For instance, pit bulls and rottweilers are two common dog breeds that are excluded. Before you sign a lease with a pet owner, be sure your policy covers their pet.

How to legally handle service and emotional support animals

Tenants who have service animals or emotional support animals are protected by the American Disabilities Act (ADA). Because of this, landlords are required to allow these animals in their rental whether their unit is pet friendly or not. If your rental is pet friendly, be aware that tenants with a service or emotional support animal are not legally required to pay pet fees, pet deposits, or pet rent. Before your tenant (or their pet) moves in, they are legally obligated under the ADA and Fair Housing Laws to provide you with proper documentation that details their need for the animal.

How to screen tenants with pets

When screening a pet-owning potential tenant, the process will be very similar to screening a tenant without pets. Your tenant screening should include a background and credit check (conveniently provided by TransUnion® if your unit is listed on Apartments.com), as well as professional and landlord references, proof of income, etc. The only additional requirements for pet owners would be to answer a list of questions, such as:

How many pets do you have?
What type of pet(s) do you have?
What breed?
How much does the pet weigh?
Is your pet up to date on shots (specifically rabies)?

You also have the option to set up a pet interview with the potential tenant and their pup. By meeting their pet before move-in day, you can make sure they’re friendly and well behaved.

How to make your rental pet friendly

Allowing pets in your rental is the first step towards growing your pool of potential tenants, but a great way to retain your pet-owning tenants is to install a few pet-friendly amenities and features. Pet-friendly flooring (avoid carpet), a closed-in patio or a fenced-in yard, or a pet door that opens to a fenced-in outdoor space are great ways to make your rental more pet friendly.

The Choice Is Yours

Every property owner must make their own decision when it comes to allowing pets in their rental property. Keep in mind that although there are serious risks, such as property damage, noise complaints, and abandoned pets, more and more renters are becoming pet owners. If you don’t allow pets, your pool of renters will continue to shrink. A great compromise is to create a pet agreement that outlines your requirements, including:

Pet fees, pet deposits, and pet rent
Number of pets allowed per unit
Type, breed, and size of pet

In the agreement, you can also detail your expectations. For example, explain that tenants are required to pick up after pets outdoors, specify cleaning instructions to avoid any leftover pet dander, smell, or damage after your tenant moves out, and reiterate community quiet hours.

Although you are not required to allow pets in your rental property, you have a much better chance of finding a potentially great, long-term tenant in a timely manner if you are flexible with your rental policies and rent to tenants with pets.

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New Construction Could Help Affordability, But Buyers Should Watch This One (First) Step

By The Lighter Side of Real Estate • August 5, 2026

Housing affordability has become one of those rare topics almost everyone agrees on: it’s a problem. Buyers feel it, renters feel it even more, homeowners talk about it, and politicians on both sides of the aisle regularly float ideas on how to fix it. Tax credits, zoning changes, interest rate adjustments, down payment assistance programs — for nearly every proposed solution, there’s a counterargument about whether it actually helps or just sounds good on paper. But one idea comes up again and again, across government, finance, real estate, and even everyday conversations among buyers and homeowners: build more homes. At its core, real estate is supply and demand in action. When demand outpaces supply, prices rise. When supply catches up, prices tend to stabilize or fall. So the logic is simple enough. If affordability is the issue, adding more housing inventory should help relieve some of the pressure. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Builders aren’t public utilities. They’re private businesses with margins to protect, financing costs to manage, and risk to account for. Construction costs, labor shortages, permitting delays, and interest rates all play a role in whether new homes will actually get built. But with enough incentives and pent-up demand, it’s not unreasonable to think we could see a meaningful wave of new construction in the near future. And if that happens, you might just find yourself excited to go out and look for a new construction home! A Lot of Buyers Casually Walk Into a Model Home for a “Quick Look” For many buyers, the new construction process starts casually. Maybe they drive past a new development and decide to pull in. They walk through a model home “just to look.” They chat with the on-site sales representative — or even the builder directly. It feels low-pressure, informational, and harmless. After all, no one’s signing anything… yet. But what often happens next is where things get complicated. Buyers go home and sleep on it. They come back another time. Maybe even a third. Eventually, it starts to feel real — and that’s when many decide it would be smart to bring in their own real estate agent for guidance, negotiation help, and an extra set of eyes on the contract. Unfortunately, when they try to do that, they often find out it’s already too late to get their own agent involved. Why That First Visit Matters More than Most Buyers Realize What many buyers don’t realize is that the very first visit to a new construction site quietly sets the rules for how the rest of the transaction will unfold. From the builder’s perspective, walking into a model home without an agent isn’t just a casual look, it potentially establishes the buyer as someone working directly with the builder’s sales team. Many builders have clear internal policies that say if a buyer’s first interaction happens without a real estate agent present, that buyer is considered “registered” to the builder. Once that happens, bringing in an outside agent later may not be allowed at all, or may require special approval which can be difficult to obtain. Why? Because builders aim to keep tight control over their sales process. They control the product, the pricing, the incentives, the timelines, and the messaging. Introducing an independent buyer’s agent — especially after conversations, tours, or pricing discussions have already started — adds another voice to the process. And that voice is focused solely on the buyer’s interests. That doesn’t make builders villains. It’s simply how many new construction sales are structured. But it does mean that a decision that feels small in the moment — “Let’s just stop in and take a look” — can have lasting consequences. By the time buyers realize they want professional representation and negotiation help, the window to involve their own agent may already be closed. “Do I Even Need My Own Agent for New Construction?” Some buyers, especially those who like the idea of a streamlined process, question whether bringing their own agent makes sense at all. After all, the builder already has a sales rep. The price is often set. The home is brand new. What’s there to negotiate? It’s a fair question — and one that builders are happy to let buyers ask themselves. But it’s important to remember that the builder’s sales agent works for the builder. Their job is to protect the builder’s timeline, pricing, and contract terms. They are not obligated to point out unfavorable clauses, suggest alternatives, or flag long-term resale considerations. An independent buyer’s agent serves a very different role. Their responsibility is to the buyer — not the builder. That means advising on contract terms, explaining how builder add-ons and incentives actually affect the bottom line, and helping buyers understand where there may be room to negotiate, even when the base price appears “fixed.” In new construction, negotiations often happen in less obvious places. Closing cost credits, upgrade packages, lot premiums, build timelines, contingency language, and even how issues are handled during construction can all have real financial and practical implications. These are details buyers may not think to question, but they can matter long after the excitement of choosing finishes wears off. An experienced agent can also provide context that isn’t available in the model home. How this builder compares to others nearby. How resale values have held up in similar developments. Whether certain upgrades tend to pay off (or not) when it comes time to sell. That kind of perspective doesn’t come from the builder’s sales office, because it doesn’t serve their interests to provide it. In short, new construction may look like a straightforward sales process on the surface, but it’s still a real estate transaction between a buyer and a seller. A seller who is often much more experienced than the buyer… So if you find yourself tempted to stroll into a model home in the near future, it may be worth pausing and scheduling that first visit with your own real estate agent instead. The Takeaway: If new construction inventory starts to increase, that’s good news for buyers and the market as a whole. More options, less pressure, and a healthier balance between supply and demand are all positives. But buyers should slow down before casually walking into a model home alone. If there’s any chance you’ll want an agent to be involved in the purchase, they should be part of the first visit — or at least formally registered in advance. A quick conversation upfront can preserve options, protect representation, and prevent frustration later.

The AI Home Sale Story Everyone’s Talking About… Is Missing One Key Detail

By The Lighter Side of Real Estate • August 3, 2026

You may have seen the headlines making the rounds lately about a homeowner who supposedly sold his house using AI. At face value, it sounds like something straight out of the near future. Most of the headlines made it seem like the guy typed in a few prompts and AI handled the marketing, found a buyer, guided the negotiations, and just like that… sold. But if you actually listen to an interview with the seller, the story sounds a little different. He makes it clear that AI was more of a tool helping with pricing ideas, marketing, and understanding the general process of selling a house. He also openly admitted that he hired an attorney to review the contract. So, like a lot of things you see online, it wasn’t quite as simple as it was made to sound. And as it turns out… he had even more help than he let on. The Part That’s Not Getting Talked About According to this article from the National Association of Realtors , there’s a key detail that tends to get left out of the story. There was a real estate agent involved. Not representing the seller, but representing the buyer—and in the process, doing a lot more than just “bringing the buyer.” While the seller enlisted the help of an attorney, he still found himself needing timely help and answers. So the agent ended up taking calls from the seller on a daily basis, from as early as 7:30 AM to as late as 11 PM one evening, helping answer his questions and guiding him through the process. In other words, doing many of the things a listing agent typically does, in order to help her client successfully buy a house from a seller who didn’t know the process. The reality is, this wasn’t a case of “AI handled everything.” There were still several humans involved, and one of them was an experienced real estate agent helping navigate the deal. Headlines Should’ve Said: “Local Man Sells House for Sale by Owner” When you really stop and think about it, this really is nothing more than a story about a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) transaction. This is really nothing new. A percentage of homeowners choose to go that route every single year. Some have success. Most quickly realize there’s more to the process than they expected. The only difference here is the tool being used. Not many years ago, this headline might have read: “Homeowner Sells House Using the Internet!” People have used Google to find information, online tools to create marketing for their home, and websites to expose their home to the market. Today, it’s AI. Different technological innovation. Same basic concept. Because at the end of the day, technology can help you get in the game… but it doesn’t suddenly make you an expert in everything that happens once you’re in it. Then Again, FSBOs Are at an All-Time Low… According to the National Association of Realtors , despite all the technology available today, For Sale By Owner transactions are at an all-time low, accounting for just 5% of all home sales. So all of those headlines probably should have focused on the fact that he sold his house FSBO! That’s probably more accurate. At a time when sellers have more access than ever to information, marketing tools, and now AI, the overwhelming majority still choose to work with a real estate agent. That doesn’t mean technology isn’t helpful. It is. AI can give you ideas, help you understand the process, and even make you feel more confident getting started if you’re thinking about selling on your own. But there’s a big difference between having access to tools, and knowing how to navigate everything that happens once your home hits the market. Pricing strategy. Buyer psychology. Negotiations. Inspections. Appraisals. Timelines. The unexpected issues that almost always come up along the way. That’s where experience tends to matter most. So if you’re thinking about using AI to sell your home based on this story, just know there’s more to it than meets the eye—and a reason why most sellers still choose not to go it alone. The Takeaway: A recent viral story about someone selling their house using AI makes it sound like the future has officially arrived. The headlines make it seem like all you have to do is type a few prompts, sit back, and watch your house sell. In reality, AI helped with some of the early steps, but there were still plenty of humans involved—including a buyer’s agent who ended up fielding calls and walking the seller through much of the process. So what you’re hearing about wasn’t a fully automated home sale. It was a For Sale By Owner deal with some tech mixed in. And considering FSBOs are at an all-time low of just 5%, that’s probably the part that should have made the headlines.

The Best Way to Figure Out If a New Home Would Really Make You Happier

By The Lighter Side of Real Estate • August 2, 2026

It’s common to look around your current home and wish for something better. More space. A different layout. A better location. Fewer compromises. That feeling doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with your home—or with you. Very few people live in a place that feels perfect forever, and it’s human nature to wonder whether a different home might make you happier. That’s why a recent article from Realtor.com about whether a new home can make you happier can feel a little…conflicting. On one hand, it suggests that buying a new home could increase happiness. On the other hand, it says it might not. It’s an honest take, but it doesn’t really help much. The reality is, there’s rarely a definitive answer. True happiness usually runs deeper than square footage, finishes, or a new address. But if you’re hoping for some real clarity about whether buying a new home will actually make you happier, there may be a place to look for answers that most people don’t initially think to turn to… Most People Start by Venting to Friends, family…and ChatGPT When people start wondering whether a new home would actually make them happier, they usually don’t start by talking to a real estate professional. They start by bouncing it off of the people (and tools) they have in their day-to-day lives, such as: Friends , who know your personality, your habits, and the things you’ve been venting about for years Family members , especially if you’re close-knit—or if they’re providing financial help and feel entitled to weigh in A significant other , since any move will likely impact their life (and happiness) as well ChatGPT and other online tools , are increasingly being used to run scenarios, compare options, or talk through pros and cons Even a therapist , where big life decisions like housing naturally come up Each of these can be genuinely helpful—and in many cases, necessary—to make a thoughtful decision. The problem is that taken together, they can also make the decision more confusing than clarifying. Friends and family often filter advice through their own experiences, regrets, or wins Loved ones may unintentionally project fears or expectations that don’t fully apply to your situation Therapists can help you understand how you feel, but not whether a specific home or market reality actually makes sense Technology can explain concepts, but it doesn’t know your local market, what’s truly available, or which trade-offs are realistic All of these perspectives may help you sort through what you think will make you happy. What they tend to lack, however, is true insight into real estate itself. But Very Few Think to Confide in a Real Estate Agent For many buyers, real estate agents are still viewed through a pretty narrow lens. They’re seen as the person who schedules showings, unlocks doors, writes up paperwork, and—if you’re being cynical—tries to get a deal done as quickly as possible. That perception isn’t entirely surprising, since much of an agent’s work happens behind the scenes. But the truth is, good agents bring far more to the table than they’re usually given credit for—and in many cases, more than they’re ever paid for. Of course, they handle the things most people envision: showing houses, marketing listings, negotiations, inspections, managing timelines, contracts, and all the moving pieces that make a transaction actually happen. But those are just the baseline skills. The real value often lies in what agents learn and refine over years of working with people, not just properties. They’ve watched buyers chase homes they thought would make them happier, but didn’t deliver long-term satisfaction. They’ve helped others find unexpected joy in homes they initially overlooked. They’ve seen decisions driven by emotion work out beautifully—and others unravel under the weight of unrealistic expectations. That experience gives them context that no article, algorithm, or well-meaning friend can replicate. Over time, many agents also develop a set of soft skills that rarely get discussed. They often become an unofficial mix of trusted real estate expert, confidant, sounding board, and—at times—something closer to family. Someone their clients turn to for an uncommon blend of personal perspective and professional insight, wrapped into one relationship. The Sooner You Loop in an Agent, the Clearer the Decision Becomes If you find yourself casually saying things like “If only we had a bigger kitchen,” or “I wish this house had a better layout,” or even half-joking with a friend about how much happier you’d be in a different home, it probably doesn’t feel like a moment that calls for looping in a real estate agent. But that’s actually when bringing an agent into the conversation can be most valuable! A good agent can help you sort through those early thoughts before you make an entirely emotional decision to move forward, or do nothing and cope with a feeling of unhappiness. That doesn’t mean your agent should entirely replace the advice of friends and family, but you should definitely consider adding them in as an objective advisor who also understands the emotional side of the conversation. The Takeaway: It’s completely normal to feel like a new home might make you happier—and sometimes, it really does. That’s why most people start by running their thoughts and feelings by trusted friends, family, or their significant other. Those conversations matter and can be genuinely helpful. But many buyers wait to involve a real estate agent until they’ve already made a firm decision to buy, when in reality, looping one in earlier can be far more valuable. A trusted agent can act as a confidant and objective advisor, helping you sort through emotions, expectations, and real-world possibilities. That early clarity can make all the difference between a move driven by hope alone and one that truly supports long-term happiness.